Formal Classroom Observation #1

This reflection will be based on the California Teaching Performance Expectation (TPE)
1: Engaging and Supporting all Students in Learning. TPE 1 subcategory that I will
focus on is 5: Promote students' critical and creative thinking and analysis through
activities that provide opportunities for inquiry, problem solving, responding to and
framing meaningful questions, and reflection. The student that I observed was faced
forward wearing a green shirt, and in the video, we were only able to see his back.
While focusing on this TPE, I observed that this student answered the first question that
was asked right away. He used problem solving techniques by referencing the text two
separate times to justify his answer to the original question. After answering the
question, he also inquired to the student who asked it by asking him if that is what he
meant. He was being an active listener by turning his head and focusing on other
students speaking when they gave a secondary opinion. He wasn’t argumentative
about his point of view but spoke in an informative manner by using the text as his base
of information.

My take away from this observation is that this teacher has given this student, and the
class, the right tools to analyze a text, form meaningful or inquisitive questions, and
answer questions by using the information at hand. I thought it was brilliant that the
student used the text to reference his answer to the question, not once, but twice! He
was very involved in the inner circles conversation and did a good job listening to
perspectives and asking his own questions.

I firmly believe that using the theory of constructivism in the classroom by helping
children learn to ask questions they need more information on and answer the ones
they are knowledgeable about is the foundation for ensuring lifelong education. As a
future teacher, I will always be committed to encouraging my students to become the
best version of themselves and a good place to start is using the theory of
constructivism in my classroom.
 References

California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. California Teaching

Performance Expectations (TPEs). 2016. Retrieved on February 17, 2023 at

https://www.ctc.ca.gov/docs/default-source/educator-prep/standards/tpe-1-6-

placemat.pdf?sfvrsn=2.