Manhattan College

School of Education
Student Teacher Observation
Student Teacher: Tonianne Dente School: 0# 1( Lesson Topic: 3hristopher 3olumbus Date of Observation: 5ctober 2, 6)(2 General:
Ms. Dentes planning, instructional skills and classroom management skills continue to evolve as she approaches the conclusion of her student teaching placement in Mr. Gabrielsons third grade class. Ms. Dente has come to understand that teaching requires many decisions and plans for instruction, classroom management, etc., and, at any given time, a departure from the lesson plan the teacher prepared. To her credit, Ms. Dente is very candid of her abilities in the classroom (and all its events , and this has helped her to understand !hat needs to be done in future lessons. Ms. Dente has taken the e"periences she has learned from previous formal observation and has incorporated them into this lesson. Ms. Dente has continued to learn ho! much a teacher must do and kno! in order to prepare for instruction, and to keep the students productive. #he has been very actively involved in the daily organi$ation of the class. %er kno!ledge of the students (academically and behaviorally has added to the effectiveness&efficiency of her instruction and classroom management. Ms. Dente has continued to !ork !ith the students individually, in cooperative groups and in !hole class settings. #he continues to be very reflective about her teaching e"periences and the !ays she manages the students. Ms. Dente continues to !elcome and implement constructive suggestions from her supervisor and cooperating teacher.

Supervisor: 'lton .. /oodman Grade Level: 2rd Grade (Mr. Gabrielson Content Area(s): 4iteracy, Geography and
%istory

Observation: 76 (0lacement 7(

Lesson:
't about ()*)), Ms. Dente !as calling the students to the meeting area. The students !ere !orking very hard to be the first table called as they sat perfectly still in their groups. 's each group !as called, Ms. Dente reminded them to make sure they could see the #martboard. +,ll !ait until everyone is quiet.-

The students settled into their seats and began to focus. Ms. Dente reminded the students that ne"t Monday !ill be no school. The class !as asked !hy. ' student finally offered that it is 3olumbus Day and he discovered 'merica. Ms. Dente made a point to repeat the information. #he also checked on the meaning of the !ord DISCOV ! D 't about ()*)8, a .rain90op video on 3hristopher 3olumbus !as featured on the #martboard. The students !ere very involved in the video as it revie!ed 3olumbus challenges, :ourneys, accomplishments and some of the reality that is not al!ays shared !ith the younger students. Ms. Dente stopped the video on a couple of occasions to check the class understanding of geographical and mathematical terminology (GLO" and S#$ ! . #he also discussed !ith the class ho! 3olumbus !as able to get around because he did not have a cell phone. %e did have a compass. The video ended at ()*((. The students en:oyed the video very much. Ms. Dente reminded the students that these events happened over 8)) years ago; Ms. Dente moved to the easel and asked the students to build a list of items they !ould need for such a :ourney. 'mong the items !ere the follo!ing* #hips 3ompass Maps <'t this point, Ms. Dente stretched the students kno!ledge by asking about the +linesthat could be found on a map. 'fter a fe! students attempted to ans!er the questions, LATIT%D and LO&GIT%D !ere finally shared by a student in the class. Ms. Dente returned to the list on the easel. Telescope =ood /ater 3lothes 5nce again, Ms. Dente challenged the class by asking the names of 3olumbus ships. 't about ()*(8, Ms. Dente began to give directions for the map activity. Ms. Dente made a point to check for understanding !ith regard to the activity&procedures. The class !as beginning to get a little noisy. Ms. Dente brought them back under control by making them a!are that she !ill be doing the +table tallies.Ms. Dente !as very active as the students began to settle do!n. #he made a number of references about their readiness. 5nce the class !as a little more settled and focused, Ms. Dente sho!ed the map activity on the #martboard. The class !as asked !here 3olumbus started from. The ans!ers of >urope and #pain !ere given. Ms. Dente sho!ed the students the route that 3olumbus used on his first :ourney (the red line on the map .Ms. Dente called on one of the students for the ans!er to a question that had to do !ith !here 3olumbus landed. /hen the student did not kno!, Ms. Dente very !isely asked the student if she !ould like to call on somebody else in the class.

't about ()*6), Ms. Dente moved the class to the ne"t activity. The students !ould have the opportunity to !rite about !here they !ould like to go on a :ourney. Ms. Dente read a model of the activity that she had prepared. #he read her essay about 'ustralia and !hat she !ished to do !hen she !ent there. 't about ()*62, Ms. Dente called on a couple of students !ho told the class about the activity they !ere going to do. The papers !ere distributed. Ms. Dente moved around the room to assess their progress, listen to questions, offer suggestions, etc. 5nce again it !as necessary for Ms. Dente to use +table tallies- to restore a little more of a quiet !orking environment to the classroom. Ms. Dente returned to the easel to !rite a starter question for the class* If I could e'plore an()here in the )orld* )here )ould I +o, -hat )ould brin+, -ho )ould ta.e, Ms. Dente also provided the students !ith a vocabulary sheet that had many of the !ords that !ere discussed during the course of the lesson. The students !ere told that they might !ish to include some of these !ords in their story. Ms. Dente continued to move around the room. #he shared some of the ideas and choices that she observed from certain students. 't about ()*26, Ms. Dente +flickered- the lights to get the class attention. The class quieted. Ms. Dente told the class that they had another 29? minutes to !ork, The class !as called together at ()*2@. Ms. Dente !anted some of the students to share their !ork !ith the class. 'ltogether, si" students !ere called on to share their !ritten !ork. Their ans!ers ranged from outer space to 0aris to =lorida to >gypt and finally to a +make9believe- location. Ms. Dente made a point of asking follo! up questions and offering some interesting comments about the students !ork. The sharing activity !as !ell received. 't about ()*?A, Ms. Dente reali$ed that there !as no need to move the students another time to get them ready for closure. #he decided to leave the students !here they !ere. Ms. Dente asked the class some questions about !hat !as studied in todays lesson. Mr. Gabrielson follo!ed !ith some comments that helped the students understand that +Bif they really !ant to do it, you can do it,- !hich captured one of the other side9 lessons about the e"perience that 3olumbus had. Ms. Dente heard one of the students say, +Cou should al!ays follo! your heart.This comment !as another good !ay to !rap up the lesson. The lesson ended at ()*?8.

Instructional S.ills:
Ms. Dentes lesson !as nicely organi$ed for herself and for the class. Ms. Dente !as poised and focused throughout instruction, and she appeared to be much calmer as !ell. /ith 3hristopher 3olumbus as the focus of the lesson, Ms. Dente !as able to blend literacy, geography and history into a ?8 minute instructional block. This timely lesson !as connected !ith historical events from 8)) years ago. ,t !as evident that Ms. Dente had spent time revie!ing the recommendations from her first lesson, and !as able to incorporate a number of them into her current lesson. Ms. Dente skillfully moved the students from !hole group activities, to individual !ork and back again to !hole group sharing and closure. 's the students !orked individually, Ms. Dente moved around the room to observe and comment about the different !ork she !as seeing. 't various times, Ms. Dente also included follo!9up questions and commentary. The overall pacing and time management of the lesson !ere handled !ell. 5nce again, Ms. Dentes kno!ledge of students abilities, personalities, and learning needs allo!ed her to understand !hat must be done to motivate, instruct, guide, and support them through the different aspects of the lesson.

Classroo/ 0ana+e/ent:
5verall, Ms. Dente had good classroom management, but there !ere a fe! times during the lesson !hen she found it necessary to reach for the Table Tallies chart. This class can become very chatty, especially !hen they transition from one part of a lesson to another. Ms. Dente !as determined to control ho! much and !hen the talking !ould occur. 'ny behavioral matters that occurred !ere handled and never interfered !ith the flo! and completion of the lesson. Ms. Dente used the entire classroom for her instruction !hich also had an impact on the effectiveness of her classroom management.

Observation1!eco//endations:
(. Cour lesson contained a variety of instructional methods to help the students understand 3olumbus and the challenges he faced. Cou kept your directions for the class clear, and you made sure to check for understanding (!hat the students !ere going to do after the instructions !ere given. 6. /hen you are composing a list !ith student assistance at the easel, make sure you !rite the topic sentence&title first as opposed to later on. This also occurred !hen you !rote the +starter question- on the easel after the students began their !ork. 0lan ahead so you kno! !here you are going. 2. Cou handled many small situations very !ell. =or e"ample* '. /hen the little girl didnt have the ans!er to the question, you offered her the opportunity to call on a fello! student.

.. Cou read your model of !hat the students needed to do to the class. 3onsider posting it ne"t time or consider !riting it on a large piece of paper for all of the class to see after you have read it. 3. Cou shared some of the !onderful !riting ideas created by certain students !ith the entire class. D. Cou called on students from different tables, boys and girls, !ith different essays and you had follo!9up questions&commentary for them. >. Cou !ere appropriately enthusiastic about !hat you sa! and heard from the students. =. .y turning off the #martboard at key times, you maintained control of the lesson as you engaged the students !ith questions and commentary. G2 Cou probed a little deeper !ith your questions as you asked about latitude&longitude, 3olumbus three ships as !ell as the meaning of DISCOV ! D* GLO" and S#$ ! 2 %. Dear the end of the lesson you had planned for the students to return to the meeting area for the closure, but you reali$ed that it !ould make more sense for them to stay !here they are. Good decision; The lesson plan is not +!ritten in stone.,. Cou used the !hole room for instruction. ?. Cou handled your pacing and time quite !ell. 8. 3ontinue to !ork on your voice and presence at different times throughout the lesson. A. Cou forgot to assign home!ork, but as !e discussed at the post9observation conference, this did not create a serious problem. %ome!ork is an e"tension of the lesson, and it needs to be carefully planned for the success of the students. The students !ill not have the lu"ury of hearing teacher e"planation&class discussion in their homes to clear up any misunderstandings. E. 3ontinue to focus on the transitions between and within lessons to make sure you have control of the class, and that they kno! !hat they are being asked to do. 32 'l!ays stop to proofread your chart !ork before you step away from it. 4et the students hear you say, 4Let /e chec. /( )or.25 =or e"ample* -hat )ould brin+, -ho )ould ta.e,

Grade:

627189

Student Teacher ::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::: Supervisor ::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::