Observation Sheet Questioning

Graduate Standards AITSL

Professional Knowledge: 1. Know students and how they learn.
Professional Practice: 2. Plan and implement effective teaching and learning.

Question Type

Do you feel your questions
were clearly structured and
readily understood by
students?
Yes. The majority of my questions were designed to initially yield one
word responses. For example, categorize this type of person or
determine whether this statement indicates a strength or weakness
of a system. Elaboration and expansion was the follow up question of
why.

Later in the lesson, I asked the students to provide their opinions on
the pros and cons of alternatives to jury systems. Most students
participated, and provided accurate answers. No student
demonstrated a lack of understanding of the question.
Did you use a variety of
question types?
Yes. Categorize, label, explain and multi choice.
What balances were there
between the various
question types?
Roughly equal balance. I divided the lesson into three segments that
all used different question types.
Consider both why and when
you made use of the
different question types?
I used different question types to maintain engagement of the
students. One type of questioning for the whole class lesson would
have tested student concentration. I left long form answers to
questions at the end, as I thought it would be best to grab the
students attention and make a good impression first up, with an
interactive activity and short form question/answers.

Distributing and Directing Questions

Did you recognize any
pattern in the distribution of
your questions amongst the
students? Consider reasons
for this pattern?
Questions that required the shortest form of answer were used at the
start and longer form at the end. I felt it would take time for students
to calm down from wherever they came from (suggested to me by my
mentor teacher). I also did not want to exhaust their concentration
levels too early.
How have you directed
questions to the group?
Via power point, handout sheet and verbally.
Have you used wait time? Yes, to make sure I absorbed student responses accurately. I also
would pause and look around for a head nod or other
acknowledgement if I sensed uncertainty from students in regards to
accurate intake of information. Pauses were also used between pre-
planned sections of the lesson.
Did you make eye contact
with the group as you
directed your questions?
Yes, I felt this would portray me as genuine and attentive. Also,
students had no idea of my background/content knowledge of the
subject, so avoiding eye contact may have given me away so to speak.

Reactions to Students Responses

How do you deal with
correct responses? Do you
qualify any praise given?
Acknowledge correct responses, with good or yep. I am careful to
be balanced with responses, do my best to use any good responses to
lead into the next phase of my lesson.
How do you deal with
incorrect responses? How do
you deal with students who
stumble and grope for an
answer?
Any incorrect responses, Id say something like close or not quite
and present the student with a different way of thinking about the
question, or rephrase my question. I didnt encounter a student who
stumbled and having learnt from my Primary lesson, I would have let
them finish.
Do you keep eye contact
with the students until they
have completed an answer?
Do you cut students off and
go onto the next point
before they have finished
responding?
Yes and yes. Its the same with speaking with people in a workplace
and in general. I didnt encounter students stumbling for answers.
What use do you make of
the students responses to
develop the teaching point?
Have you redirected any
questions in order to add to
an initial response?
I started my class lesson by relating it back to the previous lesson I sat
in on with that group. They were studying the inquisitory/adversary
systems and the word jury was mentioned a few times. I took that as
an opportunity to introduce my lesson on Juries.

I used some correct responses to reinforce a point Id made earlier.
With a couple of responses, instead of telling the student whether
they were right or wrong, I asked another student to assess them. I
felt this was a good technique in engaging everyone.
Are you the only evaluator of
the students answers?
I was being overseen by a mentor teacher, so he was one, and
engaging the students to assess each other was another.

Management

Was your lesson plan
effective for managing the
class?

E.g. How did the students
react to your lesson overall
and to your planned
activities?

Did anything unexpected
happen?

Did you provide a variety of
activities?




Were you satisfied with your
timing, particularly for the
end of the last lesson?





Did you feel you were able
to change things if needed?

Yes, they behaved very politely.



Again, they were very attentive and polite. The students answered
correctly to almost all of my questions, which suggested to me that
my question types were sound.


Not in terms of student behavior.


As best I could with the subject I was given (Juries). I thought about a
mock trial but I didnt feel there was enough time. I used power point
and video, as well as thought provoking questions. The assessment
sheet required, one longer form answer, a table to fill out and
multiple choice questions.

No. I presented a lesson plan to my mentor teacher 2 days before my
class lesson. He said it would be too long, so I presented a new one
the day before the lesson. He also said it would be too long. My class
lesson ended up finishing sooner than I wouldve liked. I felt I should
have trusted myself more, and offered the opinion that if it went too
long (the original lesson plan I submitted) then that was something for
me to find out, and learn from.

Not particularly, I was tied to the structure of my lesson plan. I learnt
a valuable lesson in preparation.

Was your organization of
materials and resources
efficient and effective?



E.g. Did you and the
students have everything
you needed?

Did you plan how and when
you would distribute and
collect materials?

Were you aware of
classroom procedures and
school disciplinary policy?
How much did you know
Yes, the resources I used were a combination sourced from the
mentor teacher and those I found myself. My lesson plan proved to be
relevant. The students answered almost exactly the way I wanted to,
so that confirmed that my materials/resources were organized and
presented effectively.

Yes.



Yes, I pre-planned when I would hand out my assessment sheet. It
was theirs to keep.


I only became aware of the schools disciplinary policy during the
week. Each teacher would deal with minor classroom issues in their
own way, however teachers would be more consistent with major
infringements (none of which I witnessed, only heard about).
about your students? I never saw any discipline as such. My mentor teacher was very
comfortable with his classes they were responsive to him.

Maintaining a Positive Attitude in the Classroom

How did you demonstrate to
the students that you valued
them, and enjoyed learning?

E.g. Tone of voice, facial
expression, sense of
humour, introduction to
students and topic.
I thanked the students at the end of my lesson. I spent lunch time
breaks out in the yard and the indoor gymnasium trying to be social. I
ran into a couple of students from my class lesson, and thanked them.

Eye contact, not cutting the students off, complimenting accurate
work and presenting myself as enthusiastic.
Which aspects of your
teaching style do you feel
helped you maintain class
attention?

E.g. variety of activities, class
or group discussion, pace of
lesson, interest at class level.
I feel Im naturally respectful of people, both through my demeanor
and personality. Also, my work and sport life have demonstrated that
I have natural leadership abilities. Its these qualities that I feel helps
me maintain class attention. Variety of activities too.

I tried to break the lesson down into smaller blocks, which would be
varied in both their delivery style and requirement of the students. I
also encouraged participation wherever possible.

Did the students know what
was expected of them?
Yes, I made the outcomes and lesson structure clear at the beginning
of the class.
Were you able to redirect
energies of attention seeking
students? Did the students
have enough to do?
I didnt have a problem with attention seeking students, they were
mild mannered, attentive and polite. In the duration of my lesson, the
students had enough to do, like I said before, it just finished a little
sooner than I had planned.

Dealing with Minor Misbehaviour

Were you aware of what was
happening in all parts of the
classroom? Did you know
what each student was
doing?
Yes. I requested participation a lot during my lesson, it was never me
just reading a lot of material. My back was never turned, so it was
easier to keep a balanced eye across the classroom.
Did you take any action
when you observed poor
behaviour? Why? Why not?
I didnt witness any poor behaviour.
Did you use non-verbal
cues? E.g. contact, pause,
gesture, movement toward
student/s concerned.
Nil.

Schools as text looking at the whole school

Describe the school in terms
of its demographics,
appearance and resources
(be general here and do not
name the school),
Middle to high SES. Old townhouse style buildings, high ceilings. Well
resourced (Laptop Centre). Students dressed in collar and tie.
What were the roles and
responsibilities of the
teaching staff you observed?




I was in the Society & Environment Department. On Professional
Development Day teachers were expected to assimilate to the culture
of the school. That is, participate in prayer, congratulate award
winners, give feedback on new initiatives or technologies and feel
sympathy for those not doing so well (e.g. car crash victim all teachers
were updated on). The Principal drove this. During the week, the S&E
teachers would provide feedback to each other on teaching
techniques, content delivery and student dealings. They spoke of
student progress with great care and enthusiasm while being
supportive of one another.

Between classes all teachers were sociable with students they ran
into, always giving their time to whoever wanted a chat.
What did you observe non-
teaching staff doing to
support teaching and
learning in the school?
Unlike the primary school I was at, this secondary school did not have
Education Assistants. It was very much the teacher, by themselves,
delivering the content in their own way. There was a room called the
Laptop Centre, and this was where students could borrow laptops to
assist their learning, I also borrowed one to assist my teaching.

On Professional Development day, one teacher gave a speech on
SECTA, an online database accessible to teachers, parents and
students. It revolved around who could see what and making it easier
to use. Prayer was a part of the school and their identity, and the
words used in each pre-class prayer were words to the effect of
grasping concepts clearly.

Students

You will have observed the
diverse nature of your
classes. How was this
diversity supported?
Being an all boy school, I sensed a team environment where everyone
participated and felt accountable to the teacher, and each other.
Those who were a little cheekier, were asked to participate more
often to keep them on task and in check. Ethnic diversity wasnt an
issue through my observation, therefore needed no support.

My mentor teacher targeted students for responses to questions. I
gathered it was his way of determining progress.

Function of Schools

Did you observe the
connection of your schools
within the broader
community? How did this
happen?
My first day was a Professional Development Day. Guest speakers
spoke from organisations such as Headspace and Asthma awareness.
These were trying to provide support and education for teachers and
students who were relevant.

Xavier Ellis from the West Coast Eagles also came to the school to talk
about the benefits of reading. This was well attended.
What do you think the
function of the school is?
To guide boys through their transition from boyhood to becoming
good men. The school strives to guide each boy to graduate as a
gentleman who will live his life informed by Christian values with a
strong sense of justice. They aspire for each young man to become a
leader who is prepared to shape a better world.