APS 4: ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING HIGH EXPECTATION FOR LEARNERS

An effective teacher establishes, clearly communicates and maintains appropriate expectations for student
learning, participation and responsibility.
A. What did the teacher expect the students to learn from the lesson? How did the teacher convey the
purpose and relevance of the lesson to the students? In what ways did the students demonstrate that
they understood what the teacher expected for them to learn?

Students were expected to learn what a cross section is also called a plane and that it can cuts a 3D figure
vertically (perpendicular) or horizontally (parallel). Mrs. Larkin-Smith conveyed the purpose and relevance of the
lesson by explaining to them when and where they could use cross sectioning. Also, she wanted the students to
understand that vertical is synonymous with perpendicular and horizontal is synonymous with parallel. The
students are preparing for a new standardized test and Mrs. Larkin-Smith wanted to make sure that the students
would be familiar with both terms because they do not know which will be used on the exam. Students answered
questions from the notes that they took and were not allowed to use notes.

B.

What did the teacher expect the students to do during and after the lesson? How did the teacher convey
expectations for student participation and for accomplishing related assignments and tasks? In what
ways did the students demonstrate that they understood what the teacher expected them to do?

During the lesson students are required to copy in their journals the anchor chart word for word, they were given
about 15 minutes to copy all 3 of the charts. When the students had finished copying, they were asked to go over
them instead of yelling out Im finished or Im done. They were asked to do that so that they would not distract
others that were still copying and would be able to converse about the topic as they moved on to the next part of
the lesson. After all the students were finished with copying the charts they were ask to put away their notes and
answer questions that Mrs. Larkin-Smith asked about what they had just copied. If students did not participate
willingly she called on them, this did not happen often. For the most part the classes participated in classroom
activities.

C.

How did the teacher help the students take ownership of the learning (e.g., by making the learning
relevant to the students, using scaffolding, providing opportunities for students to engage in selfassessment and reflection, teaching compensatory strategies when necessary)?

Students were made accountable for their learning by taking the notes and they were able to take them in any
style they wanted to, they knew that after the 15 minutes were up that they were going to have to explain and
show their understanding of what they had copied. Also the students were asked to come back at the end of the
day for their homework, those who did not receive lower grades.