Diane Vestuto

19 April 2016
Reflection
I think this lesson went smoothly because students were very familiar with the structure
and the routine of this lesson. My students have done this jigsaw activity in several other lessons
as a way to examine and closely read the scene, so they were already familiar with the actions
they had to take, specifically when they had to rotate. Because there was a routine established
and students understood what was expected of them, I think enabled this lesson and the jigsaw
activity in this lesson to go so smoothly.
Students came into class having already read the scene for homework, so when they were
reading the selected passages, they had an understanding of what happened in the scene. One
thing I would do if I were to do this lesson again is I would reduce the number of questions that
students had to answer in their base groups. Students needed more time answering the textdependent questions, which then cut into their time to share their findings with their new groups
when they jig-sawed. Both working in their base group and going over the scene with their new
group members are very important for their comprehension of this scene, especially since I
would like students to walk away from the lesson having an understanding of the major themes
as they analyze the entire scene. Reducing the number of questions they have to work on in base
groups is one way to ensure that the time would be evenly distributed for each activity.
Another possibility that could contribute to students struggling with the questions is that
some students either did not read the scene, or the scene was more difficult for students to
understand than I anticipated. One thing I could do next time is assess students understanding of
the scene at the beginning of class by having students explain what happened in the scene and
asking basic plot questions. Doing so would also clarify things/elements of the plot that students
did not understand, that way when they went into their base groups to closely read their passage,
everyone would have a clear understanding of the scene so that they may closely read and
analyze the text.
Based on the formative assessment I had at the end of class, where students had to
answer the question how do the witches interactions with Macbeth advance the plot and
illustrate a theme in the play? in a response, the majority of students were able to explain how
the fact that the witches were continuing to mess and confuse Macbeth as Macbeth attempts to
control his own fate. Many students explained how Macbeths constant attempt to control fate,
which is unachievable, alludes to the theme of greed and fate that is prevalent throughout the
play. Throughout my placement, I have frequently had my students do these types of short
responses at the end of class so that I can assess if they took anything away from the lesson. I
find it to be such a useful assessment because it gives students the opportunity to get their
thoughts down and it guides my instruction for the next daydo we need to revisit certain areas
of the passage that might have been confusing, or are we ready to move on? If the majority of the
class did not understand the scene, then there was a flaw in the lesson, but if there is only a few, I
can individualize my attention to get them back on track and clarify any misunderstandings as I
go, rather than at the end, when the student would already be so far gone from the text.
In my post-observation conference, we discussed various tactics I can do in the classroom
to improve student work production for the next quarter. At my conference, I shared how many
students do not give in their homework, which are often simple assignments. Because there was
such a low homework rate, I needed to find other ways to assess students. In my lesson plans, I

have started to include various modalities for instructing Macbeth. One of them was a creative
project where students were able to do a video, make a poster, or write a skit to depict a pivotal
scene in Macbeth. During this assignment, I noticed that some of my weaker students were more
excited about the project, and eager to get involved. For my weaker readers and writers, they
were able to put together a project that depicted their selected scene and explain why they chose
that scene because the modality worked toward their strengths. Moving forward, I will continue
to vary the modalities I use in the classroom. Some ideas we discussed in my post-observation
conference included having students illustrate a scene, cast the play with actors with one line
justifications, create a piece of music that either Macbeth will sing, create a diorama or make
films using stop motion. Incorporating other learning styles could improve student production
and turn-in rates on assignments so everything isnt all writing and it appeals to all different
learners.
Though I have been trying my best, one thing I still need to work on is lowering my
voice. This is especially important for when I do my demo lesson. When I am dealing with a
room full of students I do not know, projecting my voice as I command the classroom should
show that I am in control and assertive. However, projecting my voice on a lower octave
demonstrates strong control versus a higher voice. This is something I am most definitely aware
of and continue to work on. I also have to encourage students to project their voices as well, so
that everyone in class can hear each other, as this is in keeping with the speaking and listening
standards.
Overall, I was very happy with how this lesson went, especially with how much I initially
struggled with Macbeth and this class. It took me a little while to get into a groove and get the
students in a routine with how we would be working with Macbeth. I think that this worked for
the best and that we have come a long way. Students were engaged and were closely reading and
responding to the text. After reflecting from the post-observation conference, I am confident that
these techniques and activities will improve my instruction in the classroom.