Observation Form

Student Teacher: Wilson Du Penn Mentor: Pam Gallagher Please provide a stapled copy of the lesson plan, along with necessary handouts or assessments, notes and revisions to Pam. Section I - Pre-lesson conversation Focus and goals of observation General focus: Classroom climate Specific goal: What interactions can I facilitate to promote socially safe classroom discourse?

Section II Observation notes Record of events - continue on separate sheet if necessary. Please attach all additional sheets.
Date: Feb 10 ,2012 Class: Psychology IB Pd # 3

class comes in really, REALLY wound up and I notice that they dont all settle when you ask for this to happen But I do notice additional settling when Jonathan enters.. you reask for settling..... you do the introduction of me as a person of interest in the class... with A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR! transtion to wrapping up the cognition stuff .. oh am I looking for the days objectives.. insert comment about the upcoming test... so they are reviewing the points .. so the verbs are there !! great ... so the study points are objectives ? IB Syllabus is to be taken out... Is there a reason I dont have an LP with this syllabus... where is the obs form with the focus and goals? what happened? Evaluate two models ... so do they know the criteria that they are to use to evaluate? Criteria previously established earlier during the year. Example: pros and cons of models of memory. The notetaking is supported by very good lecture strategies (visuals and pacing) the activity really was effective in making the initial point of the value context for remembering... nice development of this lesson.. sequential, multiple avenues for students to connect with the content. I wonder if a memory that might have worked as a follow up would have dealt with the inaguration of Pres Obama... just wondering... nice transition later to the importance of emotion in memory.. flash bulb memory... announcement of the goal talk about emotion could you have been more explicit.. more objectives like... able to recall at least four examples of ... consider this with respect to retention of learning... so that they see some of the connections that affect something very personal for these high performing students

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Simones comment about being able to name the first 17 presidents in order. Could have backfired, but context of classroom and familiarity helped the others accept her for who she is. My response: Jokingly said lets not go there. She took it well and was not hurt or turned off. Quick Quiz.. nice mini closure... consider the procedure.. how might this have more of an impact on more students?? This all girl (nearly) climate is really high energy.. how do you find the cattiness of girls expressing itself or not? wow, you are right.. they are wound today!! your manner with this group is really good ... negotiating the ditziness can be tough.. a sense of humor is a must.. you know, it just hit me... no one in this class is taking notes on a computer... I wonder... I am wondering if you will connect all of the stuff that you are teaching might be connected to them in a very personal way... like the effects of all of these on learning and retention???? you must really love working these folks....

Section III Post-lesson conversation Date___________________ Notes Goal In what ways was the goal achieved? Its easy to see socially safe discourse in this class. As for my role in it, I started from the very first day of my being at Central. Even though I am not the most outgoing, I think I presented myself in a manner to them where they know I am friendly and easy to get along with. Being in advisory with them before starting my lead teaching with them helped them feel safer around me and it might have opened up some doors when it comes to instruction. Self-effacing humor shows my vulnerability with them and it may encourage them to be vulnerable themselves and respectful when others are. Did the way I introduced Pam help them feel more comfortable about having her in the room and being observed? I (pam) think so.. they see me as your friend and colleague which I think complements the classroom climate. In what ways does the goal need to remain in place, or be reformulated, and further pursued? Possible surveys in the future. Gives me a good base level to compare my others classes to. Visit them in other classes. See if they are different in other classes and their interactions in those classes, especially classes/teachers they dont like. Is it the content, teacher, or interactions of the class they dont like? Notes Other issues What else came up during the lesson that was noteworthy? Surprising? Valuable? Troubling? No cattiness in the group. May come the fact that they are in the same challenging program. Sets up a certain climate. Empathy developed because of the cohort mentality and sensitivity to support one another. They are competing against the test, not each other; builds cohesiveness. Social aspect of it too: Christmas tree, IB webshow, hoodies, parties, etc... Not just academically. Atypical configuration. Development of community field outside of academics, and hopefully have it bleed into academics?

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Recommendations for future practice: 1. Keep thinking of ways to observe them differently to uncover other underlying issues of them feeling socially safe? 2. Use more examples from their lives to illustrate or bring personal connections to the content in order to support retention. 3. consider ways to keep track of folks who dont stand out so that you can find ways to draw them out in class Areas of demonstrated improvement and success: 1. Humor sets up a safe climate for both academics and social trust. 2. superb planning of content 3. a very warm and smooth delivery style of lesson content.

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