CLASSROOM OBSERVATION REPORT FORM

Jeniffer Harrison, ETSU Dr. Brian Mumma, PhD, GCSU

Zjat8@goldmail.etsu.edu

Georgia College and State University Campus Box

Milledgeville, GA 31061 Milledgeville, GA

January 25th and 27th 2010 brian.mumma@gcsu.edu

Class Time 9-12
Discussion with Professor Various Dates for 4 hours

Prediction or Expectations of Observation:

In entering the college level class, the expectation is that students will enter
their classes with a general and broad range of understandings pertaining to each
subject. The classroom being observed is an interesting twist in that the ‘teachers in
training’ (hereafter referred to as teachers) are actually college graduate students
and the ‘student’ (hereafter referred to as pupils) are being instructed by college
students who wish to become students. Dr. Mumma is the overseeing professor of
the students and their classrooms are taught in a manner, which is quite unique.
The expectations are that I will gain a broader knowledge not only of how to instruct,
direct, and inform the college students on how to teach, but I also will view directly
how the student’s interactions with pupils either work or need adjustment; how
behavioral issues may be addressed; and how to handle the nervousness of being a
first semester teacher.
Even though the class being observed is a high school class the goal is to
observe the hands-on ‘clinical’ if you will of up and coming teachers. I hope to learn
positive teaching styles, observe addressing diversity and disabilities, observe how to
redirect students who are off task, and learn new ways to interact positively with
students. Dr. Mumma’s interactions with the students are my highest priority;
however his students’ relationship with their high school students will provide
significant insight as well since many of them will soon be students in the college
level.
Since I will be observing the high school pupils and the college students at
once, one of my concentrations will be the observation of the students to insure they
have provided well-designed materials, have included non-lecturing activities,
teachers have involved the pupils in their learning (and do they involve a variety of
students and/or are they responsive of any learning gaps in any individuals),
attempts to utilize computers or other technology, do they explain concepts clearly
(do they have a working knowledge of the material they are presenting), did they
relate the learning concepts to students’ experiences, did they choose an appropriate
learning level for the students and accomplish their instructional goals for the class
period?
For Dr. Mumma’s instructions I will be observing his instructions prior to the
class of college students, his direction (if need be) during the class (of high school
pupils), and his coaching of the graduate students after the class.
Significant Events during Observation:

Please include the following in your narrative of Significant Events:

How did the teacher:
1. open the class
2. secure the attention of the students
3. relate the lesson to prior lessons
4. involve students in the lesson
5. develop a climate for learning
6. what procedures were used to bring the lesson to a close
7. how were individual differences met
8. what materials and/or audio-visual aids were used

You may or may not be able to answer all of the above, but they will give you a guide.

During my observation of Dr. Mumma’s teaching team consisting of his

Curriculum and Methods for Science Education college students, the college students
were responsible for teaching the pupils at the high school level biology. Dr.
Mumma’s students were directed to actively observe his opening and closing of his
lessons so they could adjust and transmit that information into their classroom. The
two classes observed were a lecture class and a stationed oriented lesson class
(Once instructions are given the pupils go into each station in cooperative learning
groups to develop an understanding and share it with the rest of the high school
class).
Dr. Mumma work with college students to evaluate their lesson plans on how
the lungs work and reviewed them, then prepared a common format for all the
students to present to each of the different biology classes. Students first
brainstormed their ideas, aligned them into a formal lesson plan, developed a
common objective and set of essential questions, develop student activities, and
develop and assessment procedure. The students did peer teaching to be prepared
before going into the high school classroom setting.
The beginning of class at the high school was taught in a traditional lecture
pattern of fact-based learning about the structure and functions of the lungs and how
the lungs work and is constructed. These lectures were accompanied with activities
such as models and diagrams to assist the students visualize the content and
concept of the function and structure of the lungs. By utilizing models and a lecture-
based instruction Dr. Mumma and his students insured that the student teachers
conveyed the biology information in a manner, which represented their knowledge
base, understanding of the information and their utilization of technology allowed the
students to explain concepts clearly.
In a hands-on lesson the same day information on the structure and function
of the lungs was utilized to engage the pupils in critical thinking and develop a
personal understanding of how the lungs work. The student teachers were
responsible for instructing and guiding pupils at each of the instruction stations they
designed in the cooperative learning groups. Some of the groups were able to
complete their tasks fully, yet some groups contained educational gaps in learning
and Dr. Mumma suggested to his students and the pupils that they work collectively
to obtain a complete project and fill in any needed informational gaps. Dr. Mumma
circulated to observe and oversee the students’ teaching with the pupils during that
time. Dr. Mumma stated that continual formative assessment is crucial and it is not
appropriate to wait until the end to insure pupils understand the lessons/curriculum.
It is imperative that the students understand how the pupil’s learning is developing
and how to utilize other pupils to teach one another. Dr. Mumma and the students’
insured that the curriculum incorporated both lecture and hands-on activities to
provide learning concepts and the biology pupils were able to relate to the lesson
and understand the lesson via several methods of instruction and activities at an
appropriate age level of learning.
Dr. Mumma led the closure to the college students, which involved the
students re-convening at the end of their biology class teaching and spent an hour
with his students reflecting on their teaching experience, which they delivered to
their pupils. Dr. Mumma stated that probably the most powerful question his class
spent time discussing was what evidence was made clear when the learning was
transferred and how the students were able to identify individual pupil’s construction
of their own understanding. Dr. Mumma added that the students tend to be amazed
at the range of student learning variance within the same classroom. Students often
believe that the pupils will come up with their (the teacher’s) expected answer and
what they often discover is that the pupils are either disinterested for various
reasons or come up with very fragmented understandings, which need further
development.

Reflective Analysis of Significant Events: (This reflection should include what you
have learned.)

I have learned that there is a great need for ongoing assessment rather than
assessment at the end of the grading period. The assessment is better for learning
development for students and teacher’s effectiveness is improved. It is interesting
to see the different solutions students’ envision when they have a problem posed to
them and their unique perspectives on a single situation. By embracing and learning
from differing perspectives both the students and teachers are able to learn and
incorporate their new understandings into their education and/or teaching.

List at least three ways you can use or apply what you observed to your future
teaching:

1. I will insure that I videotape many of my classroom instructions to that I may

reflect on my teaching style and improve my procedures.
2. Collaborative preparation yields varying perspectives and often results in
improved teaching styles.
3. Utilization of hands-on teaching after a lecture-based class on a subject
reinforces and amplifies the students’ understanding of a concept.

Classroom Observation Days:

Day 1: Observed Dr. Mumma work with college students to evaluate their lesson
plans on how the lungs work and reviewed them, then prepared a common format
for all the students to present to each of the different biology classes. Students first
brainstormed their ideas, aligned them into a formal lesson plan, developed a
common objective and set of essential questions, develop student activities, and
develop and assessment procedure. The students did peer teaching to be prepared
before going into the high school classroom setting.

Day 2: The college students, under Dr. Mumma’s guidance, implemented the actions
they addressed in day one of the observation. The students opened and closed their
own classrooms on day two and taught in three separate high school classrooms at
one high school. The students taught, lectured, and demonstrated their collective
lesson plan. The college students taught and video taped their lessons for further
review by the students and professor to reflect upon specific attributes of the lesson
and instruction procedures. Dr. Mumma was moving between each of the three
classrooms during their lessons. The students reconvened to process, debrief, and
for the professor to give them reflection questions which they will respond to at the
next class after reviewing their video.