Teacher Work Sample Part 1: Setting and Context

After being introduced to Webber Middle School by Principal Kieffer and having the

opportunity to be an active participant in Mr. Morris 6th grade math class, I feel as though I have

been able to gain a greater understanding of the school community that I am now privileged to be

a part of at Webber. From my first experiences at Webber, I sensed a culture of dedication,

excellence, and stout expectations for both students and staff. It is apparent that the

administration and the teachers at Webber strive to maintain high learning standards. The school

offers a breadth of course material to offer a diverse and holistic education to students; moreover,

students seem to enjoy an ambitious learning culture across all content areas. Students in 7th and

8th grade have the option to take pre advanced placement courses to prepare themselves for

more rigorous classes later on in their educational experiences. I have certainly seen this learning

culture displayed in my cooperating teachers classroom. Mr. Morris is tasked with leading and

supporting a group of students exhibiting a great dispersion of mathematical skill and

comfortability. While he takes actions to accommodate for the needs of different students, he has

not allowed any one student to feel as though they do not need to reach the same level of

learning as every other student in the class.

Along with a positive, rigorous learning culture, Webber offers many extra-curricular

programs, activities, and resources to help ensure greater student development. Athletics at

Webber seem to be a point of pride for students, staff, and administration alike. Students can

participate in a variety of sports, something that can be extremely beneficial. Drama, theatre,

music, and art also have a noticeable presence in the school. Clearly, there are many outlets for

students to explore their personal interests and passions. Additionally, students may take part in

different leadership and personal development programs, such as WEB leaders and, for 6th
graders, Webber 101. The counseling center is also a positive resource for students at Webber.

Here, students may find support in any area they may need, from conflict issues to high school

preparation.

It is clear that the leaders of Webber Middle School value the involvement of parents and

guardians in the school. Apart from regular newsletters, a Parent Teacher Organization group,

and online resources for parents to monitor their childs academic standing, parents may be

involved in the School Accountability Committee (SAC) and Webber. This group of parents,

administration, and teachers is purposed to collaborate over financial priorities, curriculum,

discipline and behavior protocols, and any other decisions that influence the larger Webber

community.

In terms of student behavior, Webber stands by an original model that they call the Six

Ps. These are a few character attributes that the Webber community hopes all students will

internalize and practice. Students are expected to be prompt, polite, positive, productive,

persistent, and proud. These traits encouraged in arenas and in all age groups. Specifically to 6th

graders, the Webber 101 program serves as a means of coaching students through their transition

from elementary school to middle school. Study skills, time management techniques, and

responsible technology use are all practices that Webber 101 establishes for younger students.

All of these different programs and opportunities encourage a thriving learning climate

throughout Webber; however, I feel as though Principal Kieffers E3 model absolutely

reinforces an ambitious and dedicated learning climate. In every staff member at Webber,

administration expects excellence, every day, for everyone. I believe that this lofty mission

standard for consistent excellence with each and every student in mind certainly makes up the

backbone of Webbers positive learning climate. Having such a convicted attitude to serve and
support each student with excellence is very important to a school like Webber, as roughly 20%

of students are of an ethnic background besides white, and almost 30% of students qualify for

free and reduced lunch, according to the schools counseling office.

In regards to the classroom that I am working in specifically, Webbers educational

climate and philosophy are certainly noticeable. I have the privilege to observe and work

alongside Mr. Scott Morris in his 6th grade math classroom, and I am very thankful that I have

the opportunity to do so. Mr. Morris faces two challenges in this particular class: There is a fair

amount of students that are at a low mathematical skill level, and the class is rather large to begin

with. This makes it difficult for Mr. Morris, alone, to meet the needs of every student in the room

with excellence. Consequently, my primary responsibility is to give individual support to those

high needs students.

A few students in particular that I have worked with closely are Thalia, Owen, and

Quinn. All three of these students demonstrate low math proficiency, but it seems as though the

reason why may be different for each student. In Thalias case, her elementary math literacy and

competency is admittedly poor. Thalia struggles with basic skills that at this point are assumed to

be mastered. As a result, she tends to remain confused over basic concepts while other students

are moving on to new material. I would say that Thalia benefits greatly from having individual

instruction, because she can ask basic questions in a safe, unintimidating environment. She

seems to be quite shy, so the potential to have her questions answered without the entire classs

involvement is most likely attractive to her. Owen and Quinn both seem to struggle with the

same problem: the two students demonstrate sufficient elementary math skill, but they have not

yet learned critical problem solving techniques. Both students attempt to work out problems too

quickly, resulting in them losing track of their thoughts and making an otherwise avoidable
mistake. For these students, it is not mathematical techniques that need be reinforced, but

problem solving techniques.

Mr. Morris has built a classroom culture built on respect, focus, and fun. I have found it

encouraging to observe Mr. Morris, because he seems to have found an appropriate balance

between being both authoritative and humorous. His students understand that nothing less than

absolute focus and willingness to improve will be accepted, yet they still feel comfortable

laughing and joking with Mr. Morris when appropriate. This may be due in part to the way Mr.

Morris conducts his lessons. There seems to be very little pure lecture on the part of Mr. Morris.

He increases student involvement by asking questions as he demonstrates example problems in

front of the class. He also allows large portions of class for students to work on practice

problems while he and I give individual support and answer questions. Demographically, the

class is made up primarily of white students, although there is small percentage of both black and

Hispanic students. The classroom offers quality physical learning environment. A spacious room,

space for the teacher to move, and many windows make the classroom physically inviting.

Smart Board
Mr. Morriss
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Door
 In regards to his instructional strategies, Mr. Morris implemented a variety of tools and

techniques in order to meet the needs of his students. Probably the most noticeable aspect to Mr.

Morriss teaching style is the large amount of guided practice his students do; he spends little

time giving direct instruction to his students, opting instead to allow his students to work on

many example problems throughout the duration of class. When Mr. Morris does lecture, his

instruction is clear and concise. Even then, he attempts to involve his students throughout his

lecturing by posing questions and even inviting students up to the smart board to finish a

problem. This primarily student-led form of instruction seems to have a positive effect, as the

students in Mr. Morriss class rarely seem to be completely disengaged.

I found one particular strategy that Mr. Morris relies on heavily in his instruction to be

both unique and beneficial: After introducing the topic of the days lesson, and potentially

walking through a few example problems with the class, Mr. Morris will present a problem to the

students to work on individually. As students complete the problem, they approach Mr. Morris,

standing at the front of the room, and show him their answer. If the student answered the

problem correctly, then they can circulate throughout the classroom to help students that are

struggling and check their classmates answers, who may then go and do the same. I find this

activity useful because it give students incentive to not only complete the problem, but also to do

so correctly. Furthermore, it allows students a chance to verbalize their problem-solving process

as well as their questions with other students. It is also a simple and easy way to get students

physically involved, which can have great benefit to their learning. Not only this, but Mr.

Morriss technique may also serve as a quick form of assessment of his students learning.

As is expected in a math class, Mr. Morris gave periodic formal assessments to his

students, both small quizzes and tests. These assessments, while summative in their role as the
conclusion of a unit or subunit, ultimately served as formative assessments, as Mr. Morris would

absolutely cater his teaching to the level of mastery displayed by his students. For example,

students took a quiz over operations with fractions about halfway through a unit on the subject.

The students performance on the quiz certainly revealed to Mr. Morris a few concepts that his

students were struggling with. Rather than simply move into the conclusion of the unit, Mr.

Morris dedicated a considerable amount of time to revisiting these topics with his students during

class. Clearly, Mr. Morris allowed his summative assessments to inform the way he proceeded

with his students.

Along with building large assessments into his unit plans, Mr. Morris also conducted

smaller, more specific assessments during his daily lessons, one of which being the

aforementioned example problem exercise. This activity allowed Mr. Morris to determine what

precise details needed further explanation, as well as any other points of confusion his students

faced. Additionally, Mr. Morris tends to end class with an extended work time, where students

may work on their homework with the help of each other and their teacher. This too could act as

a formative assessment for Mr. Morris, as he can monitor his students and gain a more clear

understanding of what topics his teaching did not sufficiently cover. Mr. Morriss assessments

seemed to be focused, well-executed, and always informative to the way he met the needs of his

students. Clearly, Mr. Morriss instructional strategies and assessments are motivated by the

success of his students. I hope to implement a number of his techniques in my own classroom as

a future teacher.
 Part 2: Case Study Interviews

From the beginning of the semester, I have greatly enjoyed my time in the classroom at

Weber Middle School. Beginning to observe and understand what my responsibilities could look

like as a future teacher is certainly exhilarating, and the opportunities I have to implement some

of the skills I have been learning through my educator preparation are fun and exciting.

However, these things are by no means the primary reasons why I look forward to stepping into

Mr. Morriss 6th grade math classroom: The kids that I have the pleasure to interact with in this

class are without a doubt the source of my motivation and the central reasons why I enjoy being

in the classroom. I had the chance to get to know a few of these students a bit more closely by

conducting a general interview with them to uncover their thoughts on middle school, teachers,

and themselves personally. I interviewed two students, one male and one female. Cameron and

Skye are two individuals that I quickly noticed to be dedicated students with strong social and

interpersonal skills among their peers. For these reasons, I chose to interview these two students

because I was confident that their responses to my questions would be enlightening and thought

provoking. This thought showed itself to be true, as Cameron and Skye were excellent

interviewees and provided intriguing answers to all of my questions.

The responses that these students had to my questions were all quite interesting; that

being said, both students made a few statements in particular that I found to be especially

noteworthy. The questions that I asked Skye and Cameron ranged from their personal lives to

their thoughts about school. Additionally, I asked both students about one thing in the world they

would change and what career areas interest them. Their responses to both of these questions

were encouraging to me, as well as frankly surprising. When I asked Skye what she would

change about the world, she quickly responded gender inequality. This came without a
moment of hesitation, which left me caught off guard to some extent. Im confident that this was

not simply a whimsical answer on her part, but that she truly has put forth genuine thought

towards gender inequality in current society. Im lead to think this way because of the way she

answered a separate question: When I asked her what her favorite class in middle school has

been, she answered intro to tech, which is a class comparable to shop. She explained how she

feels that girls are underestimated, and that intro to tech is a place where girls break certain

stereotypes laid on them. I was honestly surprised to hear a 6th grade girl express the thoughts

that Skye did, and I was greatly encouraged because of her.

Cameron also drew my admiration by his response to my question regarding his future

career interest. After a moment of thought, he answered that he hopes to one day become a

police officer, citing the current stigmas that surround individuals in that profession in social and

political circles today. Whether or not Cameron fully understands the social climate pertaining to

this debate, or if he has come to formulate his own independent opinions on the matter, he

proved that he is nonetheless concerned and moved to action by the things that he has observed

in his life. I have a great deal of respect for that on his part. Cameron also revealed a stroke of

humility and wisdom that is largely lacking in young people: When I asked him what the most

important things are in his life today, he listed those things that you would expect a child to say,

like family, friends, and school. However, he then said that a house over (his) head is one of

the most important things in his life. I think that this response, albeit somewhat humorous,

showed a sense of contentment in Cameron, when it would not be foolish to expect entitlement

and materialism from a person his age.

Along with allowing me to observe their personal thoughts and desires, Skye and

Cameron also provided me with enlightening thoughts pertaining to the middle school
experience. When asked what they like about middle school, both students explained how they

enjoy having multiple teachers instead of one. This pushed me to recall my experience

transitioning from elementary to middle school, and how I also enjoyed switching teachers

throughout the day. I think that Skye and Cameron helped me to realize that students naturally

observe, criticize, and sometimes imitate each teacher that they interact with during their

schooling, further solidifying the truth that teachers carry an influence over their students,

whether they would have it or not. Cameron and Skye also reminded me that middle school

students are still very young and that they are interested in the things young children are

interested in, which primarily revolves around having fun. While middle school students are

given greater responsibility than they are uses to and held to expectations that are debatably

lofty, I think I have learned that the middle school experience is also geared partly toward their

current age, maturity, and interests.

Perhaps most importantly, my interviews with Cameron and Skye helped me to gather a

few pieces of practical advice for me to take with me into the classroom as a future teacher.

When Cameron was explaining to me why Mrs. Bundy was his favorite teacher, he pointed out

that she teaches using different activities in which the students can be more interactive, such as

going outside. Based on this, I want to work towards implementing creative, unique activities in

my class in hopes of heightening student interest and engagement. I think this can certainly be

accomplished through the use of technology, which I plan to include in my teaching. Skye and

Cameron both agreed on one attribute that they admire in their teachers: Both students expressed

that they would advise a new teacher to conduct fair and appropriate discipline in his or her

classroom. As Skye put it, dont be mushy. I took this to mean that these students respect and

admire a teacher that is firm in his or her expectations and is unmoving in behavior matters.
However, both Cameron and Skye also added that they like teachers that are kind and fair to

students as well. One of the primary things that I have been gathering from my time at Weber is

that there is a fine balance between strict classroom management and a fun, inviting classroom

environment. Cameron and Skye have shown me that middle school students too consider this

balance, and that they are equally if not more admiring of a firm teacher than a lenient one, or

Skye described, mushy.

I absolutely enjoyed hearing Cameron and Skyes opinions and thoughts regarding

middle school, the world around them, and their own lives. Interviewing these two students

certainly came at a benefit to me; I have learned through their responses that simple interviews

can reveal profound feelings that students otherwise hide, which can compel a teacher to positive

action for his or her classroom. I hope to fall back on this technique during my career as a

teacher in order to gauge my students, understand their needs and desires, and adjust my actions

appropriately. Personally, I also just love getting to know the kids better. These interviews were

fun and worthwhile, and I was very glad to do them.

Part 3: Lesson Plan

Content Standards addressed by this lesson:

Formulate, represent, and use algorithms with positive rational numbers with flexibility,
accuracy, and efficiency.
Inquiry Questions
TOPICAL: How do we divide all types of fractions efficiently? Can we apply this same
algorithm to mixed numbers?
OVERARCHING: How does the way we represent operations fractions compare to the
way we represent operations with whole numbers?
Concepts and skills students master:
 Students will understand that fraction skills are necessary for success in both science and
industrial related fields.
Evidence Outcomes:
Learning Targets:
I can divide fractions using the keep it, change it, flip it technique.
This means I can solve basic fraction division problems with confidence and
begin to attempt more advanced problems.
Assessment of Evidence Outcomes:
As a part of the anticipatory set, I will attempt to evaluate whether or not students
gathered the necessary information from the flipped video. If so, I will gauge what
information students retained more clearly, and therefore have a better idea of what
pieces of the lesson I need to emphasize more than others.
While demonstrating example problems on the board, I will call on individual students to
explain various steps of the problem-solving process while I write out the solution.
During the individual practice problem activity, I will choose one student to come to the
board and demonstrate the problem solving process for each example. I will try to pick
students that would not normally answer questions unprompted.
While students are working independently on their assigned problems, I will try to assess
individual students by asking questions built towards our understandings, such as how
does dividing fractions relate to multiplying fractions?
To bring closure to the lesson, and to provide one final method of assessment, I will have
all students recite with me keep it, change it, flip it to conclude the individual work
time.

Activity Name Dividing fractions (Keep it, change it, flip it)

Approx. Time Forty five minute lesson with 15 minutes to work on homework

Anticipatory Set With partners, students will discuss the video that they were expected
to watch the night before. Specifically, the teacher will ask students to
share with their partner what they thought the most important part of
the video was. The video briefly reviewed the rules for multiplying
fractions, and then gave a short introduction to the primary rule of
dividing fractions, which is keep it, change it, flip it. The teacher
will then call on a few pairs to share what they discussed.
Teaching/presentation Before beginning, the teacher will point out the learning target for the
lesson, which is I can divide fractions using the keep it, change it,
flip it technique.
Input: Teacher references the phrase keep it, change it, flip it to
show students how we divide fractions, and briefly reviews the
written process on the smart board, which students should have
already been exposed to through the flipped-classroom video. During
this discussion, the teacher will define reciprocal as an inverted
number and make it clear that we DO NOT divide fractions the same
way we multiply them. This will take about five minutes. Three
volunteers will come up to the front of the room to demonstrate keep
it change it flip it visually. Two volunteers will have one number
taped to their chest, and another number taped to one of their legs.
The other will have the multiplication and division signs taped to his
or her front and back, and will be standing between the other two
students. The teacher will act as though he is doing a fraction division
problem with the students acting as the fractions. He will keep the
first student where they are, turn the second student around, and flip
the third student upside down to show how we go about solving the
problem. While the student is flipped upside down, the teacher will
choose one student in the class to state what the problem now looks
like. The teacher will go through this process twice, each time with
different students. This will take about 15 minutes.

Modeling: Teacher will work through four example problems with

the class, two where both the dividend and the divisor are fractions,
one where only the divisor is a fraction, and one involving three
numbers and two operations, which calls on order of operations. This
will take about 10 minutes.

Checking for understanding: Teacher will present three problems on

the smart board one at a time for students to work on individually.
Once a student completes the problem, they will come up to the
teacher to check their answer. If they got the correct answer, they then
help their classmates individually until everyone in the class has
arrived at the correct answer. Before moving on to the next problem,
the teacher will demonstrate the problem solving process on the smart
board. This will take about 10 minutes
Teaching Strategy Guided practice: Teacher will assign a number of exercises from the
textbook. The students will have the remainder of class to work on
these problems individually with the teacher available to assist.

Independent practice: Students will work on any remaining

homework problems outside of the classroom.

Closure Before letting students go into individual work time, the teacher will
tell them that you now have all the tools you need to divide
fractions. He will then have all the students recite together the phrase
keep it, change it, flip it. Towards the end of the class period, the
teacher will bring the students back together from their work time.
Then, he will offer a prize (candy) for one student to come to the
board and demonstrate how to solve one of the more difficult
homework problems for the class. The teacher will choose a problem
that the students have not yet completed.
Materials Four numbers printed largely on separate sheets of paper, as well as
the symbols for division and multiplication printed out largely on
separate sheets of paper.
Assessment Students will demonstrate their skill through classroom activities as
well as homework. During the guided instruction, the teacher will
monitor which types of problems the students seem to be struggling
with, and which appear to be coming more easily. During the
independent work time, the teacher will circulate through the class
and ask individual students to explain their problem solving process
on different homework problems. The teacher will do this with
students who typically struggle as well as those that demonstrate
greater strength. The students performance on their homework will
also demonstrate their understanding.

Here are some of the example problems which students work on

individually during the lesson:

1/8 1/4

7/10 3/8
 Post Lesson Reflection

1. To what extent were lesson objective achieved? (Utilize assessment data to justify your
level of achievement)

The first learning target, I can divide fractions using the keep it, change it, flip it
technique, seemed to be met by the majority of students. While we worked through
sample problems as a class, it was obvious that the students understood what this phrase
meant and what their goal in solving these sorts of problems was. However, I dont think
we met the second learning target, which was I can solve basic fraction division
problems with confidence and begin to attempt more advanced problems. During the
individual work time, I noticed that while some students understood how to set up a
fraction division problem, they were not yet confident with the full problem solving
process. Students would often forget to the flip the second fraction, or they would reduce
a fraction incorrectly in their final answer. This learning target will most likely be met as
students gain more practice dividing fractions.
2. What changes, omissions, or additions to the lesson would you make if you were to
teach again?

If I were to teach this lesson again, I would probably try to utilize my time more
efficiently and do a few more example problems as a group before allowing the students
to move into individual work time. I dont think I would omit any pieces of the lesson,
but I may not spend as much time on certain parts, like the demonstration introducing
students to the term reciprocal.
3. What do you envision for the next lesson? (Continued practice, reteach content, etc.)

I would like for the next lesson to be primarily structured around continued practice. As I
mentioned, the students understood what the keep it, change it, flip it technique
entailed, and they knew how to set up fraction division problems, but they did not attain
mastery in completing the problem solving process. This would come from continued
practice, which is what I would envision for the next lesson.

Part 4: Narrative Reflection

The opportunity to teach a formal lesson with near complete independence was

something that I was excited to do from the beginning of the semester. That excitement never

turned into anxiety, even when it came time for me to teach. After reflecting on my experience

teaching a live class, I think Ive been able to gather a few understandings that will hopefully

push me to be a better teacher in the future. First and foremost, I think that the instruction portion
of my lesson went quite well. This was undoubtedly due to my having a clearly defined plan

going into the lesson. I would also say, then, that I think my preparation for my lesson was a

success; this allowed me to approach the actual teaching with a bit more confidence and greater

sense of comfortability. However, it was also my planning that could have benefited from a bit

more attention. I realized during the lesson pieces of my plan could have been thought out with

more precision, specifically my verbal cues. I found that the students did not always respond to

my direction in the way that I hoped, which could have been avoided if I had planned to give

more precise direction to the class. If I were to teach the lesson again, this would certainly be

something that I would work to do differently. Transitioning the lesson between different

portions would have been more smooth and efficient if I had given more clear and descriptive

verbal cues. Additionally, and more simply, I would have liked to manage my time a bit better.

This would also be something I would seek to improve upon if I was to teach the lesson again.

Through this lesson planning process and delivery, I think that I was able to observe a

few things about myself as a teacher. As I have already mentioned, I absolutely enjoyed

delivering the lesson more than I did planning it. Surely, this is common among teachers, but it

was definitely true for me. I find speaking in front of the class and interacting with the students

during my instruction to be very exciting and rewarding. As a result, I did not find the planning

process to be as enjoyable. This was also reflective of what I think to be my strengths and

weaknesses as an educator. Ive always been comfortable with public speaking, and I hope that

this skill translates well into the classroom. During my lesson, I thought myself to be well-

spoken in front of the class. For these reasons, I feel that the lesson delivery and direct

instruction aspects to teaching could be strengths of mine. I also consider my skills with children

to be a strength, which I assume most aspiring teachers would also echo. Frankly, I would repeat
most of my strengths as weaknesses as well. While I may feel comfortable with some of the

responsibilities teachers hold, I absolutely acknowledge that I have much growth to do before I

truly am a competent educator. At the beginning of my time in the classroom at Webber, I had a

difficult time engaging students in meaningful ways. I am not confident with introductions and

initial interaction with people, and I think I saw this weakness show itself when I was first trying

to build greater bonds with the students. I want to grow in this area not only as a teacher, but as

an individual as well. This, as well as more precise planning, are two areas of weakness that I

hope to improve upon.

In terms of classroom management, I feel as though I need much more practice and

exposure before I can accurately evaluate myself. During the lesson that I taught at Webber, I did

not face many challenges in terms of classroom management. At the time when I taught, the

students were familiar with me, which made for a more comfortable learning environment;

fortunately for me, Mr. Morris had already established expectations of focus, excellence, and

dedication in his classroom, so I admit that I was the beneficiary of his work. Classroom

management, then, was not really a concern with the students I taught, and I am thankful for that.

I hope that in my future experiences, I have the opportunity to be tested in this area. My

experience working with high school students at a summer camp most likely lends itself well to

classroom management, so I am eager to have my abilities stretched moving forward.

As I look ahead to my next field experience, I hope to build upon the things that I

observed of myself at Webber, as well as continue to gain a greater understanding of the practice

that teachers must perfect. I also understand the value of gaining professional experience during

these placement courses. Our time in these schools present tremendous opportunities for growth

in many different areas. When I take EDUC 450, I hope to capitalize on some of these
opportunities, namely involvement and direct observation. I would love to observe teacher other

than my cooperating teacher. I think it could be beneficial to see how instruction practices differ

between content areas and student populations. I also hope to be more present at whatever school

I am placed for 450. Id like to have opportunities to learn from administration and have my

abilities as a future teacher critiqued by people in leadership positions within the school. I also

hope to find a way to be involved with students outside of my time at the school. This semester, I

tutored a 6th grade student at Webber. I very much enjoyed that opportunity, so I hope to find

something similar in 450.

My time in the classroom at Webber Middle School this semester has been of great

benefit. Ive been challenged, encouraged, and better equipped to step into a teaching role later

on. I am thankful for Mr. Morriss willingness to not only allow me into his classroom, but to

also set me up as an active participant. Above all of this, however, were the kids that I had the

privilege to serve. They made my time at Webber an absolute joy, and they have made me all the

more eager to continue in my training as a future teacher.

Part 5: Field Notes

Field Notes: Chapter 3

No Opt Out Mr. Morris typically calls on random students to answer questions. If a
student does not know how to answer, Mr. Morris will ask if any other student would
help them out. However, once another student does give the correct answer, Mr. Morris
does not redirect the question back to the first student and ask them to give the correct
answer. No opt out could be useful here.
Right is Right Mr. Morris will never accept a students answer to a problem until any
fraction or mixed number is fully reduced.
Stretch It When a student correctly explains how to solve a problem, Mr. Morris askes
the student if there is another way to complete the problem, and if so, what that way is.
 Format Matters Mr. Morris always pushes students to pronounce large numbers,
fractions, mixed numbers, and decimals correctly in their responses to his questions.
Without Apology Mr. Morris continually remind his students that what they are
learning in his class is building on their previous knowledge and preparing them for
future learning as well as possible future careers.

Below, please explain two of your examples and how they were utilized to maintain high
expectations of the students work, answers, etc.
Because Mr. Morris always challenges students to pronounce numbers, fractions, mixed
numbers, and decimals correctly, his students have risen to meet his expectations. Before
attempting to answer a problem, students will often think for a moment of how to rightly
pronounce their answer. This sets a high academic standard not only for finding the answer itself,
but even in pronouncing the answer correctly.
Students have grown to expect Mr. Morris to ask them about other possible ways to solve a
problem when they share their answer with the class. As a result, students seem to be more
concerned with mastering the concepts needed to solve a problem. In fact, when Mr. Morris
solves a problem in front of the class, some students will even ask him to demonstrate a different
way to complete the problem.

Field Notes: Chapter 5

Do Now Mr. Morris began one class by presenting a large fraction multiplication
problem for the students to work on. The exercise took about 15 minutes and introduced
the days primary focus, which was reducing fractions.
Name the Steps Mr. Morris breaks fraction division problems down into three simple,
easy to remember steps: Keep it, change it, flip it.
Board = Paper Mr. Morris explicitly states which steps of an example problem students
should write in their notebooks as well as exactly how the steps should be written.
 Control the Game In one class, Mr. Morris assigned a homework sheet that had two
word problems on it. Mr. Morris could have had some students read these problems
aloud.
Circulate When Mr. Morris presents example problems, he typically remains at the
front of the class. He could sometimes position himself nearer to certain students who are
often off task in order to ensure that they are working on the example problem.
At Bats For homework, Mr. Morris typically gives students many different practice
problems. These are either from a worksheet or assigned from the textbook. He also has
other, more advanced worksheets available for students who are progressing quickly.
These provide plenty of opportunity for the students to practice.
Exit Ticket While Mr. Morris does not do typical exit ticket activities, he always tries to
end class with a fair amount of time for students to work on their homework. During this
time, Mr. Morris can assess his students learning, as well as the quality of his lesson.

Below, please explain your example(s) of 1-2 techniques and how you think it
helped/did not help students reach the daily learning targets.
I love the way that Mr. Morris specifically states what students should write in their
notebooks as well as exactly how to write it. This way, he can ensure that students have what
he considers to be the necessary information to complete example problems and meet their
learning target for the day.
Mr. Morris does a fantastic job of providing his students with many opportunities to practice
the skills that they learn in his class. By the nature of a 6th grade math class, and most math
classes in general, practice will be the primary influence in a students success or failure. By
giving his students plenty of opportunity to practice through his daily lessons and homework
assignments, Mr. Morris is helping to support his students towards reaching the daily
learning targets.

Field Notes: Chapter 6

Change the Pace Mr. Morris structured different portions of his lesson around direct
instruction, guided practice, and individual practice. This constant shift in classroom
function keeps students on their toes and engaged.
Brighten Lines Mr. Morris gives clear direction in between activities. When moves
from direct instruction to independent practice, he gives students clear directions as to
what they are expected to do next.
 All Hands Mr. Morris sometimes calls on students with their hands raised, and
sometimes he class on students who do not have their hands raised. In either situation,
he allows the student that he called on to fully answer his question, or at least fully
attempt to answer.
Work the Clock Mr. Morris began class on day by telling his students I want us to
have 30 minutes of work time at the end of class today. This established the agenda
in the students mind and required every action that followed to meet Mr. Morriss
timely expectation.
Every Minute Matters Mr. Morris structures his lessons so that there is little to no
down time. From the beginning of class to the end, Mr. Morris is providing
instruction and students are working on different problems, with usually the last 15-
20 minutes being left for students to work on homework or practice problems.

Below, please explain your examples of 1-2 technique(s) and your reaction to their
use on both the teacher and the students (ie. Did it force students to move too
quickly?)
On the day when Mr. Morris began class by saying that he wanted 30 minutes of work
time at the end of class, things felt a bit rushed on both his part and the part of the
students. While the class did meet this expectations, there was a general sense of haste
throughout the lesson that may have hindered a few students.
Mr. Morris handles transitions between activities very well due to his clear and direct
instructions. As students are transitioning, there is never any doubt what students should
be doing because of the directions Mr. Morris gives. If any student is off task, Mr. Morris
can refocus them by simply asking what are you doing? Since the student has been told
explicitly what they should be doing, they cannot argue with Mr. Morris when he
observes them to be off task.

Field Notes: Chapter 11

Radar During individual or group work time, Mr. Morris will scan the room
from his desk and acknowledge any students that are off task.
Make Compliance Visible When a student is not following along with Mr.
Morriss instruction, he will say you should be writing this down in your
composition notebooks. By giving clear directions, the students compliance
with those directions in very clearly seen.
 Least Invasive Intervention If students are off task while Mr. Morris is teaching,
he will quickly give them positive correction, such as composition notebook
open, or legs forward. This allows him to redirect students focus while not
placing his lesson on pause.
Firm-Calm Finesse Mr. Morris values purpose over power in his correction of
student behavior. Rather than use personal statements of correction when students
are off task, Mr. Morris will use the phrase this is math class to redirect
students attention.
Art of the Consequence Mr. Morris does not usually give consequences for bad
behavior past a verbal rebuke. It could be beneficial if he tried separating certain
students who have shown that they cannot work with one another.
Strong Voice Mr. Morriss tone is noticeably different when he is correcting an
issue than when he in simply teaching. When he uses some if his favorite phrases,
like this is math class, or what are you doing, his tone shifts to be more firm,
and then quickly changes back to his normal, inviting voice.
What To Do When Mr. Morris corrects student behavior, he tells them exactly
what to do by giving concrete directions, such as put your legs underneath your
desk.

Below, please explain your example(s) of 1-2 techniques and how they helped set
high expectations for student behavior
When Mr. Morris uses his strong voice to correct student behavior, the entire class
changes their demeanor. Mr. Morris typically teaches with an inviting, friendly, and
humorous tone of voice. For this reason, the stark contrast between his usual tone and
his strong voice lets students know without any doubt that their behavior must
change.
Mr. Morris if not only skilled at correcting improper behavior, but he also helps
students adjust their behavior to meet his expectations by giving them clear
instructions. When he sees a student off task, he will waste no time in telling them
exactly what they should be doing in a strong voice rather than complaining to them
about what they are doing. Students seem to respond to this very well and embrace
the standards that he sets for them.

Field Notes: Chapter 12

Positive Framing Mr. Morris usually give positive correction, telling students what they
should do, not what they shouldnt do. Rather than tell a student to stop talking to your
neighbor, he will simply say put your legs underneath your desk.
Precise Praise When a student volunteers to answer a question in front of the class and
does so correctly, Mr. Morris will never continue with the lesson until he has praised the
 student. He usually give them a round of applause or a quick phrase like very nicely
done.
Warm/Strict Mr. Morris is very firm, but still caring. In one class, when a student said
something to another student that was unnecessary, Mr. Morris quickly responded by
saying we do not use that language. In this class, we respect each other.
Emotional Constancy Mr. Morris never criticizes or corrects students personally. He
only criticizes their actions or behavior. Instead of saying to a student you are never
focused when you should be, he will give clear instruction to correct their behavior by
saying sit forward, open your composition notebook, and write down this problem.
Joy Factor Mr. Morris commonly rewards students with a prize (a piece of candy) for
correctly answering a question or for doing so quickly.

Below, please explain your example(s) of 1-2 techniques and how the student(s) reacted
to the teacher when they utilized it. (ie. Reply to them, walk away, smile, frown, etc.)
For some students in Mr. Morriss class, sharing their work with their classmates is
absolutely terrifying. There is one particular student who would never volunteer to speak
aloud at the beginning of the semester. I remember one instance where Mr. Morris called on
this student to answer a question. Obviously nervous, she shared her work and answered the
question correctly. Mr. Morris responded by saying very well done, and with a friendly
smile, he started a round of applause for the student. The student smiled and starred down at
her desk. Now, this student volunteers to share her work with the class fairly often.
In one class, there was a particular student who was choosing not to listen to Mr. Morriss
instructions to the whole class. Once he let the students move into a time of group work, Mr.
Morris approached this student individually, knelt down to eye-level with him, and said in a
firm voice this is over. He then physically placed the students notebook on the desk,
opened it, and told the student exactly what to write on the paper. Mr. Morris maintained
emotional constancy by not rebuking the student personally, but by only correcting his
behavior. The student looked visibly upset after Mr. Morris returned to the front of the room,
but after a few minutes, he gathered himself and began to actively participate in the lesson.