Dara Marquez

Introduction to Elementary Education 201

Observation Assignment #2: Instruction

1. The weekly schedule is written on the right white board. The white board is

divided into sections with a boarder and lines made with marker. The designated

sections are: Math, Ela, and Science. Those are on the far right side and go

from top (Math) to bottom (Science). From there along the top are three other

sections: I’m Learning, So I can…, and I will know when I’ve got it when. All the

sections together make a table image. The information written for the time I was

there is as follows:

a. Math – I’m Learning: how to find volume using l x w x h

Math – So I can…: find the total volume of non-overlapping rectangular

prisms.

Math – I will know when I’ve got it when: I can find the volume of

rectangular prisms and solve word problems.

b. Ela – I’m Learning: how to summarize an informational text using main

ideas/how to find main ideas.

Ela – So I can…: determine the main idea and supporting details/support

with details.

Ela – I will know when I’ve got it when: I can write a summary of an

informational text/I can make inferences.

c. Science – I’m Learning: about energy in everyday life.

Science – So I can…: explain that food provides animals with the

materials and energy they need.

 Science: I will know when I’ve got it when: I can create a model to

describe the energy in animal’s food was once energy from the sun.

Dr. Caisse explained to me that her schedule could change every day or every two

weeks depending on the situation. For example, while I was there they were focusing

mainly on science. She said that for about a week before they are going to be testing

(through the school and not teacher created testing) she focuses on specific area

depending on what the test will be focused on. Because of that the schedule was not

as strict as other times throughout the year.

2. Instruction is first given through whole groups. The class sitting arrangement

in that the desks are already together in small groups so as she teaches it is to

the class as a whole. As the groups work together they can ask other groups for

help or ask Dr. Caisse for help. At that point the teaching/instruction can be to

the small group or to whomever (individual is asking her the question(s)). She is

able to truly cater her instruction to whatever the students need.

3. The teaching style Dr. Caisse uses most is Progressivism. She has her

students active in their groups and with one another as much as possible. Her

way of educating her students is through letting them find interest in the lesson’s

information and use that in the activity. I saw her also use Existentialism with her

teaching style through encouraging her students to think about what they should

be doing and asking them questions about how they were contributing to the

activity. Examples:

a. “How can we be a problem solver?” – Dr. Caisse

b. “He needs a job. What is his job?” – Dr. Caisse

 i. I especially like her asking this question to a group because it

allows all the students to think about “my” life. Each student has to

think and evaluate themselves before they can answer that

question of what job the other member can do.

I think her teaching style is well suited to her student’s needs and interests. I have no

doubt that if visiting during other times throughout the year other she would use other

styles as well. She is able to draw on whatever style will best deliver the message and

allow her students to want to engage in learning.

4. Dr. Caisse absolutely does incorporate the sensory modalities of auditory,

visual, and kinesthetic into her lessons. She is often able to incorporate several

different ones into one lesson. While I was there each day (two days total) the

students worked on three main projects. The first day I was there Dr. Caisse was

focusing her lessons on science to prepare them for testing that they would be

having in about one week. For their assignment that day they had to work

together to create two different versions of a Food Chain. She had been going

over what a food chain was previously and this was the assignment to wrap this

section up. She used Auditory while she was talking out loud and stating what

the assignment would be. She then used Visual by showing them different

examples of a Food Chain by using the projector with images from her computer.

The Kinesthetic aspect was fulfilled by the students using their laptops (one

laptop per group) to create the Food Chain. The students could use an arrow

method:
or a more modern way: such as this.

The students had to choose two different eco systems to represent such as,

the rainforest, desert, or marine. The students had plenty of choices and were

active and participating together for the whole time. The other two assingments

that the groups focused on while I was there covered Math and Ela. The math

assignment was reinforcing plotting points on a graph. And again all three areas

were covered. The assignment for the students was to work in teams of two and

play battle ship together. But this was to be no ordinary battleship game. The

students had to conduct the game on paper using a graph. The students were

given a work sheet with two lined graphs. On one graph they placed 5 of their

ships and on the othere they had to keep track of their opponents ships (so their

hits and misses). Each student took turns giving a coordinate, (2,3) for example,

and the other student would respond with either “hit” or “miss”. The students

received written instructions on the worksheet that they could follow along with as

Dr. Caisse was reading them from the worksheet she was projecting onto the

white board. After the instructions were read she demonstrated (on the

projector) how the game would go. After the questions were answered the
students were allowed to get in groups of their choosing and begin the game. I

was able to play with one of the students (he needed a partner) and both he and

I were very involved and easily plotted the points and completed a game and had

started a second. It hit me afterwards just how much math we had done as I

looked down at my completed game handout.

The third assignment was the one for Ela. Dr. Caisse reads out loud from

a book every morning as the students eat their breakfast. As she reads she

engages the students by asking questions about the text. For the assignment

she had a chapter from their book printed out for each student and told them they

had to “paint the scene”. The assignment was covering text support. She

wanted the students to use the details from the text to draw out the scene from

the words onto a poster board. Each student was given the printed chapter and

a poster board. They were able to use rulers and markers and crayons for the

assignment. They were given free reign but were told that whatever details they

put into the drawing had to be supported by what was in the text. She has a

group of students that need further help with assignments and as a group she

went through the text and highlighted the phrases that were the details for the

drawing and put an “X” through text that was not necessary for the scene. She

chose to use this assignment to provide the students with an opportunity to use

art. She tries to use art often in her assignments for the students. While I was

looking around at the different scenes I noticed that some students had cut out

the text from the chapter and glued it by the drawn picture. That, to me, was
 wonderful to see because it literally showed me that the student understand the

topic and was engaged in their learning.

I asked her how she would grade the assignment and she said that she

would not base it off of their artistic talent but solely from whether or not they

fulfilled the assignment of using text support for the drawn details. So, overall I

have to say that Dr. Caisse indeed uses as many learning modalities as she can

for each of her lessons.

5. All of the students in the class seem engaged in the lessons presented and

showed participation with their groups during their assignments. She had a time

for note taking where the students have a designated notebook and took notes

from the projected information. What a great routine to enforce. Note taking is a

huge part of being a student and is often overlooked and simply expected of a

student. I never once stopped to think about needing to “teach” notetaking. After

observing Dr. Caisse and her students I will try to set up a “notes” part of my day

for my students to understand the importance of it as well.

6. Dr. Caisse uses different means of transitioning the students from one subject

to another or one activity to another. Something that I thought was a good way

of doing that is by her going over at the beginning of the class what they would

be doing for that day. That way the students are able to know what they are

expected to go over that day. Another way she transitions is by using a timer for

things. When the students were taking notes she states that it should take the

students 3 minutes to complete the work and that she is setting the timer. At the

end of the time Dr. Caisse asked students to show 1, 2, or 3 fingers to indicate
 the amount of minutes still needed by the student for the note taking. –She

allowed 3 more minutes and stated that in 3 minutes they were moving on. I

liked that approach because the students were able to understand what was

going on and that there was a time limit instead of all of a sudden being surprised

that “OK, moving on to the next thing.” I feel that using the timer helped things

go smoothly when it was time for another thing. She also told the students that

the notes could be found on their “Google Classroom”. I think that with that extra

resource of electronic notes the students can take their time and soak the

information in both in class and out of class.

7. Dr. Caisse uses attention getting commands throughout the day to help keep

her students focused. There were different things that she used. Ex: Dr. Caisse

would say out loud, “Oh my Class.” The students would respond, “Oh my yes.”

One thing that she did was use positive comments to get the students back on

track! Ex: (during note taking while some students weren’t active)

Dr. Caisse said, “You guys got this!”

Also, “You guys are excellent note takers. Don’t stop today,” said Dr.

Caisse.

I found that the students were motivated by these statements and they

responded by re-focuses on the notes. Another attention grabber Dr. Caisse used was,

“Hands and eyes.” First stated by Dr. Caisse and the students would then repeat,

“Hands and eyes.” The purpose of that was making the students stop whatever off-task

behavior they had and give their attention to Dr. Caisse. When the students became

restless she used another activity for them. She told the class:
 “Take off (the students would jump up).

Sit Down (the students would quickly sit down).

Take off (back into the air).

Jump 3 times.

Say, “I’m going to be quiet.””

That was useful to see get used in a classroom because I’m sure every teacher

has moments where the class as a whole needs to get out some energy and how do

you do that with 30+ students in one classroom? …By using the space you do have!

Also, I like having the students say, “I’m going to be quiet.” It helps them be

accountable for their actions. Having multiple things to grab your student’s attention is

wise and something I think the students responded well to.

8. Dr. Caisse deals with many different behavioral issues throughout a day. I am

sure some days are more prominent with negative behavior then others too.

During my observation I mostly noticed that she dealt with more emotional issues

then “bad behavior” issues. Some students got their feelings hurt or some were

upset with a student for not helping on the group assignment more. When those

issues presented themselves she encouraged for the students to talk to each

other about what happened. After they spoke she would talk to them and see if

they still needed her help or if everything was ok. If after talking there was still a

problem she had one move to a different group. Another thing I noticed she dealt

with was the different levels of students as far as academic abilities are

concerned. There were a few students that needed their assignments to be

 more complex and some that needed them shortened, and that is how she

solved that problem was by modifying specific assignments to meet the student’s

needs.

Dr. Caisse did a wonderful job with instructing her class and each moment of the day

was focused on providing the students with the best education possible.