Gordon College

2009-2010 Deborah Morse Ideas for Classroom Observation Tasks

Observe and take notes on:
1. What can you say about this class as a whole? 2. Follow the attention/work of 1 student throughout the lesson. 3. Keep track of when and where children are having difficulties. 4. Write down all the questions the teacher asks categorize and analyze as open-ended vs. close-ended/short answer/referential/display questions etc. questions. 5. Watch all the directions I give during class. Analyze them. 6. Plot on a time line the time I spend talking and the time the pupils are engaged in an activity or speaking. 7. Follow the class looking through the lens of presentation - practice production. 8. Plot the class using a time line and wavy line for active vs. passive participation. 9. Keep track over time attention to each of the skills from week to week. 10. Tell me one activity or idea that you have gained through this observation. 11. What do you think the objectives for this lesson were? 12. In advance, tell the student what you are going to be teaching. Have the student write up a brief lesson plan and compare it to yours after observing the lesson. What influenced your choices and thinking? 13. Take at least one class that is being observed and have the student keep a list of students. After each class, what more has he or she learned about any individual students? 14. Keep track of the use of English and Hebrew or Arabic in the classroom. What are the reasons for the switches? 15. Make a seating chart of the room. Seat the student somewhere where he or she has an optimum view of all the students. Keep notes on the chart of nods () smiles (U) eye contact (0) reprimanding looks () touch (T) from the teacher. Do any patterns emerge?

16. Make the following chart:

NAME MOTIVATION LEARNING BEHAVIOR COMMENT

Choose a range of five pupils who you know well enough to comment on their motivation for learning. Have the students keep track of the pupils response to the teacher involvement in tasks willingness to ask when uncertain tolerance of other students There is also room for any other comments they have in the last column. At the end, go over the chart and fill in the motivation column and compare conceptions of the students. Other charting ideas include:
NAME LEVEL SIGNS OF LEVEL TEACHERS STRATEGIES

WHAT LEARNERS DO

WHAT THIS INVOLVES

TEACHERS PURPOSE

COMMENT

LESSON PLAN PHASES

TIME PLANNED

ACTUAL LESSON PHASES

ACTUAL TIME SPENT

LESSON STAGE

TEACHERS ROLE

LEARNERS ROLE

COMMENTS

17. Comment on something that surprised you/puzzled you/concerned you/inspired you 18. Awareness of time keep a chart broken down into 5 minute intervals. How does the teacher check the time? What changes are made?

19. Give out your lesson plan how closely is it followed? Where does it diverge from what was planned and why? 20. Check for teacher language write down all the comments the teacher makes that are affirming/praising/disciplining/questioning/explanatory. 21. In a lesson that involves a text. Make a list in advance of those words you think will be difficult, get a list from the teacher of the anticipated words and then keep track of the class difficulties. 22. At the beginning of the year, discuss your own philosophy of teaching with the students what you think is important what you natural tendencies are in terms of choice of materials, what you think about the learners. See if over time, the student can keep a record of those things that are done in the classroom as a reflection of your philosophy which run counter to you ideas? 23. Pay attention in particular to openings, closings and transitions. How were these planned? Which worked and which didnt? Why? 24. Keep track of learner errors and teacher responses.