Monday, April 14, 2008
Observations...
Who did you get the chance to observe in your building? What did you notice about the set up of their room? The way they managed their students? What were they teaching and was there anything you left thinking about? What did you leave wondering about? What did you notice as an observer in another room? How did you feel being an observer? Were you able to talk to any students? You do not have to answer all of these questions, they are just some questions to get you thinking!! Take the time to write and reflect upon your observation. In the end it may feel as though we all got the opportunity to "see" all of these different classrooms in action! It is all in the details!!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
15 comments:
11
I had the chance to observe the Guru of Teaching. Paula Torrisi is one of the most organized and dedicated teachers at Center School. I saw the students engaged in a language arts lesson where there was not only text to read, but also music to listen to. I often visit this classroom, tell a joke, then leave. This time I actually sat and observed the master! Paula is a gifted teacher who encourages her students to strive to do their personal best. I have learned a lot about the field of education with her help through the years.
I had the privilege of observing both Christine Morabito and Deb Finch. Both classrooms run like well oiled machines. Two master teachers in classroom management!
Christine modeled how to turn a story into a play. With her soft spoken voice and theater background, she had her students in small focused groups having fun and on task. One week later, her class presented four amazing plays to us, complete with costumes, staging and back drops! Amazing.
Deb continued a lesson on rapping! She delighted us all as she rapped out several of her mentor texts. Deb's positive presence permeates her classroom! I had fun, and couldn't think of a a better way to spend my planning time.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
I had the pleasure of visiting Darlene Doran’s room. During the time I was there they were finishing up with plans on their upcoming poetry activity and did a bit of brainstorming. I loved the fact that they just spoke of the information they had learned from a tape about monarch butterflies and moths. The children had listed facts they learned and planned to create a poem about it. I loved getting the time to see this activity.
I reason I had joined the class was that Darlene had told me on several occasions that she had a reader’s theater and I was intrigued. She has the children take time to read the story “The Paper Bag Princess”. Prior to this activity she has read the book several times and played with different voices and expressions to model for the children. There is usually a reader and 3 actors/actresses. The actors are a dragon puppet, a knight puppet or a princess with a crown.
The children listen as the reader shares the book aloud. They discuss the reason for the practice before the lesson. Some of them are to practice natural pauses in reading for a more dramatic effect, learning to speak out, using expression; following as an actor to be sure you are acting what is being said, etc. The reader did a marvelous job! Darlene noted the positive things the children said or did. It was a great experience and was very helpful for the children to get to practice the book over and over for different interpretations.
I brought the idea back to my class and they, being the hams they are, loved the idea. I will also be employing this technique in my class. Great idea Darlene!!!
I observed Laurie Doherty working with her children on a poetry house. The students had to fill in different rooms in their house with descriptions of who lived with them, favorite smells, favorite activities etc. This house was a form of brainstorming or prewriting prior to writing an "I Am From" poem.
I love how Laurie always gives personal examples to the kids. It makes the writing come alive for them. She always takes the time to let them share their idea too. Watching kids share information makes them excited to write that information down. I don't think those houses would have filled up as quickly if they had not had such excellent models, and through sharing got some more ideas.
Laurie's classroom always feels very alive, and what could have been a dry writing lesson was very enriching for the kids. I can't wait to read their finished work! Thanks for sharing your students with me Laurie.
Last week,I had the great pleasure of observing Darlene Doran teach a writing lesson. The first thing I noticed is that the atmosphere in her room is so warm and welcoming. Students are very comfortable asking questions and sharing their work with each other.
The lesson was a wonderful integration of science and language arts. They listened to a story about a butterfly and moth and wrote down different facts they learned about them. Then, Darlene guided them in writing a "How to" poem about moths. The students' assignment was to write their own "How to" poem about butterflies.
The children were really invested in this activity. I was so impressed with the fact that Darlene managed to teach them things that would be "on the test" in a fun and engaging way! Thanks for letting me come in an join you, Darlene!
I have been in classrooms observing students and working with small groups; observed Sara and Sandy in small group; watched a teacher with a small group out in the hall way, observed a teacher tutoring before school or meeting with a group for lunch in the conference room. And even though they all differed in educational content, delivery of service, and venue, the consistent threads captured throughout these “snapshots” are
community and Trust
Trust; from teacher-student and student-student. Community with in the class, class-class, and with home. Sometimes when I observe I long for the days when I had a class to call my own, a bond with the students that took us through out the days, weeks and even years. I loved when I looped with a group of students and parents and the community continued for another year.
In my current position it takes a lot longer to build the community and trust. It works out best when I see children for more than one year so they can build, because when you have trust and community student learning is so much more powerful.
Sort of like with this class, where over the past few years a sense of community and trust has developed. A place and people that you feel comfortable sharing and taking risks with. A nice place to be!
Mike's comments regarding his observation were so enticing that I have arranged to go up to the fifth grade and watch Paula Torrisi teach a language lesson. It won't happen before Wednesday, but I am looking forward to venturing into a whole new world upstairs. Can't wait!
I found this requirement to be the hardest to fulfill. It was hard to find a time period to observe someone doing the writing process because it had to be during my planning time. I wanted to observe Ashley Moore because I loved her writing lesson with the cartoons that she did during her interview process. So we planned a time , then Andy sends out an e-mail Assembley change = writing lesson out the door. We plan again and again a notice sending us elsewhere = no writing lesson. So we try and coordinate another time, now I'm thinking is this really worth 10% of my grade? I teach Math , you teach Science, etc. Finally, the day before our last class, one final effort. Mrs. Jaspar, Mrs. Jaspar please can I go observe while you read to my class? Ashley, Ashley can you please teach writing during that time? The roads come together and should I open my e-mail? I do and guess what a change in schedule again, but not at that time. Yeah! So I went and learned about poetry (which I don't like to teach) and found I really enjoyed the lesson. I also learned new things about poetry and was introduced to a great resource for poetry lessons. We have similar teaching styles, so I came away with a true lesson that I could teach to my class.
Like Sandy, I want to say THANK YOU to Laurie Doherty for welcoming me into her class and sharing both her wonderful lesson and her darling students with me. As I walked into her room I was hit with a sea of pink (many of the students and Laurie as well were dressed in pink) and a splash of sunshine (not only the real deal coming in the window but also Laurie and her class). What a perfect backdrop for a cute poetry lesson! Laurie was working toward a poem in which each line begins with "Why can't....". To this end, she first read and discussed a poem of this form and then led the students to thinking about what their most important wishes might be.(I wish......)They had an interesting and lively class discussion during which they brainstormed and compiled a list of wishes of this nature. They then independently worked on a worksheet where they first wrote down five things they wished for, following this with taking these wishes from the "I wish... " form to the "Why can't..." form. These then would ultimately be put into the final form of the poem.The students were enthusiastic and highly engaged in the activity throughout. I loved the lesson and would love to see the end products.
I loved spending time with Laurie. I had heard so many wonderful things about her "way" with kids and teaching style, yet had never had the pleasure to work with her. She certainly lived up to her advance notices!! Laurie's warmth permeates her classroom and helps to create an environment which is both safe and supportive as well as directed and on task. Quite a marvelous accomplishment and one which many of us strive to achieve.
One last, perhaps more personal, reaction to my time in Laurie's class.....As a current 5th grade teacher suffering the slings and arrows of "I really wish I was already in 6th grade" students, my time in Laurie's room was a reminder of what incoming 4th graders will be like as I start another loop next year!!! RX: lots of rest this summer and Advil (many) on the first day of school!
Thanks, Laurie. You're the best!
I had the opportunity to observe in Barbara Bergeron's classroom. I was lucky to be able to step out of my fourth grade comfort zone, and observe a fifth grade class. Some of the students I had the previous year, and I was amazed to see the mental and emotional growth (physical too)they have made. I observed a fascinating lesson on onomatopoeia. Barbara asked her students to write down the associated sounds that certain words made, such as, "train", "dynamite", "snake", and "fire." The kids came up with some great responses, and, what I especially liked, was Barbara's tone of voice throughout the lesson. It was calm yet full of enthusiasm - very onomatopoeic in itself. She then made certain sounds (e.g., toot, beep, etc.)and the kids had to figure out what the sounds were. They had a great time doing this! This went on for about 10 minutes, and I believe every student in the room then knew the meaning of onomatopoeia. At times Barbara had to curb their excitement. Through her great classroom management techniques, and the way in which her classroom is arranged (desks in L-shaped rows), she was able to immediately calm them down and go onto the next step. Barbara then had the kids make a chart of sounds, such as animal sounds, vehicle sounds, people sounds, weather sounds, and other sounds. She read them a story to illustrate/model sounds and they had to categorize the sounds on their charts. The kids really got into the activity as they eagerly listened to what Barbara was reading. It was at that point, that I unfortunately was called out of the room due to an incident that I needed to attend to. I wish I could have observed longer, but I could see that the kids were having a lot of fun, and really became more and more enthused as Barbara's excitement grew and grew. What a great way to teach onomatopoeia, and I got to watch the "master" in action once again. It certainly was a lesson that I'll never forget, and one which I would like to try next year. Thanks Barb.
Each day I pass Darlene's classroom and have always wanted to spend time in her classroom. I have tried to set up times to observe her a few times, but have been not been able to as of this moment....you know testing, returning phone calls, etc....so I will make it top priority to observe her class before the week is over. I look forward to sharing my visit with you!
I have not yet “formally” observed any of my colleagues. This does not mean however, that I have not observed some of the amazing things that the third grade teachers are doing. I am in several of the classrooms each week. During that time I am able to watch bits and pieces of lessons. It sounds corny, but it is honor to be in their classrooms. I think one of the biggest changes in teaching that I have observed is the newfound enthusiasm the kids have for writing. Even a few years ago you could hear the groans from the kids when they heard it was time to write. Teachers are definitely doing things differently. Children are more excited about writing and sharing their writing with their classmates. Teachers are sharing their own writing, which pumps up the kids and seems to add to their motivation. I appreciate being able to go into many classrooms. I have learned many techniques from many different teachers. Being a special education teacher allows me to observe on a daily basis. I am very lucky.
Like Barbara, I too am having trouble with achieving this goal. Don’t get me wrong, I have every intention of getting it done. I will be observing one or two Highly Qualified Teachers and blogging about my experience. But because of time constraints this week, it has been difficult.
I finally got the chance to view Barbara. The classroom set up was comfortable and inviting. It was clean and organized. The lesson was a poetry lesson designed to use different abstract art work. Barbara projected an abstract art piece to the TV via the computer. She reviewed the types of “Poet’s Tools” that they had used in class this year. They were then asked to look at the picture on the TV and tell what they see. The responses varied from dragons to seahorses from aliens to angry clams. All were enjoyable. Students were engaged in this activity and their enthusiasm showed. Barbara also had students point out were they saw these creatures in the picture. This allowed each student the chance to see what their classmates saw. Then they needed to write the first line of a poem, after Barb modeled writing one. Students will write a stanza of a poem that will eventually become a full poem using all the other stanzas that students wrote about the different paintings. I completely enjoyed this lesson and would love to use it with my class. (Maybe next year…) Barbara, I felt very comfortable here, thank you for welcoming me in.
Post a Comment