Observation - 1st hour Math 9 Antonio

Starter - Showing and telling Students are participating by giving answers/making guesses
Independent vs. dependant
Lyra asks a clarifying question
All information discovered is
written on board

Dice and coins are projected

This is a fun opportunity for them to discover this on their own, or make
for examples
a conjecture based on data. (for example asking them to give an
example of a probability of 110%, they won’t be able to) this also gives
you a check for understanding
Students are told: all
probabilities are between 0
and 1

You can get more student input on this - or let them try it by themselves
then show them the correct method

Students are with you!

They are all writing

Worksheet is handed out,

asking student to do #1
together

Maggie asks for one

Students are being silly and you laugh with them - building
#3 together relationships, good!

They are still with you!

Asks which other ones

students want to see Good circulation, helping Maggie

Working through card

problem (you knew they
would need help with this!)
 Students are instructed to
finish the worksheet.

2nd hour

Telling students what

they are going to learn
Reece is a difficult student to reign in
“Have any of you
heard of these
before?” Sonny is with you - these guys are fidgety!

No questions -
What about rolling
dice?
Jax gives the answer
Are there any other
questions? (there’s always that quick thinker that says the answer, I always acknowledge
them and ask them to hold on to their answer and see if we match) You told
him he was exactly right which is a great affirmation!
Let’s go over the first
one together
Great engagement from Reece and Jax ! (and these are tough kids)

Make sure others are with you

 Students are all writing

Card problem together

Great check ins!
-

One more example -

marbles

Students are
instructed to finish the
worksheet

Teacher circulates

3rd Hour

Intro to what they are going to learn Good practice! - My mentor used to say, ‘tell them what
you’re gonna tell them, tell them, tell them what you told
them”

Open questions
Students are with you, answering

1st example
Gabriella is confused, asks why,

You explain again. She thanks you!

2nd example together - “does anyone

know how we could do that?”
Tucker answers
Calculator instructions are given

You told them how to use the calculator to find percent,

awesome.
 Teacher circulates Always good to specify how to put things into the calculator!

These guys have lots of questions - good circulation

You checked in with each student, even if they weren’t asking

Students are brought back together to a question!
do a difficult problem together

This is a great strategy, let them struggle on their own first

Back to independent help then talk it through together.

4th hour

Intro - called on one student to give Less interaction, this is a quiet low energy class
definition

Again, it’s good to lead them to this conclusion

Students are told probabilities are
between 0 and 1

All students are writing, with you.

Worksheets are handed out with
instruction to begin with #1 together

Open questions leading to the answer

Student offers answer, you ask how Good direct instruction

they got that, what their process is

Good invitation to get help

“Everyone go ahead and take out your
calculator”
 “ who has a question?”

General takeaways -

You have a great presence with students!

Good mix of seriousness and humor.

If ever you have something to ‘tell’ students it’s good to think about ways you can lead them to a
conclusion themselves. Anything they are told they may not hear or understand.

Students were generally with you!

Great job circulating

Be sure to call on a mix of students when asking open questions (cold calling is difficult and can put
students on the spot though!)

Observation - Antonio 2/27/23 1st Hour

What is happening

Starter is on the board - handouts to students

Teacher in front waiting

Students are quiet- Working on starter

“Good Morning Everybody- today we will be working on this starter”

Open questions to whole class during starter-

A few students are answering

Leading students through 1&2,

“Did anyone get to #3?”

Explanation of inverses

Telling them where the buttons are on the calculator

Let students choose which examples to work through together

Working slowly through example with explanation

Giving students work time on front side

Gave a few answers so they could be on track

Brought class back together to work on back side - drawing it for/ with them

Open question - what would that be

Avery mumbles answer

Does anyone have any questions?

Avery asks- Teacher clarifies

“Good question”

Observations/ Notes
Be sure to check in that students are understanding

I like your greeting to everyone - getting them started

Students are with you

This is accessible to them

Good slow pace on new material

Good use of pausing and waiting for Students to be with you

This is a great time to circulate and make sure they are finding the calculator functions

Gabriella is with you-

(there is always one amiable student that will answer all your questions)

This is a good time to give a big picture view- why are we doing this? Ie - Now we can find missing angles
in right triangles as well as sides!

Students are quiet and with you

Good strategy

This is a good class and they are probably with you , in other classes it’s a good time to circulate and
direct them to turn the page over

Also get an idea for where students are at

This is my most used statement to students so that they are encouraged to ask questions!
Observation - Antonio 2nd Hour

What is Happening

Starter is handed out

Teacher is circulating

Gathers class together to go through starter together

Call on Hutch - no idea

Open questioning

What are we using? -Sienna is with you, answering

Sunny is with you also

What’s the ratio?

Sunny Answers

“If you haven’t written anything on your paper, write this”

Explaining the goal of the task

What is an inverse?

Called on Arlo - no idea

Called on Austin - he guesses, yes

Writing answer on board, directs everyone to take a calculator

Walk around and check that students are able to use the calculator

Let Hutch choose next problem

Leading students through next problem

Circulating, checking answers

Observations/ Notes

Good checking in with students

Good way to gather class and get started

You have a very calm demeanor

Sometimes cold calling is a great way to get students' attention and have them be ready!

This is a great direction - gives students a clear directive of what to have on their paper

Good to back up and review vocabulary

Good specific instruction - sometimes repeating instructions is good for 9th graders (I find that 3 times is
a good rule of thumb for 9th grade)

Good way to get him on track

Students seem to be getting it - We ran out of time but a good way to finish is to choose 1 problem for a
‘check for understanding’

3rd hour

Lots of students volunteering answers

Telling students what they are looking for - good big picture overview

What is a def of an inverse?

Gave simple examples of inverses

“Everybody take out your calculator”

Telling them where to look on calculator

Tucker volunteers - he is with you

Are there any questions?

Alex clarifies

Violet chooses next example

“It’s going to be the same process we’ve been doing this whole time in class”

Great circulation during starter

Your lesson is much smoother this round! Lots of explanation

This is a great way to remind them they know this stuff - especially on a Monday and they will
realize they can do it

Planning and Organization: As I reflect on my teaching in the three different hours, I am pleased to see
that my planning and organization efforts were effective. I started each lesson with a clear and engaging
anticipatory set, ensuring that students were immediately drawn into the material. It was important to
structure the lessons logically, breaking down complex concepts into manageable parts. I provided clear
and concise explanations to guide students through the content systematically. This approach was crucial
in ensuring that all students could follow and understand the material.

Instructional Strategies: My teaching strategies were thoughtfully chosen to suit both the content and
the students' needs. I employed a combination of direct instruction and guided discovery to empower
students to actively participate in their learning. Open-ended questions were a key part of my strategy,
encouraging students to engage in discussions and share their thoughts. Allowing students to select
examples they wanted to work on together fostered a sense of ownership and independence in their
learning.

Adaptations for Students with Special Needs: While the observations did not provide specific details
about adaptations for students with special needs, I was mindful of inclusivity in my approach. My use of
clear and straightforward explanations, along with the encouragement for students to ask questions, was
a deliberate strategy to create an environment where all students, regardless of their learning needs, felt
comfortable seeking clarification.

Cultural Competency: Though not explicitly mentioned in the observations, I was conscious of the
importance of cultural competency. My teaching style and content selection were designed to be
accessible and relevant to a diverse group of students. I chose an approach that revolved around
engaging students in mathematical concepts, which I believe have universal applicability. However, I
remain committed to ongoing efforts to ensure cultural sensitivity and inclusivity in the classroom.

Classroom Management: Managing the classroom effectively was a significant part of my teaching
strategy. I aimed for a balanced approach that combined seriousness and humor to create a positive and
engaging classroom environment. My interactions with students, encouragement of active participation,
and adept handling of questions and discussions contributed to an effective classroom management
style. The circulation in the classroom to check on students' progress was essential in keeping the class
on track and ensuring that all students were understanding the material.

In summary, my reflection on the observations confirms that my planning, organization, and instructional
strategies were effective. I created a supportive and inclusive learning environment that encouraged
active student participation. My commitment to cultural sensitivity and continuous improvement in
teaching methods remains a priority in my teaching practice.