ALVERNO COLLEGE

SUPERVISORS OBSERVATION OF ED 215-R Field Student

Candidate: Ashley Komorowski Assessor: Robin Gleason Cooperating Teacher: Karen Weber School: Highland View - Greendale Planning and Preparation (AEA: Conceptualization, Diagnosis
WTS: 1,2,3,4,5,7 DISP: Respect) Plans instruction appropriate to students stages of development and learning styles. Plan includes a motivating opening. Activities and materials are well chosen. Plan reflects use of an effective theoretical model, such as Holdaway, Cambourne, Vygotsky, etc. Plan encourages student progress and engagement. Plan includes adaptations for students with specific needs and learning styles. Questions are planned in advance. A meaningful closure concludes planning process.

Check One: 1stObservation __X Date: 11/2/11

2nd Observation __

Number of Students: 19 Grade: 1 Subject(s): Reading Workshop

Evidence (Candidate)

You planned an interactive read aloud lesson using The Three Little Pigs to focus on teaching children to retell using time words, an objective very appropriate for this time in first grade. The lesson was a continuation of learning about how to retell for the children. The plan reflected a theoretical model by including demonstration, participation, practice, and performance. You also included a strong introduction and closure. The whole plan kept the focus on the learning objective. You planned a short introduction in which you were going to state the lesson objective and connect it to prior learning. You also planned to state why retelling is important for the children to be able to do. In your plan, you scripted out what you were going to say, particularly in the demonstration part of the lesson. This is so extremely helpful for you to rehearse the language you are going to use when you actually teach the lesson. You planned to have a majority of the time spent on the children actually reading/practicing retelling. Your plan included a list of specific and appropriate strategies for meeting the varying needs of the children in your classroom.

____Inadequate

____Emerging

__X__Proficient

____Distinctive

Copyright 2010. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

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Classroom Environment (AEA: Coordination, Integrative Interaction WTS: 1,2,3,4,5,6

DISP: Respect, Responsibility, Collaboration, Communication) Offers explicit praise to students.

Evidence (Candidate and Student)

You established a positive and productive learning environment and had an easy rapport with the children. Right away, you opened your lesson with, Good morning readers! You clearly set the expectations for the learning in the introduction of your lesson. Before you set the children off to practice at their tables, you also clearly stated your expectations for behavior and what they should do upon completion of their task. You also asked one child to repeat the directions a second time to assure that everyone understood what they needed to do. You used a variety of both verbal and non-verbal cues to maintain focus and to transition the children from one aspect of the lesson to the next. You also made sure that the children practiced retelling on books at their own developmental reading levels another great strategy for maintaining a productive and engaging classroom learning environment. You circulated around the room to confer with the children as they were reading independently. In each case, you got down to the childs level to listen to and/or prompt their retelling. The children, for the great majority of the time, were actively engaged throughout the entire lesson. This was impressive for this time in first grade! You have learned a great deal about setting up a strong classroom learning environment from your CT, as you clearly followed her example and use of routines when teaching your lesson. Just a few tips: Make sure that when you are circulating and conferring with the children to position yourself so that you are always able to look out at the entire class. Before starting to confer, its important to scan the room as a whole to make sure that everyone is on task. When finished with one conference, take one second to scan the whole class before moving on to the next child. Make sure to frequently circulate among all of the children in between conferences. Two of the children were not present during the demonstration part of your lesson. When they came back in, they needed some direction from your CT. Its important to keep track in your head of who is there/not there, so that when children reenter the class, you are able to get to them quickly to get them into the learning.

Teachers and students connect to one another by smiling, sharing and helping. Respects each child as an individual. Supports students as they work independently and collaboratively. Manages transitions efficiently. Effectively uses resources and curriculum materials to develop the ideas being taught. Manages student attention by engaging them productively in learning experiences. Clearly communicates expectations and procedures for behavior and assignments.

____Inadequate

____Emerging

__X__Proficient

____Distinctive

Copyright 2010. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

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Instruction (AEA: Communication, Coordination, Diagnosis, Integrative Interaction WTS: 1,2,4,5,6,7,10 DISP: Respect, Communication) Demonstrates knowledge of content throughout delivery. Presents content in developmentally appropriate ways. Consistently demonstrates enthusiasm. Models and supports active listening, discussion and thoughtful responses in reading, writing & speaking. Challenges and supports student thinking by using: o different types of explanations o various levels of questioning and discussion techniques-Blooms Taxonomy o techniques that repeat and/or extend student responses o a variety of modalities (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) Focuses student attention on lesson objectives. Actively engages students in meaningful learning and keeps them on task. Adapts plans as needed. Varies role in instructional process (instructor, facilitator, coach, audience) in relation to content, purposes of instruction and needs of learners. (Holdaway Model, etc.) Is respectful of cultural and gender differences. Relates learning to students previous learning and/or to students personal experiences.

Evidence (Candidate and Student)

You introduced the lesson with a clear statement of the lesson objective and made a connection to prior learning. (It would have been nice to also include here why it is important to learn how to retell as you had planned in your lesson plan.) You effectively used enlarged text of the time words used in previous lessons in your introduction and then added the time words that were the focus of this lesson. You read the text clearly and with the appropriate volume, tone and expression, holding the book so that all the children could see the illustrations. The children were quietly listening to the story. After reading, you demonstrated how to retell using the new time words. You also asked the children to talk with their buddies about anything you might have missed in your retelling. You easily accepted their responses and included the missing event in your retelling. You then set the expectations for the children to practice using these time words to retell a story after reading it during their independent reading time. During the practice time, you varied your role and became the coach to the children as they retold their stories to you. You prompted them, as necessary, using the new time words that were the focus of your lesson. You were able to confer with a majority of the children during this practice time. The children I could hear during this part were beginning to use some of the time words you introduced to them in your demonstration. They were learning! You played some music to call the children back to the rug for the closure of your lesson. For the closure, you praised the children for the great job they did in retelling. Just remember to relate again why it is important for them to be able to retell. Your lesson was focused, Ashley. You were calm and confident in your demonstration and you actively engaged the children in the learning. Another way you might have handled the demonstration could be to have done a think aloud as you were reading the text, stopping to think aloud the important parts you would want to include in your retelling (and why).

____Inadequate

____Emerging

__X__Proficient

____Distinctive

Copyright 2010. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

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Assessment (AEA: Diagnosis, Integrative Interaction WTS: 1,2,3,7,8,9 DISP: Reflection) Provides feedback to learners (oral and/or written). Focuses the students attention on the process of learning rather than just getting the correct answer or finishing an activity. Assessment relates directly to objectives. Students self assess (oral and/or written). Assessment was well chosen for lesson content. Uses information from lesson and assessment in planning of future lessons. Reflects on own performance in relation to student learning and WI teacher standards.

Evidence (Candidate and Student)

You provided verbal feedback to the students in a more generic form, i.e. Good job, or Very good. You used a checklist on a clipboard (all ready to go) to record which time words the children used as they retold their stories to you in your one-on-one conferences with them. This was a very appropriate assessment for this particular lesson. Think about how you will use the data gathered from this assessment to plan for future lessons. Think too about how you might incorporate some student self-assessment in your lessons. Another aspect of assessment is in relation to feedback. We talked about how important it is to provide specific feedback to the children. This involves stating clearly what they did well in relation to the lesson objective and then stating what they need to do to improve even more. (A powerful praise and a teaching point.) This is really where the role of the teacher shifts to being a coach. You analyze your lessons in relation to the WTS and the AEA.

____Inadequate

____Emerging

__X__Proficient

____Distinctive

Copyright 2010. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.

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Professional Responsibilities (AEA: Communication, Integrative Interaction WTS: 1,2,6,7,9,10 DISP: Respect, Responsibility, Reflection, Collaboration, Communication) Demonstrates professionalism through timely completion of work for Classroom ____ Seminar ____ Demonstrates professionalism through regular attendance, arriving on time. School ____ Seminar ____ Relates professionally and effectively with students, cooperating teacher____, staff____, and supervisor ____ (including initiating conversation, and problem solving). (Social Interaction at Level 4) Completes self -assessments, reflecting on planning and implementing of lessons. Is willing to give and receive help. Demonstrates Effective Citizenship by attending a school/parent event and completing an accompanying log. Actively participates in seminar by offering ideas, sharing materials and supporting peers. (Social Interaction at Level 4)

Evidence (Candidate)
You are professional in your interactions with your CT, your students, your colleagues in seminar, and with your supervising teacher. You demonstrate responsibility in completing your assignments on time. You do a great job of submitting your lesson plans early to obtain feedback and then incorporating that feedback into your plan. You are working toward taking more initiative to share your thinking with your colleagues.

____Inadequate

____Emerging

__X__Proficient

____Distinctive

Additional Comments: Ashley, you are taking full advantage of this field placement. It is clear that you are learning so much from your CT and your field experience about effective literacy teaching. Your lesson was well prepared and well executed. Your analysis identified areas for future growth. Because of this both the children and you were learning. Nice work!

Overall Performance: ____Inadequate ____Emerging __X__Proficient ____Distinctive

Copyright 2010. Alverno College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved under U.S., International and Universal Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in part or whole by any method is prohibited by law.
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