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Here is the observations and review for the class of the professor I
have chosen:

what about those ideas seems most important? ….

How do you plan for your weekly sessions?

About teaching: what resource(s) do you draw upon? How do you find those?
What do you use for face-face teaching versus what you put on the
blackboard? During the course, in what ways do you use and infuse
technology? …
Student groups are diverse in many ways. How do you build on students’
strengths?
Could you share one or two “challenges” you have faced, like a student whose
reading is less strong?
Or is there a time you faced tense moments due to conflict between students
related to race or language or culture generally?
How did you handle that or how do you think you would? …

About assessment: Tell me about ways you assess students. …

What do you consider when you create exams or quizzes?
What sorts of other projects do you use?
Tell me about informal assessments, e.g., clickers or quizzes in class or Kahoots
or ???

About the professor:

Very friendly, energetic, uses a lot of demonstration. He is well
organized. He is working at UIC for more than 9 years.

Planning ahead:
According to professor, making a lesson plan always help. But it is
hard to maintain day to day lesson plan. Instead, he makes the lesson
plan for a week and tries to follow that. He makes a plan about what
topics to cover in a certain week, prepare his lecture slides and also
assigns the homework on covered topic. If he has to travel to attend a
conference, he rearranges his lesson plan accordingly.

Preparation:
Preparation can be divided into two main parts:
 i) Preparation of lecture slides,
ii) Preparation for demonstration
He is taking the same course for 7 years, so he does not really spend
too much time for making lecture slides. But he prefers to show how
physics works by demonstrating them. For that, before the lecture,
he goes to the “Lecture Prep room”, he takes the necessary tools which
might be useful to use as an example (i.e. pendulum, spring etc.) and
also make sure, those tools are working properly.

About teaching:
In the class, he prefers to use the board to write the equation and
explain the calculation. During the class, he tries to answer student’s
questions. At the end of the class, if any student come to him and ask
questions, he tries to answer them as well. He only uses blackboard to
assign homework and grades online.

Use of technology:
Professor does not like to upload lecture videos. According to him,
live interaction with students is the key. But to take the course (the
physics course he is teaching) students might need a refresher about
Trigonometry and Algebra. Sometimes he uploads notes about those
to help the students.
He uses projector in the class to put lecture slides. And iClicker to
assess the students.

Diverse student groups:

Diversity brings benefit to a class and everyone has something to
contribute. So, in the class he treats all the students equally despite of
their race or gender.
But students from different background has different level of
understanding. During a class it is not always be possible to help each
student. So, he always encourages his students to meet him during his
office hour and visit the “Physics Tutoring Center” and talk to a TA if
they have questions or need help.
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Handling a weak student:

In one semester, professor noticed a student who never missed a class
but still struggling with the subject. So, he talked to that student at the
end of the class, figure out what her problem was and gave her some
suggestions. This extra attention helped that student and she started to
do better.

Handling a conflict related to race/ culture:

According to professor, he is teaching at UIC for more than 9 years.
But luckily, he never had to deal any conflict related to race/ culture/
language in his class.
But he said, the best way to handle this type of situation is to strictly
follow the University policy.

About assessment:
Asking question during class, taking quizzes, using iClicker are good
ways to assess the students. For a bigger class it is not always possible
to ask each student separately. In that case, he prefers to use iClicker.

While preparing the exam questions, he tries to keep a good balance

among the questions. According to him, the questions should not be
too hard or too easy. If the question is too hard, no one will be able to
answer that. On the other hand, if the question is too easy, it will be
unfair for the students who worked hard. Question should make the
students think before answering.

Comments about the class I have observed:

Very friendly, energetic, uses a lot of demonstration. He is well
organized. He assigns class roll number to the students. That not only
help the TAs’ to do the grading but also helps him to keep track of the
students.

According to him, he is taking this course for almost 7 years at UIC.

During the class, he was able to keep students engaged. Usually uses
iClicker (but not in the class I have attended). He answered the
students every time. At the end of the class, students came to him and
asked questions, he also answered them as well.

One thing I personally liked, after the class session, he cleaned the
board, remove everything and left the classroom tidy for the next
professor. He also stays at the course preparatory room instead of
going back to his office that allows him to prepare for the next lecture.
I asked him six questions about teaching method, his philosophy and
future. He was very gentle and answered all of my questions.

Ranking Criteria: Using the anchors below, I put a check ()for

each teaching behavior. I Check "NA" for items that do not apply.
E = Excellent
VG = Very Good
G = Good
NI = Needs Improvement
NA = Not Applicable
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E VG G NI NA Comments:
CONTENT AND ORGANIZATION
Started and ended class on time  On time
Presented overview of class  Yes
content/objectives
Presented rationale for topics  Yes
covered
Presented key concepts  Yes
Presented current material  Yes
Presented information in an  On syllabus
organized manner
Demonstrated accurate  Yes
knowledge of content
Used relevant examples to  Yes
explain major ideas
Used alternative explanations  Not always
when necessary
Made efficient use of class time  Yes
Covered class content /  Yes
objectives
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
 Yes, it was
Varied pace appropriately wonderful
Enunciated clearly  Yes
Varied modulation  Yes
Varied tone  Yes
Spoke with adequate volume  Yes
Demonstrated confidence  Yes
Demonstrated enthusiasm  Yes
 He was
Moved easily about room energetic
during presentation
Used speech fillers (um, ok,  Yes
ah) rarely
Established and maintained  Yes
eye
contact
Maintained students' attention  Yes
 E VG G NI NA Comments:
QUESTIONING SKILLS
Encouraged students'  Yes
questions
Listened carefully to students'  Yes
questions
Answered questions  Yes
appropriately
Restated students' questions or  Yes
comments as necessary
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS
Asked probing questions  Yes
 Not
Used case studies or scenarios applicable
 Not
applicable
Used small-group discussion
Encouraged students to answer  Yes
difficult questions by providing
cues or rephrasing
RAPPORT WITH STUDENTS
Greeted students at the  Yes
beginning of class
Responded appropriately to  Yes
students' puzzlement or
boredom
Asked students to clarify  Yes
questions, when necessary
Requested very difficult, time-  Not
consuming, or irrelevant applicable
questions be addressed at a
later time
 Not
Used humor and/or anecdotes applicable
appropriately
Demonstrated respect for  Yes
students and their thoughts
/concerns
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Physical characteristics  Yes
(temperature, lighting,
crowding, seating)
Class Affect
Conducive to learning  Yes
Relaxed  Yes
Controlled  Yes
 E VG G NI NA Comments:
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TEACHING METHODS
Lecture  Yes
Engagement Techniques
Q&A  Yes
Discussion  Yes
 Not applicable
for this kind
of topic
Small-group activities
Student individual/panel  Not applicable
presentations
Active learning (e.g., think-  Not applicable
pair-share)
 Not applicable
One-minute paper
Other  Not applicable

Role playing  Not applicable

 Wonderful
Demonstrations/skits
Simulations  Not applicable
 Not applicable
Games
Use or integration of technology
Overheads  Not applicable
PowerPoint  Not applicable
Slides  Not applicable
PC  Not applicable
CD/ROM  Not applicable
 Personal web
Course Web site & Blackboard
Internet  Not applicable
Videos  Not applicable
Audiotapes  Not applicable
Other  Not applicable