Chesney 1 Amber Chesney EDSE 460 Dr.

Sheryl Muir 5 December 2013

Teacher Observation #2 Bernadette Krumreich - 7th Grade Math 11/15/2013 10:19-11:04

This class consisted of 29 students, two of which were ELL students, one boy and one girl. Both are fluent in conversational English but not in academic English. I have observed the girl before in my first observation. The lesson today consists of a review of a quiz in preparation for a test next week.

Giving back math mates test error analysis due next week Mostly no comments while handing back Talked to Julio very quiet Talked to another student who missed an a by one point In table groups, students look over problems they got wrong while the teacher is walking around. She stops and talks to Julio, the male ELL student. She is down on one knee at his level while she is talking to him. Talked about problems he got wrong I cannot hear conversation

Chesney 2 specifics, student nodding but I cannot see his face, she is gesturing by pointing and using positive facial expressions nodding and smiling.

Most of the class missed number 28 so she reviews, asks the class what they should do first, next, etc. She works the problem using a document camera projecting on the white board and models how to do the problem while asking the class questions. When finished asks if anyone did it differently, no response. Then she asks the class if they could have done by counting the white spaces instead of the shaded ones, then models how that would have been done.

Lesson: Review of percents for the test next week Teacher asked the class what number sentence they are supposed to be using to solve the percentage problems. Julio raised his hand and she called on him. He answered correctly. Teacher reminds the students that they can draw the percentage box she has taught them if they prefer. Julio and another student like to use the box and so they high five each other.

Grading a practice quiz they took on percents so they have correct answers to study from. Teacher goes around the room and has every student answer a problem on the quiz by desk groups, not by hands, and she tells them if it is correct or not and asks if she needs to demonstrate the question. Julio is standing at his seat, which he appears to do frequently. He raises his hand and asks if he can borrow a pen for corrections and thanks the teacher after getting one. After everyone has had a chance to tell their answers, she then chooses students by raised hands. Julio raises his hand and gives his correct answer in Spanish this time, uno.

Chesney 3 The teacher then gives the class study strategies for the test. She suggests that they either cover up their answers while they study or copy the problems on another piece of paper.

For those students who did not do well, she lets them know that she is available on Monday and Tuesday before school and at lunch for help and to answer questions before the test. She indicates that she does not think they will have the opportunity to do a re-take on this test for a better grade.

With five minutes of class left, she directs the students to a word problem packet she had given them yesterday and wants them to be working on that until they are dismissed. While students are doing that, several go to her desk for help. Near dismissal, the teacher asks three students, who were sitting in the same table group, to check in with her before they leave and then she dismisses the class.

The three students include the other ELL student. This table group has some problems with being too social. She talks to them about it and that phones should not be out. She asks the ELL student if she was able to figure out her mistakes on her quiz, which she was not able to do for one. So the teacher tells her to come and see her at lunch so they can go over it. The student asks how she can increase her grade, and the teacher tells her to get her error analysis done first and then they will talk about that.

Chesney 4 After the class, I had a brief conversation with the teacher: Apparently, Julio did very poorly on the test and was in tears when she was talking to him at the beginning of the class. I was not able to observe this because another student was in the way. She said he is able to answer the questions fairly accurately in an oral manner, but when he has to write it down, he cant seem to transfer the right answers. She is going to work with him further to determine why he is having this difficulty. She believes that he is reading the problems ok but may have a disconnect between reading and putting it down on paper. She may give him the option of doing the test orally instead of written.

Critique: I feel that the teacher did a very good job with her ELL students during this lesson. However, the female ELL student had very minimal interaction during the period. I am not aware of her level of success in math. If she does pretty well, I would not be surprised that the teacher did not illicit more interaction with her. She did answer her question on the test correctly when she was asked to take her turn. I do not know what I would teach in the next lesson as they are finishing a unit on percents and would be starting something new. I would definitely consider changing the seating arrangement for the social table group. Particularly since that group includes an ELL student. I do not know if this is a regular problem for this group or if this day was just particularly bad.