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Randi Rhodes TWS 8 Reflection, Self-Evaluation, and Professional Development

Reflection on Showcase Lesson Whole Class When I taught my Showcase Lesson, my objective was using visual materials the students will demonstrate an understanding of the Civil War in SC, the blockade of Charleston, and the H.L. Hunley with 80% accuracy. Based on the results of my pre-assessment, I found students had a good understanding of the previous lesson which prepared students for the lesson I was presenting. When my students were successful with the pre-assessment, I moved on to introducing my lesson and showed the students how it connected to the previous lesson. During the lesson, I also found that I needed make modifications. When we were discussing disadvantaged of the Civil War students were finding it hard to answer questions about how people that were not in the war suffered. Once I recognized this I had to modify my lesson by having the students envision themselves in a war. I gave examples of what would happen to clothing, food, and medicine during the war and then had them explain how it would affect them. This seemed to really help the students understand what happened during the Civil War. Another simple modification I came across in my lesson was after I read the book about the H.L. Hunley to the class. When I asked questions about the book to the class they had a hard time remembering what happened in order in the book. In order for the students to grasp the story in the book I allowed the students a ten second look at pages in the book that I held up to refresh their memory. Most of the students raised their hands to answer questions about the book after I did this. After the lesson, I evaluated my students assessment results. I found that there were a range of performance levels on the worksheet I handed out for the students to complete after the lesson. However, the majority of the students only missed one or two questions. The next time I have the opportunity to teach this lesson, I will have the students involved in the lesson instead of sitting at their desk the whole time. I believe if the students were up moving they would have been more interested in the lesson and therefore would be more attentive. Reflection on Showcase Lesson Three Students When I taught my showcase lesson, my most successful student was my high achieving student. There are two reasons why I believe this student was the most successful. First, this student participated in class discussion by answering questions whether the answers were right or wrong. Second, this student was very attentive during the read aloud and the video clip on the Hunley. He/she could answer any of the questions that I asked following the book and clip. This information tells me that in future lessons, I should pair students that are less active in class discussions with my high achieving student so that it will promote participation. When I taught my showcase lesson, my least successful student was one of my low achieving students. There are two reasons why I believe this student was the least successful. First, this student did not pay attention during any of the lesson and fell asleep during the video clip and

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read aloud. Second, this student also did not participate in discussions and when called on he/she did not know any of the answers. This information tells me that in future lessons, I should pay close attention to how the student is reacting to the information and whether he/she is participating. I should call on the student more often during the lesson to keep the student paying attention. When I taught my showcase lesson, my average student was middle level student. There are two reasons why I believe this student performed at an average level. First, this student had a hard time focusing on the material being presented, but he/she could answer some of the questions I asked. Second, this student completed his/her worksheet while only missing one question. This information tells me that in future lessons, I should make the lesson more attractive by having the students engaged. I believe this middle level student works better when he/she is participating in the lesson. Additional Lesson Reflections and Analyses In addition to my Showcase Lesson, I reflected on the other lessons that I taught. In Lesson 1, my objective was by using manipulatives students will demonstrate how to divide a whole unit into halves and fourths with 80% accuracy. Also using manipulatives, students will understand the placement of halves and fourths on a number line with 80% accuracy. The strengths of this lesson were the visual and hands on material that the students used to understand fractions. To impact student learning in a positive way, one thing I would change about my lesson is that I would have more group work activities to promote cooperative learning. In Lesson 2, my objective was by using manipulatives, the students will understand how the strength of the push or pull and the mass of an object affects the motion of an object with 80% accuracy. The strengths of this lesson were the demonstrations that I used to show strengths of a push or pull on an object. To impact student learning in a positive way, one thing I would change about my lesson is testing my experiment a few more times to ensure my knowledge of the content to clear confusion with the students. In Lesson 3, my objective was after going through the power point, students will express whole numbers as fractions and recognize fractions equivalent to whole numbers with 80% accuracy. The strengths of this lesson were the examples I used to relate the students to the lesson. To impact student learning in a positive way, one thing I would change about my lesson is that I could have students create their own problem that relates to the lesson to show understanding of the concept. In Lesson 5, my objective was after using physical movement students will understand how physical and behavioral adaptions allow organisms to survive with 80% accuracy. The strengths of this lesson were having the students get up and move throughout the classroom to demonstrate adaptations. To impact student learning in a positive way, one thing I would change about my

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lesson is have students work in small groups to research some adaptations that animals they know obtain. Professional Development Based on my experiences this semester, I selected two professional development goals. My goals are to obtain more knowledge about the material I will be teaching in my future lessons and make a stronger connection to my students. The selected these goals because I want to be able to answer and explain all areas of the material in a lesson with full certainty and I believe if I make a stronger connection to my students I will be more successful in helping them understand the material through different learning styles. To accomplish these goals, I plan to do my research on the appropriate subject matter well in advance of the lesson that I will be teaching and I will do my best to talk with the students to find their interest and relate it back to my teachings so they will feel important and want to learn.