Amanda Anderson

TED 5160: Pre-Student Teaching Journal Entries

Journal #1 (Clips1-3):
A noticeable trend in all three of the movie clips was the way the teacher
carried him/herself. Each of them projected his/her voice, walked around the room,
and engaged the students in questions. It was almost as if he/she had a demanding
presence without being rude. All the classes gave the teacher their attention and a
lot of the students were participating in the lesson/review. There were never any
dull moments either. Also, the teachers gave the students plenty of time give their
answers.
I really enjoyed how when a student made a mistake when answering a
question, the teacher didnt move on and forget about that student; but rather,
would try and work through the answer together with him/her. This gave the
students the opportunity to revise their answers, learn how to come to the correct
one, and probably gave the student a sense of pride for getting the correct answers.
Hopefully that sense of pride will encourage him/her to answer more questions in
the future. I think it is extremely important to work through questions together with
students. It allows them to learn from their mistakes and have a deeper
understanding of the content. I noticed in the first clip, that after the student
struggled with the answer the teacher came back to him and had him repeat an
answer from another student. This was a great idea. Instead of moving on, the first
student was given another chance to demonstrate his understanding. This method
seems to be effective because it demonstrates to the educator where certain
students are struggling and what topics need to be re-addressed.
In these clips, I also learned the importance and difficulty of helping a
student revise his/her answer. Helping the students realize the mistake in their
answer, and then steering them to the correct one, can be very challenging and yet
done with many different approaches. In the second clip, the teacher told the
students specifically what word was incorrect and asked her to change it. In the
third clip, the teacher would point out an aspect of the answer that was correct, but
then ask for it to be adjusted. To me, half the battle of teaching a successful lesson is
learning how to ask questions effectively and then going one step further and
learning how to respond/steer the answers in a matter to which any student can
achieve the desired answer. Ive already seen my cooperating teaching (CT) do this
very effectively. Im sure a lot of the skill comes with experience, but I am still
looking forward to learning techniques so as to improve now.

Journal #2 (Clips 4-6):

In clip four, the Right is Right technique and Stretch It technique are
highlighted. Its clear when you watch the clip that the teacher has set a high
expectation for the answer she is looking for and wont let the students get away
with providing half of an answer. She works with the students to articulate an
answer that meets her standards and then encourages the students to go a step
further in their thinking. These techniques are extremely important in the
classroom because teachers often settle for answers that are only partially correct,
usually because of time restraints. Sometime we think, Thats the best answer Im
going to get or close enough, but we cant think that way. That can cause a
laziness to settle into our classroom and students will quickly pick up on what they
need to say/do in order to just get by. We as the educators have to set high yet
realistic expectations and accept only fully correct answers. Ive seen my
cooperating teacher (CT) use these techniques many times; even the first day of
class. He was introducing the class to the students and asked for a definition of
matter. It would have been very easy to take the first answer given, but there were
specific key words that he was looking for in the definition. So he gave hints, asked
more questions that steered the students in the right direction and etc. He didnt
accept the half answer and he didnt give the correct one away. The students had
to work for it. Getting the definition of matter correct in the beginning will set the
students up for success in different areas the rest of the school year. We will then be
able to take this concept and stretch their learning of the subject in later discussions.
Clip five showed the Format Matters technique. This technique is probably
a little more difficult to put into practice, but its very important. We have to watch
carefully how we let our students respond to questions. Should the answer be in a
complete sentence? Is the student using correct grammar? Was the student specific
with units? All of these aspects are important when answering questions because it
lets us know their level of understanding, it gives the students experience in
articulating complete thoughts, its a skill that is needed in almost every aspect of
life, and more. We sometimes get into the habit of marking students down for not
writing in complete sentences, yet we allow them to just give us the one-wordanswers in class. We have to be specific and consistent with what we expect from
the students. In the classroom Im placed in, I worked with the students on a lab
activity. The question that a lot of students were confused on asked how to find the
volume of a rock, so I went over it with the class. In the middle of going over liquid
displacement I asked, Okay, now what do we do? and a student said, subtract
them. I responded with Subtract what? Volumes? Masses? And subtract what from
what? The student needed to be specific not only about the values being volumes,
but also the order in which they are subtracted. Switching the order would give a
negative volume, which is impossible; however if I would have just said yes and
showed the work on the board, they students may have never caught the important
detail of order. You cant assume what a student means or what they know. We must
encourage the students to provide answers in the correct format.
The sixth clip demonstrated the Circulate technique. The teacher moved
throughout the room quietly and in a non-distracting manner. This kept the

students quiet and working individually. It also allowed her to whisper individual
instructions and feedback. My CT is almost never sitting. He walks around the room
to help students and keep the classroom under control. It shows the students that
you are available to help, you are still paying attention to them, and everyone is
expected to work. It also gives the teacher the opportunity to assess where the
students are at during the assignment. Do they need more time or can we move on?
Is there a specific question that needs to be addressed with the whole class? This
technique is easy to implement in the classroom yet reaps a lot of benefits.

Journal #3 (Clips 7-9):

Clips seven through nine demonstrated the technique of cold call. Each
teacher used cold call in his or her own way. In clip seven, all of the students were
standing up and answering math problems. The thing that really surprised me about
this clip was how fast the students could do the math in their heads. Some students
tried to raise their hands, but the teacher didnt call on them. The students were
given time to solve the problem if they needed it, and were praised for hanging in
there. Also, when one student made a mistake, he would call on another student to
give the answer. Then the student that gave the correct answer would explain how
he/she arrived at the right answer. This not only helps the student learn to
articulate his/her train of thought into words, but it helps the student that got the
question wrong understand how to arrive at the correct answer.
In clip eight, the teacher actually explained what cold call was to the class,
and changed the name to hot call. She incorporated it as part of the students
routine. I really enjoyed how she made it seem like a game and gave the rules.
Students were not allowed to raise their hands, and in fact, they had to keep their
hands folded on their desks. I also noticed that she told the students they would
track the student answering and then track back to her. Im assuming she means
that the class is to look at the student answering the question and then continue
looking at her when the student has finished. I was really impressed with the
amount of control and attention that this teacher had in her classroom. I hope that
one day I am able to have a similar classroom management. Clip nine also showed
cold call but nothing really jumped out to me that showed it as being special.
While at my placement, my CT hasnt used the technique of cold call (at least
he hasnt while Ive been there). He asks the students questions and gets feedback,
but he usually calls on students that raise their hands. He doesnt have any sort of
format/routine placed in the classroom for it either. Perhaps we havent gotten far
enough into the material for him to use the technique yet.
I think cold call is extremely beneficial in the classroom. It keeps students
paying attention because they never know when it will be their turn to answer a
question. It also gives students experience with analyzing another students answer,
explaining how they arrived at their answer, and more. I plan on incorporating this
technique into my classroom similar to how the teacher in clip nine used it; however
I would add one other aspect. I would print off a class seating chart or list and put it
into a clear, plastic cover. As I called on students I would cross them off using a dry
erase marker. This way every student gets called on, and I can keep track. Also, I can
erase the marks and re-use the chart/list. When using this technique I will have to
make sure I know what I want to ask, and the answer I am looking for right away.
This is a very fast technique that Im sure takes time and practice to master.

Journal #4 (Clips 14-17):

Clips fourteen through sixteen showed the technique referred to as 100%.
This is when a teacher doesnt move forward until there is 100% participation from
the students. All the students need to be following the directions in order for the
class to move on. For example, in clip fourteen, not all of the students were holding
up their packets as directed. So the teacher waited until all of the students had their
packets up before she let them move on to the next task. While using 100%,
sometimes a student needs to be talked to individually. This was shown in clip
fifteen. When the student wasnt participating in class, the teacher knelt down and
quietly addressed the matter with the student. Other times, there may be a couple
of students who need to get on task. So the teacher will refer to them in front of the
class, without saying their names. For example, in clips sixteen, the teacher would
say, Im waiting for three people. Now two The students know when they are
being referred to in front of the class, without being called out.
Clip seventeen demonstrated a teacher using the strong voice technique.
Often times, students will try to talk when the teacher is lecturing. When this
occurred in this clip, the teacher simply stopped talking. This got the students
attention quickly and let them know that she will not compete to talk or get their
attention.
While in my placement, I havent really seen my CT use 100%. Usually he
gives instructions and is watching to see who is following along, while he continues.
The only time I can recall him using this method is when the class is participating in
a demo with him; but even then he doesnt wait for everyone or call out the number
of students hes waiting for. When most of the students are where they need to be,
he moves on. Perhaps since we are in a high school setting this technique doesnt
apply as much.
My CT is a rather tall male and has a voice that carries very well, so the
strong voice technique just comes naturally to him. I have noticed that when
students talk while hes talking, he doesnt stop or address it, but he will walk in that
direction. It seems to make the students get on task without bringing attention to
the matter. However, there have been a couple of times when a few girls in the back
tried to have a conversation during his lecture. He simply stopped, waiting for them
to stop talking, told them their actions werent inappropriate at that time, and
moved on. The only time my CT has a little bit of trouble talking over the students is
when we are performing a lab. This is mostly because the students are supposed to
be working together and they are all around the room; so he quickly uses the
microphone to get their attention, and then gives his instructions.
I think that being a tall male with a loud voice does give him an advantage for
getting the students attention quickly and for keeping it for long periods of time. Im
not saying female teachers like me cant keep the students from having side
conversations, but I do think we have to try a little harder or implement other
strategies as well. For me, I have to consciously think about the tone of my voice,
how and when to project it, and when to wait.

Journal #5 (Clips 18-19):

Clip eighteen focused on the technique referred to as Do it Again. This is
where a teacher explains and or demonstrates how a task is supposed to be
performed. The students/class then practices that task until it is done correctly. By
having the students do the task until they get it right, it tells the students that you
hold high expectations for them. It also shows them that they are capable of meeting
those standards, so there is no room for excuses. This technique also promotes
consistency and self-discipline.
Positive framework was shown in clip nineteen. In this clip, the teacher was
constantly commenting on behavior that she liked. She even complimented the
students that she noticed were trying to meet the expectations. She would praise
them individually and in groups. She brought a very positive outlook into her
classroom and you could tell that the students responded well to the environment.
I dont think Do it Again is very applicable to secondary education when
dealing with actions. For example, students dont line up to go to the special for
the day. So theres no need to go over that. However, this technique could be used
for quality of work. If a student doesnt put enough effort into an assignment, they
should have to re-do it or receive an incomplete. My CT currently does this with
assignments and it seems to work pretty well. If a student earns 50% or less on an
assignment, they receive an incomplete and have to re-submit it with proof of more
effort and fixed answers. It definitely tells the students that we DO check their work,
and we wont accept meaningless answers.
The positive framework, to me, is crucial in creating a strong classroom
culture. It shows students that you notice when they are on track, and appreciate
their self-discipline. I do think that the amount of praise should be kept to a
reasonable level, otherwise it loses all its meaning. My CT doesnt do too much of
praise in public, because he says students should always be acting appropriately in
school. He does however compliment students individually when walking around
the room. His classroom doesnt have a negative feel whatsoever; mainly because
he has a pretty funny personality and brings that to his classroom. He will make silly
chemistry jokes to the students to make them laugh, and things like that; so the
students can still feel the positivity in his room.
When I get my own classroom, I will probably implement the incomplete
routine as well. I would probably use a little more of the positive framework in my
classroom. The age level of my room will also play a huge role into how I implement
the positive framework. If Im teaching middle school, they will need more praise
because at that age, they look for teacher recognition. However, in high school, they
dont care for it as much. They would rather have a good relationship with the
teacher. I feel as though I have developed good relationships with my students at my
placement. They respect me, ask questions, say Hi to me in the hall, talk with me
during their free time; and it has been really nice getting to know them. The fact that
I worked hard to learn all their names quickly seemed to really help build the
positive relationship. The relationship helps when trying to explain concepts
because then I can relate the material to different aspects of their lives. They also
follow direction a lot better when they respect you.

Journal #6 (Clips 20-21):

Clips twenty and twenty one showed a concept referred to as Joy Factor.
The first teacher engaged the students and brought joy into his classroom by having
the students pay a game against him. I really liked how he called the group
scholars. It introduces the students to a stronger vocabulary and promotes a
positive atmosphere. The other teacher had the students sing a song with hand
motions and then they marched to the carpet. I liked how she had a student lead the
classroom. I assume the students would rotate who lead everyone else. To me, this
encourages leadership, taking turns, and following instruction.
Even though the clips showed elementary classrooms, its still vital for a
teacher to bring joy into his/her classroom. If the students dont feel passion from
the teacher, they arent going to be motivated to put effort into learning the
material. The key to having joy in the classroom is finding something that the
students are interested in, or can relate to; it can be a song, dance, popular saying, or
game. The possibilities are endless, it just requires to teacher to be creative. Also,
what works for one classroom may not work for another. Times change, students,
change, and whats popular in society changes. The teacher must reflect on whats
working and must be willing to change his/her methods based on the success or
failure of the activities.
My current CT has a special way of bringing joy into his classroom. He uses
stories, bad science jokes, elaborate gestures, and demos. His stories can range from
mistakes made in a lab, to a funny situation that happened in his class years ago. His
corny jokes get the students attention and makes some of them laugh. Its gotten to
where he is known for his bad science jokes, and students look for some online to
show him. He is also very active. He has run in the classroom, pretended to tackle
with a fire blanket, jumped over meter sticks, and more. He always has students
laughing, and it seems to keep their attention. The students love Fridays because
thats when he does demos. When he does them, he really gets into the
demonstration and his love for chemistry shows. The students can see that he really
enjoys not only the material, but also teaching.
My CT also looks at the students for cues. If they seem bored out of their
minds, and arent responsive, he changes gears to something else. Theres no point
in continuing with a lecture or activity if none of the students are paying attention
or getting anything from the activity. Usually the students just need a brain break,
and we return to the original assignment later.
Everyones joy factor is going to be different. I think the more time I spend in
the classroom, the more I will be able to pinpoint mine. I really enjoy demos, so
perhaps I will be able to bring joy that way. I use my hands when I talk, and Im not
afraid to look silly when we are in a group discussion, so maybe that will work as
well. I like finding different games for material too. It tricks the students into
learning and applying themselves, and they seem to have fun while doing so. Either
way, I want my classroom to be a place where students enjoy coming to learn. Will
the material be difficult sometimes? Yes, but I dont want that to stop them from
having an open mind and willingness to get involved. The Joy Factor seems like a
positive step in that direction.