Norridge District 80

Form 4a: Post Conference Reflection: Teacher completes form as a reflection guide on
the formal classroom observation. Teacher will bring this to the post-conference with
building principal.

Name: Mary Mostyn School: Giles Date: Nov. 16, 2017

1. In general, how successful was the lesson? Did the students learn what you intended for
them to learn? How do you know?

I felt the lesson was successful. We started with an On Your Desk list on the Smartboard
(attached). Once students were ready (about 3-4 minutes into the class), I began the lesson.

Students seemed to have background knowledge on the subject. A few of them appear to
have a strong understanding of the topic. Exit tickets reflect student learning and suggest
areas where students have misconceptions.

2. If you have samples of student work, what do they reveal about the students levels of
engagement and understanding? Do they suggest modifications in how you might teach this
lesson in the future?

Work samples show high level of understanding with very few misconceptions. This group
has a good understanding and will likely be ready to learn the more advanced point of view
lessons later in the year that are normally taught in 6th grade.

The formative assessment for perspective has some errors that appear to be a reflection of
students not reading the given topic. A few students who showed a high level of
understanding are Adriana W. and Nathan N.. Some who need additional practice are Juan
P. and Idalia T.

3. Comment on your classroom procedures, student conduct, and your use of physical space.
To what extent did these contribute to student learning?

Students have a clear understanding of the classroom expectations. They know what is
expected the minute they enter the room. Each day I have the On Your Desk displayed on
the SmartBoard. Students are told what to have on their desks and what to write in their
planners for homework. The first team to finish everything first gets a lion paw. They are
strongly encouraged to help their teammates and check that everyone is truly ready before
they raise their hands. If I go to them and they are not ready, they lose the opportunity to
earn the paws, even if they are ready again before the other teams. Eventually each team is
ready, I scan their planners and put a small sticker on them if the homework is recorded
correctly. If have found this to be a huge help in getting them started. It has also helped in
making sure students remember what their homework is for the night. This process
eliminates negative behavior because there a task at hand everyday as they walk in the
door. Students know that we have a lot of work to do and they are expected to demonstrate
behavior that will enhance the learning atmosphere.

When the need arises to manage student conduct, I have a variety of methods. I walk
around the room a lot and position myself near students who are off task. I put my hand on
 their shoulders, or use their name in the sentence I am saying. So third person point of
view, Daniel, is when. I also ask questions or make statements designed to make the
students think about their behavior as opposed to making them feel embarrassment or
resentment.

Is that behavior going to help you get the most out of this lesson?

Are you being respectful of ________ while he is speaking?

Lets give ______ the same courtesy and respect that you would like to have when its your
turn to speak.

I think the classroom space is used well. Students have space to work independently or in
small groups. I have five stools under the table that can be pulled over to a desk for a quick
conference between students or student/teacher. The rug, couch, and kidney table are
great for small groups. All of this contributes to a variety of learning situations. This setup
enables students to sit together while reading and working without a lot of movement and
confusion, thereby allowing more time for the activity.

4. Did you depart from your plan? If so, how and why?

I did not need to depart from the plan with this class

5. Comment on different aspects of your instructional delivery (e.g., activities, grouping of

students, materials, and resources). To what extent were they effective?

I think that the delivery of this lesson was effective. There was both note-taking and class
discussions. Then we moved into the task card portion of the lesson. While the format
changes were subtle, I feel that it kept students engaged.

Class discussion allows students to show what they know. This is a very chatty class, so
Ive found that giving them a voice during my lessons allows them to channel their
talking in a positive way. Class discussion with this particular group can take longer than
some of the others because many of them have a lot to say!
Note taking allows students to take responsibility for learning the material.
Working in heterogeneous groups with the task cards allowed students to interact with
classmates. This was helpful because students who understood the lesson well helped
those who were unsure.

6. If you had an opportunity to teach this lesson again to the same group of students, what
would you do differently?

I would pre-assess the students to know how much background knowledge they had on the
topic. Most of the students could have handled the next level of point of view. Even if they
were not able to master it completely, it would have prepared them for next year.

7. Consider different aspects of your planning and execution of the lesson in light of the
domains and components on the following pages. Determine evidence, if any, for each of
the components, and what that evidence demonstrates about your level of performance.

Rubric attached.
8. What were areas of strength in the lesson?
Class start up On Your Desk gets students down to business and ready to work.
I think the fact that the lesson had a multi-faceted approach helped:
o Visual use of slide presentation
o Auditory listening to story excerpts
o Verbal working in small groups enabled discussion
o Kinesthetic using task cards
o Interpersonal working cooperatively with small groups
Differentiation students who found the task cards to be easy were given challenge
cards. Those who were unsure were able to work with classmates and get help if
needed.
Student rapport
Use of technology for homework/formative assessments
Google form exit tickets for formative assessment
Follow-up: Writing their own questions to be used on a summative assessment allowed
students to have a hand in creating their own assessments.

9. What were areas of growth in the lesson?

As stated previously, a pre-assessment would be helpful so that those who have
mastered the simplified version of point of view could be given the opportunity to learn
3rd person limited, omniscient, and objective.