Therese Gallagher

Dr. Blanchard
Edu 1055
7 March 2018
Commenting on Teaching and Learning
1. Explain how your instruction engaged students in developing essential knowledge and/or
requisite skills.
I was able to engage the class in my lesson by using various teaching methods. I had the
students participate in group work, form their own opinions, watch videos, speak with people
who had real life experiences of the Vietnam war, and listen to music of the time. In the
beginning the students had to evaluate the different events that influenced public opinion
throughout the war, and determine whether or not they approved of the action. By doing this, I
was able to put the students in the time of the Vietnam war and give them a sense of what the
American public was dealing with at the time. Later on in the lesson, I had the students examine
the approval ratings of the 1960s American public and see whether they were similar to their
own opinions. The Tet offensive was one event that many of the students believed would rally
the troops and unite the American people. Interviews as well as the statistics later showed that it
was an event that had many people asking why America was even in this war if she was not
winning. The My Lai Massacre was another event that students were able to interview parents
about, and get real life reactions to. It was important that I related the lesson back to the student’s
parents because it made the whole lesson appear more real to the students. Reading or talking
about a topic in the classroom is helpful, but learning from real life experience is an extremely
useful tool.
2. Describe how, if at all, the instruction draws upon students prior academic learning and
personal, cultural, and community assets with new learning.
In the beginning of the lesson, I asked the students if they knew what the Vietnam War
was about and why the United States was involved. As a class we identified that one important
thing the United States government needed was public support. One of my students was able to
use his prior knowledge of World War II propaganda to show how the government could attain
public support for the war. In this lesson, I also had the students listen to some songs about the
war that were playing during the time. The students then had to identify whether or not the song
was pro-war or anti-war. Music is extremely relevant in our culture today, so I used these songs
to show the kids how influential it was even back during the 1960s. The students were very
active during this part of the lesson, they were singing along to the songs and interpreting the
meaning behind each one. This part of the lesson aided students in their understanding of
nationalism and how valuable it can be during wartime. During the interviews, some students
were also told by their parents that young men would go to college in order to stay out of the
war. It helped the students realize that the draft was not very popular. The students were able to
listen to their own parents and musicians to get a real sense of the Vietnam War and how it
impacted the American public. Sometimes history can seem dull or not interesting, but through
music and culture I was able to get students to participate in the lesson. It is a good way to get
students to compare themselves to people who went through the time periods that they are learni
3. Explain how you elicited student responses and provided feedback to promote critical thinking
and use requisite knowledge and/or skills to comprehend or complete a task.
In this lesson, I paired students off and had them analyze the events that occurred during
the Vietnam war. Then the students had to share with the class information about the event and
where it should be placed on the approval scale that I made on the board. While they were
working in their groups, I walked around and answered any questions the students might have
had about a particular event. When the students would share, I would allow the rest of the class
to give their own opinions about the event and where it should be placed on the scale. As a class
we would compare and contrast the ideas of different students, which paralleled the divide in the
American public during the war. It showed students that many different citizens had many
different opinions. When the students would share their new knowledge with the class, I would
give additional information if needed or further explain the event so the whole class had a good
understanding of the topic. The students were also able to see how the Vietcong were a force to
be reckoned with as they discussed the events on the timeline. It was important to point out that
America was not as successful as the American public thought they would be. It was not as
simple as stopping the spread of communism at that point in the war. This was an important
factor in the approval or disapproval of the American public. When the students were sharing
about their interviews, I had them sit in an open circle so that each student could share with the
entire class. I believe that this opened up the floor for students who might be shy in other
settings.
4. Explain how you supported students application of content area knowledge, vocabulary, and
skills in a meaningful way.
There were various methods of teaching used in this lesson. During each, I had the
students summarize the information presented to them in order to reinforce what they had just
learned. It was important to keep the students talking throughout the lesson because when
students have to reiterate things they have learned it forces them to apply the necessary
vocabulary and skills taught in the lesson. I often had the students describe how they felt about
the songs, the videos, or the events that they read about. I was also able to show the students that
the draft could have taken a brother, father, or son away from their own families, which makes
for an emotionally influenced opinion of the war. It helped the students apply their own feelings
to the time period of the war and experience how the American public was feeling at that time.
When the American public finally realized that the seventeenth parallel was the only thing
America was really fighting for, it became unclear whether it was worth the lives of our soldiers.
The students were able to grasp that concept after we went over the polls revealing how the
American public’s opinion had changed over the years during the war. When I had the students
go home and interview someone they knew about the war, it helped them realize that in some
way, shape, or form the Vietnam war impacted their own lives. One of my students shared about
his own father’s injury during service and how it hindered his ability to watch television for a
time afterwards. The most important thing about social studies is showing students how history
has affected their own lives, it helps the students gain a better understanding of themselves.