Catherine Shea

Professor Suk
EDUC 230-01 Education Field Experience
Spring 2018
Rationale Statement

(4) The teacher understands the role and impact of language and culture in learning and knows
how to modify instruction to make language comprehensible and instruction relevant, accessible,
and challenging.
(3) The teacher recognizes, respects and upholds the dignity and worth of students as individual
human beings, and therefore dealing with them justly and considerately. (2004 NJ Std 11ii(3))

Artifact: Observation Report #8 - Instruction

Date of Completion: April 2018

Course Completed in: EDUC-230-02 Education Field Experience

Rationale Statement:
In this observation report, I have demonstrated how the teacher used the diverse culture
and language from the southern black community and instilled it into his lesson plans to
challenge and cultivate his student’s reading and comprehension skills. The teacher introduced
the new novel to his class, as I demonstrate in my report as, “he explained the importance
because it is written almost entirely in dialogue and in ebonics, so it is highly regarded in African
American culture for its accurate portrayal of the south. ‘This type of book does not happen in
literature often enough - it has a very strong black female protagonist. We need to see more
characters like her. You can all get through this book, but it’s going to be tough. But you can do
it. You’re capable’, he told the class”. This directly relates to standard 4, which states, “The
teacher understands the role and impact of language and culture in learning and knows how to
modify instruction to make language comprehensible and instruction relevant, accessible, and
challenging”(New Jersey Department of Education, 2014, p.2). Additionally, the teacher
demonstrated his respect and admiration for his student’s opinions and beliefs as he lead a very
insightful and meaningful discussion upon their completion of their outside reading. He did not
allow biases or difference in opinion affect his teaching, as I point out in the observation by
stating, “The discussion went very well, as the teacher critiqued their responses not based on
their opinions, but rather on their examples provided for why they felt the way that they did”.
This directly relates to standard three because it shows how the teacher “The teacher recognizes,
respects and upholds the dignity and worth of students as individual human beings, and therefore
dealing with them justly and considerately” (New Jersey Department of Education, 2014, p.15).
 Through completing this observation, I learned how impactful and enjoyable teaching at
the high school level can truly be. I saw the maturity and interest in the students today, as they
were receptive and open to learning about new cultures as well as their peers opinions, no matter
how different or foreign it was to them. More importantly, I gained insight on how the teacher
was able to convey to his students just how important it was too respect and be informed of other
ways of life that differ from the ones they lead.

I could use this observation report going forward in my career to remind myself of the
type of teacher I would like to become, and of the classroom I would like to one day have. I can
use this as a guide for the types of lessons I want to give, and the types of discussions and
materials I want to utilize in my future classroom.

References

New Jersey Department of Education. (2014). ​New Jersey professional standards for teachers
alignment with InTASC​. Retrieved from
http://www.state.nj.us/education/profdev/profstand/ProfStandardsforTeachersAlignment
withInTASC.pdf