Reflection on Instruction and Student Learning Candidate: _Barry White Jr School: Whittaker Elementary School Year: Spring 2014

Cooperating Teacher: Ms Kennedy.

At what appropriate point in the unit and did this lesson fall?

______ Beginning Check Middle ______ End

Instructions: Please reflect on one of your lessons that occurred while you were being observed. Make your responses brief and to the point. Examples may be attached, if appropriate. 1. What were the objectives of the lesson? Provide evidence to confirm that your students understood the overall purpose and relevance of the lesson? (APS 4-A-C)

The objectives for this lesson was students would be able to identify personification in text. Students understood the purpose and relevance of this lesson when we discussed what figurative language does to their writing and to the reader in text. And also how on the PASS test using figurative language would earn them extra points. Attached will be students work from that lesson.

2.

What effect did your teaching strategies have in terms of promoting student learning and keeping your students meaningfully engaged? Provide evidence to support your answer. (APS 5 A-C) My teaching strategies effectively kept the students actively engaged in the lesson from start to finish. The use of visual media and arts grasped the students attention and had them locked in for the entire lesson. An example is my Prezi Presentation: http://prezi.com/shmvu_trvoj5/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0sha re

3. How was the content of the lesson appropriate for the students, and describe how you effectively organized the content to ensure that students would learn? (APS 6 (A-C) The content was appropriate for the students based on the South Carolina state pacing guide. I organized the content with a meaningful presentation that connected the content to students lives and made it relevant to them. In doing so I was able to effectively reach the students with my lesson. EX: http://prezi.com/shmvu_trvoj5/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0sha re

4.

How did you assess student learning during the lesson? Provide a summary of the results. (APS 7 A)

I assessed students during the lesson by using whole class questioning in between slides and information, I also handed out classwork where the students would have to complete questions pertaining to the content taught in the lesson. (Hardcopy will be provided)
5. Did you make any adjustments during the lesson? Why or Why Not? (APS 7 B)

The only adjustment I made during the lesson was I read the sentences for the students before they begun answering the questions given. I did this because my class contained weak readers and a lot of them were struggling solely because they could not comprehend the question given their low reading level.

6. What types of feedback did or will you provide to the students regarding their performance. Discuss the relevance of the feedback that you provided or will provide. (APS 7C)

I gave heavy praises for students who scored high on performance test/ classwork. The ones that did not perform well I had one on one conferencing at their desk going over their mistakes. I also reviewed the students classwork as a class and discussed each question and went over why the correct answer was AB OR C and why the other answers were wrong using the process of elimination.

7. In what way(s) and to what extent did the classroom environment impact your instruction and student learning, either positively or negatively? (APS 8-A-C; APS 9 A-C)

The classroom environment is extremely inviting and I have developed a great rapport with the students where they know I expect them to give me high energy and focus and in return I will give them my all in teaching the lesson to them. This affected my instruction in a positive way I was able to feed off my students energy and keep the lesson fun and exciting while still delivering the correct message from the content.

8. What decisions did you make regarding subsequent instruction for these students, and why? (APS 4-9)

I planned review and closure questions for students at the end of the lesson to check for understanding. In addition I gave homework for the students to practice and went over the directions and first question so the students would know what is expected of them.

9. What did you learn as a result of teaching this lesson? (APS 4-9)

I learned that as long as you make the content relevant to the students lives and connect the lesson with their prior knowledge the students will be able to grasp the content better and more importantly retain the information given through the lesson.

10. Feel free to make any other comments regarding your field experiences that you would like to share. This may also include recommendations for strengths and weakness of our program.

I love being in Ms. Kennedys classroom, I am learning a lot from her professionally and excellent teaching methods. I feel as though she is preparing me to take that next step in having my own classroom. I will take everything I learn from her with me as I continue my journey through education.