Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Lea Elementary
Notes:
Description of events: Commentary of events:
9:20 Teacher quickly prepping by hanging up Willingness to adapt, flexibility
posters in new space near coat cubbies Seems particularly well-organized
Thinking ahead to potential struggles like
distractions and sound
Teacher shows students picture cards and models Clear, precise language
how to describe picture and make predictions
Teacher paraphrases students for all to hear Effective way to engage all while reiterating
students comment for all to understand
Teacher tells students they make predictions Incorporation of age-appropriate, imaginative play
already!
Concludes read aloud by having students name Teacher should name learning objective
the animals and redefining prediction Ex. a special drawing activity to practice making
predictions
10:00
Students completing pictures, requires prediction Teacher might have students label drawings using
phonetic spelling when complete
Teacher uses one students work as an example Students seem to be losing energy and focus.
and then repeats sequence of questions with Teacher might want to change tone of voice, make
others work: What details made you think it was a
? What told you so?
Debriefing session:
Teacher expected side talk but instead was (happily) surprised by the amount of comments and
personal connections
Surprised students had not heard word prediction or understood its meaning but was pleased she
had poster as a resource.
Disappointed picture walk took such a long time. Mentor suggests cutting picture walk short, not
necessary for entire book so long as objective is made clear and necessary vocabulary is introduced
Teacher eliminated turn and talk because classroom mentor told her she had not taught it. Mentor
explains purpose of turn and talk and ways to introduce in context, just as she introduced the hand
sign in the moment.
Lesson was meant to take 25-30 minutes but actually took close to 45 minutes. Reasons discussed:
perhaps due to explanations, attempt to speak to all students. Teacher feels she needs to work on
figuring out what to cut out in the moment. Mentor and teacher discuss ways to adapt in the moment
so students get adequate practice but activities are not so time consuming.
Teacher noticed how students helped one another. Perhaps, she helped to set the tone which leads
to this kind behavior with her comments throughout lesson, such as, Its ok to not have correct
predictions.
Teacher expressed disappointment in not having magnifying glasses. Mentor suggest this imaginative
one was actually better because it was fun and imaginative without a physical object that might have
been a distraction.
Firm with gentle behavior remindersstudents were eager to continue to participate. Consistently
positive language and pointing out appropriate behaviors throughout.
Mentor notes good use of visual aids, picture cards, and reference to classroom posters relating to
expected behaviors