Literacy Observation and reflection: Writing sentences

Ashleigh’s 2017 LITERACY OBSERVATION

In the role as teacher

Aims:

1. To embark on peer observations as a tool for professional development and improving teaching practices and student performance.
2. To support each other achieve pedagogical goal(s) by opening up our practice and sharing instructional techniques and beliefs between and among teachers

Rationale:

An observed lesson is a shared resource where both teacher and coach take something of value from it

Prior to observation decide on observation focus and the way that the data will be collected.

Rules for the observation:

1. Describe what is seen or heard (the teacher will advise observers on what to focus on)
2. Report specifically and concretely on your focus area(s) only

Rules for feedback/discussion:

1. Comment on strengths
2. Talk specifically and concretely on your focus area(s) only
3. Ask clarifying questions if necessary (to gain more understanding of what was observed)
4. Have ONE probing question ready to ask the teacher

Pre-Observation Questions based on your reflections of your own teaching ...

2   What literacy teaching practice/s do you want me to look for/at specifically?       Developing clear success criteria for how to write better sentences and then using the criteria for students to check they’re on track. What process will the observer use?  Running record of what she observed. 3.    What should I know already about this (context)? We spent about 25 minutes on this yesterday so I’m following on from there. 5.    What are your expectations for the lesson?       Full participation. Should get the criteria together without too much difficulty as we started experimenting with writing good sentences the day before.

9.30am - Observation begins

The class has been introduced to the lesson using the trains and carriages for sentence construction example from staff PD and the class have been introduced terminology (adverbs, precise nouns etc)

They have co-constructed success criteria for a well written sentence.

The teacher is working with students on possible vocabulary for their sentences. Students are using a simple sentence to make more interesting. This is written on a template and has a couple of examples to work through in pairs or small groups. Students in pairs or small groups discussing the exercise. The teacher is roaming the room and working with students, checking in with each group. Students asking for clarification of some of the terminology -  for example verbs and adverbs. As students finish they share with teacher their constructed sentence and she redirects to the success criteria and asks them to consider if they have covered this and to proofread their work. The teacher gives a 1 minute alert before they buddy swap their work. This make students focus in on their work around the room as they know they will be sharing soon. The teacher continues to roam the room and asks for  what specific success criteria has been used - student replies - “I used an adverb and I used more detail and description by adding adjectives and then I added a new precise noun”. A fantastic answer - showing the students are coming to terms with the terminology and can identify and use this in their writing. The sentences are all more developed in the groups I can see around me.

After 7 minutes, the teacher counts down in te reo for attention. The whole class focuses up to the front of class. The teacher gives next step and asks “Have you successfully created one sentence according to the SC?” She tells the class that in a moment groups will  swap with a another group. They must read the sentence the group has been working on and identify which success criteria have they used. Teacher gives some framing questions to make it clear. “Have they used a precise noun?” and allows 3mins to do this. The group in front of me identifies the adjectives that have added detail and interest and the adverb and commas. The teacher roams the room the see how groups are going. She answers any questions students have and sits with groups if they need more assistance. She uses proximity for slightly off-task student. She does not answer the questions directly - she often starts by asking them a question to see if they can answer for themselves. The students obviously feel comfortable to ask questions and give their opinions or thoughts. Groups are returning the sheets back to the group who wrote it. They have written some recommendations on the sheets for the creating group. Creating groups are reading the feedback and then looking at their work to see if the agree. Good discussion are held between the groups about the recommendations.

Teacher calls for attention to close the activity. Praising “those who are managing themselves” instead of focussing on negative as class is ready to move on.

9.45pm Observation ends

A nice lesson to observe. The tone in your room is one of engagement, safety, learning and friendship. A wonderful mix and one that takes teacher craft and skill to create.

The structure and flow allowed student to learn co-operatively and with some noise. I could see students were engaged in their work and it was clear that the new terminology was being used and students were enjoying creating well written sentences.

It will be interesting to see if this transfers to written work during class time. As you have already recognised, sometimes students have to be exposed to the same teaching more than once. This lesson is similar to one you did at the start of the year and you have chosen to revisit this learning through this lesson.

Thank you for having me in your class.

Tanya August

28/11/2017

My reflection: I was quite happy with what the students were able to come up with in terms of success criteria. It was clear that most could see what changes had been made in the improved sentences but not all knew the correct term, i.e 'adverb'. We didn't go into the nitty gritty about subject, verb, object etc but we did talk about how a complex sentence has a main clause and one or more dependent clauses. They were able to see how a dependent clause doesn't make sense on its own as it was missing a subject.

I agree with Tanya that it will be interesting to see how this now translates into their independent writing. I intend to make a more permanent copy of the success criteria they created that we can refer back to. As far as I observed, even my below writers were able to tell when a sentence didn't make sense and needed a slight change of tense to a verb to make it work.

One thing that may need a bit more work is using commas correctly in these sentences. They seem to know when I ask but many leave them out when writing their own unless reminded.