Observation for October 22nd

Today, October 22^nd, I taught my first lesson for my supervisor! It was a “regular” math class and I taught a review lesson on adding and subtracting integers. The students walked into the classroom and I told them to begin the POD (problem of the day) and hand in the POW (problem of the week). After collecting the POW, we went over the POD. Then I asked the students to take out their homework and we went around the room getting the correct answers. There were one or two students who did not get the right answers and instead of moving to the next student, I asked the students if they could figure out where they mistakes were. The most common mistake was “Keep, Change, Opposite” for subtraction. The students have to know they need to keep the sign of the first term, change the subtraction sign, and then change the sign of the second term to its opposite. After going over the homework, I asked a few students to come to the board and show using the number line or the manipulatives how to add or subtract integers. The students have been doing integers for a few days and were able to quickly do the problems. Then, I passed out the communicators (plastic folders that work like a white board). I then gave the students problems and they had to work out on the communicator and then hold it up so I would be able to see the answers. This is a quick assessment for the teacher to see who understand the lesson and how does not. I was able to see mistakes easily and if more than two or three students got the answer wrong, I would write the problem on the board while explaining my logic, or I would call on a student who got it wrong to work out the problem. This method worked well because I was able to assess the students and correct my lesson as needed. Even though I prepared extra problems, I noticed a few were too easy for the students, so after about 7-8 problems on the communicators, I passed out the review sheet and allowed the students to start it. Letting the students start the review sheet was not in my lesson plan, but the students understood the material and I felt they were able to do the review. I reminded the students they had a quiz for Monday and if they did not finish the review sheet, they had to finish for homework. I felt the lesson went well and the students did not look confused. My supervisor was impressed with how well I knew the students names. I memorized there names the night before! She said my lesson was very good, but I need to watch how often I say “Good job”. She said I was saying “good job” for every student, even if they got the problem wrong. She said I would have said “good try” instead of “good job”. My supervisor thought I was giving too much praise when it was not deserved. After that class, I finished out the day observing. I was able to observe a 7^th grade math class during sixth period. It was an inclusion class, and the teacher’s style was different. She was tougher than my cooperating teacher, and must stricter. She was introducing integers using manipulatives and the Mimio. She used technology and the manipluatives so the students could go up the board. I liked her approach using discovery rather than direct instruction because the students know they understand the concept even if they do not have the rules. This should improve their self-efficacy.