Coaching Session: We met after the observation to discuss variations of my classroom routines for getting materials and for gathering the classes attention back to me. We also discussed how to avoid allowing classroom behaviours to slip as the end of the year gets closer. I am going to try some nonverbal attention getters next year to add variety to the ones I currently use.
Classroom Walkthrough Notes
Mr. Wayne Russell (PYP Principal)
I loved being in your class this afternoon.
· You nailed IB Standard C3.2 (“Teaching and learning engages students as inquirers and thinkers.”)! When you were inquiring into the structure of the poems, you asked many, “What do you notice?” questions i.e., “What did you notice in the third line?” “. . . between the title and the first line?”
· You continued to push students to look for and think about patterns between the poems (Pyramid structure of 1 word, 2 words, 3 words, etc. First line is main idea, second emotions, third verbs, fourth what they are doing.
· I am interested in what your classroom looked like and felt like after your direct instruction (When students were researching, etc.).
· What do you think of having your students look at a classmate when he/she is sharing something with the class? Giving eye contact to the speaker.
Probably the most important observation of all, how my students feel about me as a teacher. I asked them to write whatever three words came to their minds when they think of me as a teacher. I am very proud that caring came up the most often, as students knowing that I care about them and their happiness when they leave school at the end of everyday is one, if not the most, important thing I feel I can do as a teacher! I am also pretty happy how often I was connected to Batman. My students know more about me as a teacher then anyone, so I felt it was important to include them in this part of my portfolio.
“A few observation and much reasoning lead to error; many observations and a little reasoning to truth.
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