Starting a new unit is exciting for both the teacher and the students. But the only way to push that excitement is to start with activities that make students think about the coming content. A tactic that I like to start a unit with is the KWL chart (what I Know, what I Want to know, and what I Learned). In a prior lesson to the one focused on, as a class we reviewed our past KWL for the Population Dynamics unit. The students filled in the “what I learned’ column and then also responded to the questions and thoughts they had at the beginning of the first unit. We finished the lesson by introducing the KWL chart for Ecosystem Structure, which is our new unit. This was followed up with an introduction video and activity based on the video about the two main aspects of ecosystems, abiotic and biotic factors. I think that by doing activities like these, students are forced to think about future content. They also create a desire for what they are about to learn. These KWL and video based activities set the stage for the following lesson, which was the introduction to food webs and food chains which is the first lesson of the Ecosystem Structures unit.
Due to a national holiday, the week was cut short with a half day on Friday and a field trip and conference for some classes. However, I was fortunate enough to have double periods for both elective classes of the 11th grade. So the lesson given is designed as a 90 minute lesson in two parts with a 5 minute break in the middle). These double period classes are some times difficult to for the students to focus in because of how much time they spend on one subject. I have noticed that their attention span is short, and to keep them on task, the activity and topic has to change often. So I designed a lesson that does change the topic often but then refers back to the previous topic often as well. In this way the lesson is scaffolded to build on the previous points. The objectives for the lesson were based in the International Bachelorette (IB) program. This again, is the standard curriculum for many International Schools worldwide. The objectives for the lesson were that students would review abiotic and biotic factors, explore the concepts of food webs and food chains and identify the purposes and differences of both. This is followed by the essential questions for the lesson which are: what are food webs and food chains? How are they different? What terms are involved with these aspects? How are they designed? The objectives and essential questions of a lesson touch on domains 1a and 1e, demonstrating knowledge and designing coherent instruction. This is because the essential questions and objectives of a lesson are the goals to be met from the lesson, and then the activities of the lesson are designed to bring the students to answers to the questions and objectives. The activities were scaffolded to build on each other. When the students started with the review, they had to apply the knowledge gained during the introduction lesson about abiotic and biotic factors. This set the stage for going over specific terms. These terms were necessary to understand in order to explain the trophic levels of a food chain. Environmental Systems has a heavy emphasis on vocabulary so going over the terms and manipulating the terms in some way will help the students remember them and be able to apply them later. The way the food chain and food web was introduced was by displaying an image and having the students dissect the image for themselves. This touched on domain 3b: Questioning techniques and also 3c: Engaging students in their learning. By using pictures instead of lecture notes, students needed to build the understanding for themselves, then also it was more interesting to them to see the image than me showing them lecture notes that I had written myself. The image also aided visual learners who need something more tangible than words on a screen (Domain 1b: Knowledge of the Students). After exploring the topic, the students had an opportunity to elaborate on the topic through in class activities. These activities were taken from the IB class textbook, to ensure that they were aligned with the curriculum as best as possible (Domain 1a: Knowledge of the Content). I had the students work on the lessons individually because I have noticed that since the class is a large class of 19 students, it is hard to make sure that all students are on task during assignments, unless it is a TPT (total participation technique) which forces the students to be active in their learning (Domain 1b: Knowledge of the Students). Overall the lesson ran smoothly. Since the last videotaped lesson, my Cooperating Teacher and I identified the number one aspect that I need to work on is consistency. It is choosing correction over instruction (Domain 2d: Managing Student Behavior). So some tactics that I have already implemented were to change the dynamic of the classroom (as seen in the last video) in to the favored U shape. This fosters conversation because the students are forced to look at each other (Domain 2e: Organization of physical space). My CT and I have also gone over instructional videos (Domain 4e: Growth and development) which show effective class management. The common thread is the time taken for behavior correction. But it is not just the action; it is how the action is done. Correction involves reiterating expectations, explanations of why the behavior is inappropriate, and correction is not postponed. A tactic that I now use in my class is the abrupt stop. If I am speaking and some one start to talk over me, I stop my voice mid sentence or mid word. This creates an awkward moment that draws the students attention back to me, and they then realize they were off task. A nod is given, and then I continue (Domain 2e and domain 2a: Creating respect and rapport). I feel that Domain 2a applies here because the student must acknowledge that they were off task, and generally students apologize and we move on. I have also introduced a new class policy that will hold the students accountable for their classroom behavior. It is based on the idea that they need to participate and share their thoughts because environmental systems also has a heavy emphasis on application and discussion of the topics. This system requires meticulous not taking because in order for the participation grade to be fair, students have to be aware of the policy in full detail, have access to their records and be told when they did not receive the full amount of points for the day. This also involves reflective time for the students to think about their behavior and the way they conduct themselves in class. The way I plan to keep that record is by carrying around my class list, where I can make comments, and mark down or mark off what I need in the moment instead of having to make mental notes and come back later. This all falls under Domains 2c: Managing Classroom Procedures, 3a: Communicating with Students and 4b: Maintaining Accurate Records. After reflecting on the lesson, I feel that I am happy with my results. I feel that as long as I keep my students busy I am not going to run into as many issues. Teaching goals that I would like to establish now would be first, use more technology in my classroom. The way I plan on doing this is in the future, for their next big essay they have to write, I will have them first peer edit, based on a rubric provided, then return their papers for them to edit, and then post online via a blog. The assignment will be to read and comment on each other’s work. The second goal that I want to establish is to push for high level thinking. I want to be working with high level blooms type questions so I know I am preparing my students to face the coming IB exams (which are very rigorous exams). The way I plan on doing this is to focus more on graph and data analysis for warm up activities. I will use past IB exams for question samples that I can send for homework, and conduct more Socratic seminar lessons for students to have opportunities to apply their knowledge through discussion. Reflecting on your work is a rewarding and powerful experience. I feel that lesson reflection should be second nature to teachers because if they would like to reuse their work, teachers have to think about what was good about a lesson, and what was not. Functioning lessons, help promote functioning classes; and classes function best when teachers are prepared and students are engaged. Works cited Charlotte Danielson (2014) Framework for Teaching: Evaluation Tool (2013 Ed.) Danielson Group I feel that teachers grow into their profession. Many teachers that I have consulted always tell me that the first year, or even the first few years f teaching are the hardest. I completely agree. But through the rough start that many have, there in lies a large opportunity for growth. Teachers need to learn how to adapt to their environment, how to adapt to their students and how to adapt to new styles of teaching that can save them head ache and heart ache.
Charles Dawrin said that, “it is not the strongest or the most intelligent that survive, but that ones who can best adapt to change.” Change happens daily when teaching and it is how teachers react to the change that separate those that succeed and those that do not. Domain 4 of the Charles Danielson framework speaks about Professional Responsibilities. These responsibilities include: reflecting on teaching, keeping accurate records, communicating with families, participating in a professional community, growing and developing, and showing professionalism. All aspects that teachers should do to not only make themselves look good in the eyes of the parents, students and administration, but for future employers as well. Professional development is important. The best place for a teacher to develop professionally is at the school in which they work. “Schools are, in other words, professional organizations for teachers, with their full potential realized only when teachers regard themselves as members of a professional community” (Danielson 2013). Being willing to be apart of your organization brings many benefits. “Some people join professional organizations to take advantage of benefits, most people align themselves with one or more professional organizations to fulfill career-related goals” (Lohrey 2014). Whatever the reason for joining an organization, an individual will benefit. One of the most important benefits, I think, comes from the networking received by being connected to other professionals. “Building good networking relationships is vital to finding hidden job opportunities and furthering a budding career” (Lohrey 2014). Another benefit comes from the access to information as well as the access you have to free or low cost training (Lohrey 2014). How do I fulfill the domains? 4a Reflecting on teaching So, as a budding teaching professional, I have found that I am fulfilling the aspects of domain 4. I continuously reflect on my teaching and consult other teachers as to how to better handle situations. 4b Keeping accurate records When record keeping, like most teachers, I have a hand written grade book that can then be translated into the digit form to submit grades. But another record keeping tactic that I have is the participation. I have my students on a CW+ system. It means “good class work” this system is designed to hold students accountable for their class work and class behavior. I found that my students are under the misconception that just because they give a weak answer to a warm up question or a discussion question that they fulfilled the requirement and can do whatever they please. But when we discuss the said question, they are expected to actively listen to their peers. So as they goof off, they lose those points, which of course can be earned back. But this system takes a great amount of consistency and record keeping to avoid angry students and parents who refuse to believe their angels could misbehave during class. 4c Communicating with families At first, communicating with families was difficult for me. There is a language barrier when teaching at an international school. I over came that by biting the bullet and contacting parents with concerns about student work and behavior. From a viewed titled, Please, No Surprises! Step-by Step to effective Parent/Teacher Communication with Ms. Morrison. This video was produced by In-service Works. In the video, Ms. Morrison emphasized the importance of sending continuous communication home so that the parents are aware of what is happening in class. She suggested calling early to start positive communication. Also, student check lists that can be given to parents are a good way of connecting to parents about both positive and negative behavior. This is so there are no surprises come report card times. 4d Participating in a professional community Some professional communities that have been made available are ISTE and ASCD. Both of these organizations are good organizations. These sites offer opportunities to teachers to collaborate and learn from one another. I have plans to join them both. Besides my school as a professional organization another organization that I am a member of is Friends of the Inyo. This refers to the Inyo Valley. As an Environmental Science teacher, I think it is very important to be apart of environmental organizations. 4e Growing and developing professionally Then also, being a continuous learner is a way for teachers to grow. This can be done by taking refresher courses in your subject area to better understand your classroom material. These can be done with a local university or community college, online courses or online self study. Self study is the path that I chose mostly because of the cost. It is free. There are many online classes that are free to the public, but they have to sought out. Another way to grow professionally is to increase your skill set; by doing this, you as a professional can look good while being a better teacher. Skill sets can be improved through peer observation, teacher to teacher communication and research on specific skills which teachers want to improve on. I practice all three of these activities in order to grow as a teacher to be seen as more desirable not only to my administration but to future employers as well 4f Showing professionalism Following the rules set in place by the school is an easy aspect to fulfill. I think this comes straight from the idea that teachers are role models, teacher need to be examples, and teachers need to show that following directions and policies is the acceptable mode of behavior. When students see teachers acting accordingly, students may follow suit. My school does not have many rules, but those that are in place encompass many aspects that should be assumed to follow. Action steps in order to better fulfill the domains One aspect that I want to improve on is my parent teacher communication. What I learned from the video viewed with Ms. Morrison is that I need to send all syllabuses and policy forms home to parents so they are aware of the expectations of their students, just as the students are aware of the expectations of themselves. Early communication is important Another aspect to improve is growth. Teachers can always grow. I plan on doing this through more peer observations. By seeing other teachers in action, I can pull out activities or tactics used that I can apply in my own classes. Then, by joining more professional networks, whether they be educational or environmental, I can improve my networking capabilities. If I connect myself with more professionals, more opportunities will com and more doors will open for me. Conclusion Professional responsibilities are important for teachers. Not just because teachers need to keep their jobs, but they are also in charge of shaping the minds of young learners. Teachers need to realize their part in the lives of the students and of the student’s families. By involving families through communication, the classroom becomes a community, parents take more interest in their student’s academic work, and also in the teacher that is teaching the class. It adds to a teachers personal network as well because you never know who’s dad is who’s and what doors that can open for you. Lesson Reflection Over the entire lesson ran smoothly. I feel that the reason for this was that the student interest was higher than normal, which made me feel good about the lesson that I chose to present. The lesson (titled: Intro to Natural Selection) was designed as an Engage and Explore lesson working with the 5 E Model. The teddy bear lab was adapted from an activity found online by Lynn Marie Wartski. The link to her activity is here: http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1995/wartski_natural.php The idea of the lab is that Teddy Grahams (a cookie) are slightly different. Some bears have their paws up, and some have their paws down. The idea is that the paws up cookies are easier to catch and taste better than the paws down cookies. So the students start with X amount of cookies and then each generation is attacked by paws up eating monsters. The students track the changes in populations over time. They also have to create a graph based on the information and then there is a small reflection as the end. The lesson was conducted with my 12th grade class. We have entered into the Conservation of Biodiversity Unit and have reached the section on Natural Selection and speciation. The lab had to be adapted because Teddy Grahams are not available in Ecuador. So paper supplements were used. The lesson started with an opening thought. The students are offered a scenario about sunflowers and daisies. Ants are destroying both of the populations. But the sunflowers after a few generations develop a poison that kills the ants if it is touched, the daisies do nothing. The students are asked to predict what will happen over the next few generations to both the daisies and the sunflowers. The also have to suggest other adaptations that may occur to help the daisies or the sunflowers to better resist the ants. Then finally, the idea question draws out the term that we plan on speaking about during the lesson. After the opening thought, we quickly touched on the day’s lesson objectives. This is so the students will have an idea of what they should focus on during the day’s activities. I did my best to make sure that the instructions were as clear as possible. Something that I am working on with my CT is my instructions. Where, I think they are clear, I forget that I am dealing with foreign language learners who are not native speakers in English. I like many new teachers to the school fell victim to the assumption that after being in an English immersion program for 15 years, they would understand everything perfectly. I have to chose my words wisely and make sure my teacher language is to the point. The instructions were given orally, as well as projected on the board for them to follow along. There were no questions, and it seemed like the students were clear on what to do, so I gave them the scenario to work with, the worksheet to work on (which included the scenario, the tables to fill in, a section for them to graph the results and the reflection questions). The students worked in small groups of three, so there were six groups of three working together on the lab. Due to a school wide assembly, the class schedule changed. This meant that the class had less time to actually complete the lab. So, most of the groups were about three quarters of the way through the lab before the bell rang. They were instructed to hold onto their work because the following day we would be starting back up where we left off. So because of the schedule change and the students not finishing, we were unable to discuss the reflection questions. But we will be able to come Monday, (the lesson was given Thursday, but due to the block schedule, I did not see the group on Friday). Overall Performance reflection for Domain 3 When approaching this lesson, I was nervous about how it would be received. I only had a small amount of fear because the class had just finished a research lab, and I thought by using the word, “lab” again, I would have a riot on my hands. The seniors at this school are notoriously lazy (this is the Mo explained to me by veteran teachers who have grown with these students). But all said and done, the activity was welcomes with excitement. After reflecting on the lesson and then comparing it to domain 3 of the Danielson framework, I was happy to see that I was about to touch on, (even if it’s a stretch) each of the aspects of the domain. I have been working with my vice principle about the questions that I ask my students. The school runs on the IB curriculum and the administration goes to great lengths to pander to the IB students who are pushing for their certificates. So it is stressed that teachers use the command terms in their questions for two reasons. First, to prepare students to see command terms on the IB exams, and then next, because it pushes students to higher levels of thinking. So instead of indirect questions or the who what where (recall questions) the students have to do more analysis, application, and synthesis when it comes to the course content. The questions fall in line with section 3b: Questioning and Discussion Techniques. When students discuss, I have them call on each other to move the conversation around the room. I felt that the activity was engaging (3c.). It makes the students work with manipulatives, tables and also graphs. So they have to interpret and analyze the information. I feel that the activity served its purpose, so be an engaging activity that made the students want to learn about it. It was frustrating to have a assembly change the schedule, but teachers need to be flexible (3e.) when it comes to lessons. My teacher friends warn me about planning to far ahead because the admin like to throw out assemblies and student activities during class time all the time. But for me, rolling information over to the next lesson is not a problem because I try to make my lessons based on a week, so there is as much continuity and connections as possible. I am happy with this lesson. I think after reflecting on it, and then comparing it to the Charlotte Danielson framework, I feel that I have a good grasp of this section. Lesson planning is becoming more natural to me, and now that I am focusing on the command terms for my questions, moving students higher up blooms is becoming easier as well.
This is a retyping of my journal entry, I will try to add for explanation of my personal thoughts:
Today, my junior students did a much better job than they had done in the past. I think that it had a lot to do with the interactive activity. It was the “is this recycling, yes or no” activity. (This activity was where I put several examples on the board and the students had to chose which was which was recycling and which were not, they showed their choice by moving from one side of the room to the other. After they chose I picked on from the “yes” side, who had to explain their thoughts, and did the same with the “no” side) There was only one real example of recycling. The idea was to break down the misconception that I knew the students had about what is recycling. Recycling is an umbrella term that for many means not just to recycle as we know it, but also to reduce, reuse, and remanufacture products. There is a difference and understanding the difference was the objective of this lesson. After we did the activity, we discussed the 4 terms (recycling, reuse, reduce, and remanufacture). After the explanation we went through the examples, and by slapping their desks first, that student was able to answer and correct the misconception. The students seemed to have enjoyed the lesson, and there were many, “Ah, yeah, huh” comments throughout the room, which I like hearing because that means students are getting the material. I think that the students learned more from this lesson than lessons from the past. I feel this way because the level of interest and interaction was higher than it had been before. Then later during the discussion, the answers that were given where more interesting and in depth than before. I think this was from the level of interest in the topic. I think that the students were able to see that recycling and recourse use directly affected them. The connection to the main idea of the unit was how does recycling increase the human carrying capacity. Most if not all of the students were able to connect the use of resources to the increase. Those that did not make the connection, we corrected by reviewing the answer. What I learned from this experience was that by keeping my students active, I am raising their level of interest. If they are actively involved, they have no choice but to think about the material. After all, thinking about the material is what I want the most. Goal setting is am important task for teachers who want to improve. By reflecting on this teaching experience, moving forward is important. The lesson was a success because of the level of interest. If I am able to catch that level of interest with all the topics we discuss in class, I do not think I will run into issues of misbehavior because they will be involved (but I do not live in a dream land, so this will not happen every lesson) So the goal that I am going to set for myself is to connect as much of the material I can to real life situations that directly affect these students (and much of environmental science connects directly to real life examples that affects these students) . The rumor that I have heard about students who chose Environmental Systems as their elective is that they do not like math or science and feel that Environmental Systems is the easy way out. But it is so far from the truth. As where Biology and Chemistry are memorization of facts, Environmental Systems is all application and discussion. It is heavy on vocabulary and application of that vocabulary. Another goal that I will set for myself is to look for more interactive ways for students apply the material. If I can keep their interest thought action, I feel that I will have better results on assessments (especially from struggling students) The final goal that I am going to set for myself is to be the example that shows why what we discuss in class is important, not just for the class, but everybody on the planet. The topics discussed in Environmental Science classes truly affect everyone. I feel that if I can show that through my actions, through my lessons, the students that experience those lessons, will be examples for others. Change needs to happen, and I hope that my students will step up to be the change. |