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Emily Marsh

3rd Grade teacher

Summerwind Elementary

Beaumont, CA

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Ms. Marsh has been teaching for 22 years. I met her 2 years ago when I was a substitute teacher in the Beaumont Unified School District. I became her preferred substitute teacher. I enjoyed being in her classroom and admired the way she taught and managed her class.

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Question: How do you introduce a new concept to your students?

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Answer: When introducing a new concept, I start by using strategies that connect past learning with current learning, called scaffolding. I take time to explain the new concept first and ask questions to see if any student knows anything about the new concept already.

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Question: What strategies do you put in place when teaching a new concept?

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Answer: When introducing a new concept, a very effective strategy is to connect the concept with prior knowledge. This can be a verbal explanation or collaborative brainstorming, connecting it to something we have learned. It can be a picture that shows the connection to the real world. It can also be a video that connects the concept with something they already know about.

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Question: How does this concept vary when working with English learners? 

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Answer: These strategies vary some with English learners depending on their level. One way to differentiate for ELLs is to use simplified language. I also like to have students speak with a buddy because often English learners don't feel comfortable speaking to the entire class.

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Question: How do you assess student attainment of new concepts?

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Answer: An effective assessment of student attainment of new concepts is think-pair-share. This allows students to think of their answer, share it with a partner, and then share their information with the class. This provides me with immediate feedback as to whether the students are understanding the new concepts. I also like to do quick exit tickets at the end of lessons. This allows me to see which students understand the new concept and which need a reteach.

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Question: How do you modify your strategies based on students' needs?

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Answer: Each class has students with diverse learning styles and abilities, which requires the teacher to modify strategies based on their needs. Some modifications that are effective are flexible grouping and varying instructional methods. Flexible grouping allows students to work in a small group with the teacher on the concepts at their level, whether it be below, mid, or above. It is important to include the high achievers to push them beyond where they are. Varying instructional methods allow for students with different learning styles to learn in the way that best suits them.

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Question: What do you do when you observe a student's inability to learn a concept? What steps would you take to fill in this learning gap?

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Answer: When I observe a student/students inability to learn a concept, the first step is to diagnose the problem. This can also be done by observing the student's participation and quality of answers pertaining to the concept. This can be done in tangent with assessments that can target the specific problem. After teaching the concept, the reteach should be done in small group with the struggling students, however the reteach should use different language and examples. Visual aids and hands on learning should be done in the reteach as well. I provide ongoing support and monitor progress to ensure they are improving.

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1. To connect past knowledge with new learning

2. Use different strategies to convey new information

3. For ELLs, use simple language and a buddy

4. Assess students with think-pair-share and exit tickets

5. Modify strategies based on class needs using flexible grouping and varying instructional methods

6. Observe and assess a student who isn't learning a concept.

7. Small group reteach with new examples and different language.

8. Use visual aids and hands-on learning when reteaching.

9. Provide ongoing support and monitor progress.

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Students learn in various ways and at different times. Using various strategies, observing, assessing, modifying strategies, reteaching with different strategies, and supporting are all ways to introduce new concepts successfully.