SPE 582 - Observation, Interview, Reflection by Dianna Coreas

1. What strategies did you see the teacher use? How did the students respond?

dvcoreas — 2024-01-24 14:37:03 UTC

I conducted my observation in a 3rd/4th-grade pullout math lesson. The lesson was about dividing with the numbers one and zero. When the teacher asked the students a multiplication question, and the students seemed stuck in thought, she asked them to take out their charts. The students pulled out a chart from inside their desks. The strategy the students had to use during the lesson was a multiplication chart from 1 to 12, and the numbers went across vertically and horizontally with the answers in between on one side of the chart. There was another multiplication timetable chart on the flip slide, but it had the actual equations written out. The students quickly navigated to find the answer to the teacher's question on their chart.

2. What did you enjoy about the lesson? Why?

dvcoreas — 2024-01-24 14:50:45 UTC

I enjoyed how the teacher made the lesson personal to the students by including them in her questions and making the questions relatable to the students. For example, when helping a student figure out how to divide by one, she said, "There is one Anabella, and she has five chocolates; how many is she going to eat?" When the student answered the question correctly, the teacher gave her immediate feedback, telling her she was correct because she had no one to share her chocolates with, so she could eat all five. The question "What is one divided by 5?" is very abstract, so asking questions students can connect with makes the lesson more fun. Who wouldn't love having many chocolates to themselves? Plus, the question has a real-life scenario, which helps students see the relevance and practical application of math in their everyday lives.

3. What did you wish you had seen? Why?

dvcoreas — 2024-01-24 14:55:18 UTC

The lesson I observed was concise, which has advantages because the students could understand the concepts and maintain their focus compared to a long, overwhelming lesson. After the teacher taught her lesson, the students completed their independent practice and grabbed their Chromebooks to complete 15 minutes of Freckle. She didn't go over the independent practice with her students. It made me wonder if she would review the answers with her students the following day before continuing her new lesson because that is important. How will she know if every student fully understood the lesson if she doesn't?

Additionally, there was a student who looked visibly tired with his head down on his desk. I walked in to observe when the lesson had started, so I wondered how she began the lesson and what interactions she might have had with her students. Still, she needed to ensure she had their undivided attention because she pulled them out of their general education classrooms and moved them to another room. Some breathing exercises or a short mindfulness activity would be beneficial because it was already the middle of the day, and their lunch period would be some time following their math period.

4. How did the classroom environment support diverse learners?

dvcoreas — 2024-01-24 15:16:03 UTC

The classroom consisted of a smaller group of students, for it was a pullout setting. A total of 6 students, so the class is small and quiet, allowing the students to have an environment with fewer distractions. Each student had a desk with their name tags, and on their name tags, they had a lot of helpful math tools. Along the top of the name tag was a number line from 1 to 30, a number chart from 1 to 100, and shapes labeled with their corresponding names. Along the wall, there were various math posters with helpful information. The desks were in two groups of three desks each, and when the students went on Freckle, they moved from their desks to a round table where they were all sitting together. Allowing movement and preferred seating is vital for accommodating diverse learners. Allowing students to choose where they feel most comfortable can support their individual needs and preferences. Freckle is also great to incorporate in the classroom because students can hear the questions being read aloud to them, and the teacher can assign different tasks according to the student's needs with the feedback they receive from their Freckle scores.

5. How will you use what you learned in your future teaching practice?

dvcoreas — 2024-01-24 15:19:46 UTC

I observed and found it exciting when the teacher assisted a student during Freckle in a personable way. A question had the word quadrilateral, and the student didn't know what that word meant. The teacher then asked the student if she knew how to count in Spanish. She held up her hand and counted with her fingers, "Uno, dos, tres, quatro." She held her four fingers and explained that a quadrilateral is a shape that has four sides, and she could remember that by knowing what four means in Spanish. Even though the class is not Bilingual, the teacher still incorporated Spanish to benefit the students' learning. That is a big takeaway from this observation for my future teaching practice and the incorporation of yummy chocolate.

6. Connect what you saw and heard in the classroom with our class discussions, activities, and readings from last quarter.

dvcoreas — 2024-01-24 16:06:16 UTC

Last quarter, we read an article titled How Novice and Expert Teachers Approach Classroom Management Differently. I learned about finding your place and tone as a teacher in that article. "All teachers made efforts to monitor the room, but expert teachers were more proficient, often because they also had greater positional awareness, making sure that they occupied locations where students—and student work—would be in view (Terada, 2021.) Although the teacher had a great view of the entire class while she was teaching, she still walked around the class to get a better look at the student's work to ensure they were doing well. She also seemed to call on students who were not raising their hands to check for understanding and if they were following along with the lesson.

7. What concerns/questions do I have about teaching?

dvcoreas — 2024-01-24 16:07:49 UTC

As a teacher, it's important to be aware of and address valid concerns in the classroom. One concern for me is being able to meet all the diverse needs. Every student is unique, and catering to different learning styles, abilities, and backgrounds can be challenging, and as a DL teacher, that is essentially the essence of the job. Differentiating instruction and providing individualized support is crucial. Another concern is classroom management. Maintaining a positive and structured learning environment is vital. Addressing behavior issues, keeping students engaged, and managing time effectively are other necessities for a teacher.

1. What are their job's daily demands, requirements, dynamics, pitfalls, possibilities, potentials, etc.?

dvcoreas — 2024-01-24 16:27:42 UTC

"Some of the demands of a special education teacher are developing and implementing IEPs for students with specific goals, accommodations, and support services. Some examples of accommodations are allowing for extended time, visual support, and modified assignments. It requires patience, empathy, and understanding while working with students facing different challenges. A challenge in particular of the group you observed is they do not know how to read well, and they require you to read all the math problems to them, yet we are still required to teach the same curriculum as their peers and get them up to grade level. It is constant repetition, and whatever we learned today, some students may not be able to retain the information and potentially forget by tomorrow."

2. What are their job's "great" and "not so great" parts?

dvcoreas — 2024-01-25 01:45:30 UTC

The greatest thing about being a special education teacher is seeing my students thrive and achieve their goals. As their teacher, I can support and empower these students, helping them overcome challenges and reach their full potential. However, special education can be emotionally demanding and require a lot of patience and flexibility. Paperwork and administrative tasks can sometimes feel overwhelming, taking away from direct instructional time. Right now, we are doing MOY testing, which takes a lot of meaningful time that we could use to teach these students. These tests are also not DL-friendly, which is something I consider to be not so great."

3. What is the teacher's advice to you as a new special educator?

dvcoreas — 2024-01-25 01:55:32 UTC

"Your dedication and passion will positively impact the lives of your students. You are embarking on a rewarding journey. Remember to be very patient. Patience is key in this profession. Some people think that DL students cannot learn, but that is not true; they may need a lot of repetition and have different learning needs. Adapt and modify your instruction to meet those needs. Use various teaching methods to ensure all students can access the curriculum. Above all, you must love what you do because that will get you through, even on tough days."

I am so excited!

dvcoreas — 2024-01-25 05:31:24 UTC

After completing the observation and the interview, I became even more excited about my future as a teacher. There is so much room and potential for me to learn and grow as a student teacher, and it makes me relate to the students I work with. I can enter the classroom knowing that each day brings many opportunities and growth. I appreciated seeing another teacher's learning style and what they use to individualize instruction. I am grateful to connect with other DL teachers in my school. Collaborating and sharing ideas can be incredibly beneficial in finding effective student strategies and resources. Once I concluded the interview, the teacher asked me what I thought about her lesson and if I could give her any pointers. The questions caught me off guard because I was surprised she asked for my input. As a student teacher, I didn't expect her to ask me questions, but I admired that she saw me as an equal and figured I had valuable ideas. I told her I wished I had seen her start her lesson to see if she had an engaging and relevant hook to capture students' attention and generate their interest. Could the teacher have used a thought-provoking question, a short video clip, a stimulating image, or a real-life example related to the topic? Another way to potentially have started the lesson would be to activate students' prior knowledge by asking questions or briefly discussing what they already know about the lesson's topic. Overall, it was important for me to reflect on what I believe will be challenging for me, embrace them as learning opportunities, and help me refine my teaching practice. This assignment also served as a reminder for me to take care of myself. My career choice is demanding, so it is crucial that I prioritize self-care. Also, find time for activities that recharge me, seek support from colleagues or mentors, and never hesitate to ask for help when needed.