UVM/BHS

Professional Development School

Name: Justin Wright

Class: Algebra, 21 students

Date: 3/24/03

Mentor Teacher: Norm Tremblay

On board: 3/24 Graphing Quadratic Equations
12:00 Justin focuses class attention to the board. Discusses quiz and explains how students are confusing +/- numbers. “Be very careful… because in the long run, you have 4 more steps after this….”
OK… how about solving this using the quadratic formula. Justin has problem written on the board.
12;12 Justin does problem on the board. Now, how does everyone feel about this, the quadratic formula? So here we go… now…. Justin writes another problem on the board. Does this look familiar to you? Where have you seen it? Is this a quadratic equation? Do we know how to graph this equation? Any ideas? Plug it in? Plug what in?
Does anyone remember the steps for a parabola?
Justin speaks to student to focus his attention. 5 minutes go by, and Justin asks student to move to another seat.
There’s a lot of side conversation going on and it’s distracting me… this is stuff I need to teach you. When we do worksheets we can talk.. but right now I need you to pay attention.. show respect. Side conversations diminish.
What value to you think we’ll start at?
Anna, what do you think?
Justin draws graph on board. Works with students to graph, emphasizing seeing visually the work. Any questions on what we just did?
Are there any question before we move on?
The number is called the “leading coefficient”… write that down in your notes…
What direction if your parabola going to open? Student says up.
Lets practice some of these…Justin writes problems on the board. First I want you tell me if it’s opening up or down and then I want you to tell me the vertex. Justin walks around the room, checking on each student.
Justin focuses the students to the board and repeats the direction.
12:43 Justin calls students name to ask him to stop talking; student shouts back and Justin tell student I’m going to need you to step outside for a minute. Justin walks outside the room for a second with the student and then returns
Justin moves to each group as they do the next problem. In this case, did anyone get this? Ok, on the next one there seemed to be some problems. So lets do it out together.
12:54 Justin does the last problem on the board with the class. Justin passes out worksheet for students. “We’re not having a quiz until everyone understands this”
1:10 Students working on worksheet. Justin walks through room working with individual students.
OK… eyes up front… we’re moving along at a slow pace and I’m not convinced it’s because you don’t understand. Does anyone tell how to do this? Justin calls on student. Excellent!
I want you to try number 19. Justin works with individual students.
Justin writes homework on the board. Gives directions. / Uses question driven “lecture”
Good refocus.. nicely done
Maybe call on a few students by name, instead of the students that just shout out…some of the students in the back don’t shout out responses
How do you know who’s getting it and who is not??
Try asking a more specific question to check for understanding… yes/no answers are usually not the best way to check for understanding
Opportunity to check for understanding… how many agree its up? Down?
Very responsive to the class. Recognized that class did not get directions and repeated directions
Well done… minimal disruption, decisive
You could use a quiz to get a feel for where there are issues are problems with understanding.
I like how you called on one student – the class was quiet

Summary:

·  Need to be more specific in checking for understanding – you just don’t get a good response when you ask “does anyone have any questions”

·  The challenge: keeping your students engaged and excited while keeping the noise to a non-disuptive level!

Hi Justin- we talked about some of this.. you are doing a very good job with the class – your students know that you are very attentive to their needs and will come around and help them one on one. And this is a good thing. But I think a goal would be to try to get them more focused when you’re doing whole group instruction. A few suggestions would be to check for understanding in more specific ways – not just asking if they understand but asking them a question about the process. Another would be to give “two minute drills” - where you stop and give mini-quizzes as a way of assessing what they are learning and to get them focused. You do a good job of asking questions as you work out problems on the board - maybe you could try calling on people instead of responding to shouting out. That would also help you check for understanding. Lets keep talking about this.

Mary Lou Razza

UVM Supervisor