THENEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Large High School

Pre-Observation School-Wide Sample 1

One of the goals of our schoolis to provide a standards based educational program using a continuum of services available to all students. We plan to reach these goals through common planning, professional staff development, early intervention, peer and adult tutoring, student involvement, and technology in a tolerant and open environment. A positive learning environment begins in the classroomswith solid lessons that are the result of good lesson planning and well-thought out classroom routines and procedures.

During the pre-observation conference, I am emphasizing the importance of the lesson plan. While the format of the lesson plan is up to the individual teacher, the goal of every lesson must be the same - to maximize student learning. In order to maximize student learning, the following elements should be evident during the lesson:

  1. Sound classroom management skills
  2. Classroom procedures and routines
  3. Classroom environment
  4. Teacher knowledge of the subject matter
  5. Culminating project
  6. Lesson plan / full period of instruction
  7. Initial, directed assignment (if applicable to lesson)
  8. Motivation
  9. Aim or focus
  10. Development of the lesson
  11. Pre-planned open ended questions
  12. Attention to different learning styles
  13. Student centered learning environment
  14. Student to student interaction
  15. Reading and writing in every class, every day
  16. Assessment of student learning
  17. Summary of the lesson
  18. Appropriate homework assignment containing enrichment activities
  1. Sound classroom management skills - Good classroom management complements a well planned lesson. The teacher exhibits an organized approach to classroom teaching/learning. The teacher sets appropriate behavioral standards and enforces school rules consistently.
  1. Classroom Procedures and Routines – To maximize the learning time in the class, teachers should have procedures and routines that help students sit down and begin work while attendance is being taken. There should be procedures in place for students to turn in work and for graded work to be returned to them. All rooms should have a late log and a bathroom log. Students should not be using the hall pass without the teacher’s approval and the same students should not be using it every day.
  1. Classroom Environment – Students should have a clean, well organized classroom to learn in. The classroom should be free of graffiti and the desks should be arranged based on the lesson being given (e.g., in groups for group work, in pairs for accountable talk or pair sharing, in rows for tests). The room must have the following posted: fire exit information, grade policy, students work with a description of the assignment, a rubric, and a note explaining why the work exhibited is exemplary. The culminating project with due dates for parts should also be posted. There should not be books or trash on the floor. Bulletin boards should be decorated and the room should feel welcoming.
  1. Teacher knowledge of the subject matter - The teacher has a clear command of the subject matter and is able to present information in a clear and effective manner.
  1. Culminating project: Every marking period students must have a culminating project based on the most important big ideas, concepts, or essential questions examined. Students must be given time in class to work on the project and the project must account for 40% of their grade.
  1. Lesson Plan / Full Period instruction –Teachers have a lesson plan that includes the elements of a well organized scaffolded lesson as described above and below. Students are engaged in meaningful work upon their arrival to class and are continually engaged throughout the period. The final segment of the period (approx. 5 minutes) is used for a final summary.
  1. Initial, directed assignment - An initial, directed assignment is utilized to engage the students in a meaningful work that reinforces the previous day’s work, and/or serves as a motivation or a segue into the day’s lesson. This assignment should only be 5-10 minutes in length.
  1. Motivation - Every lesson should be motivated. Students need to understand the reason why they should learn what it is the teacher is trying to teach them. A good motivation relates to real life student experiences and creates a “need to know” or a “desire to know” on the part of the students.
  1. Aim or focus - Every lesson should have a clear focus or aim that is preferably elicited from the students. It should be represented as a question or a problem to be solved by the class. (Eg. “How is the respiration rate of the human body controlled?”, “How effective was New Deal legislation in dealing with economic problems of the 1930's?, etc.). The aim should be written on the board when appropriate, but certainly within the first ten minutes of the period.
  1. Development of the lesson - The development of the lesson should contain a dialogue between teacher and students, as well as between students through carefully planned (pivotal) questions that promote critical thinking. This dialogue should be complemented by demonstrations, visual aids, hands-on activities, group work, and/or the use of technology - each of which engages the students in their learning.
  1. Pre-planned open ended questions - A good lesson plan includes key or pivotal questions that require higher order thinking skills and serve to promote dialogue between teacher and student, as well as between students. Good questions evoke a variety of sustained responses from the students. Questions that require a one-word response should be avoided.
  1. Attention to different learning styles - Lessons should be planned so as to address the different learning styles of our students by taking differentiated approach to instruction. Each lesson should attempt to address the auditory learner, the visual learner, the tactual (hands-on) learner, and the kinesthetic (mobile) learner.
  1. Student-centered learning environment - A learning environment that is student-centered will provide the maximum opportunity for learning. As such, lessons should be planned so as to maximize student engagement and student participation. Students should not be passive listeners throughout the lesson. Students need to be working AT LEAST as hard as the teacher throughout the lesson - reading, responding, in dialogue with other students, problem solving, writing, producing work, and being accountable on a daily basis.
  1. Student to student interaction - Lessons should be planned to include student to student interaction on a daily basis. Such interaction can be done through “turn and talk” and “think-pair-share” activities, cooperative learning groups, and project based learning groups.
  1. Reading and writing - Every lesson should address the basic skills of literacy - listening, reading, and writing. Our students need to read regularly to become better readers and they need to write regularly to become better writers. It is not the sole responsibility of the English teacher to teach reading and writing. Students must have an opportunity to read and write (not copy) in each class, every day.
  1. Assessment of student learning - During each lesson the teacher must gauge the extent of student learning. This is done mainly through medial and final summaries of the lesson that are elicited from the students through sound questioning techniques. Assessment should also be done, when possible, through direct applications of the concept taught/learned. Students can demonstrate mastery of a particular skill or show that they understand a concept or idea by answering questions orally or in writing.
  1. Summary of the lesson - Every lesson must have a final summary. A final summary, elicited from the students through good questioning techniques, provides the teacher with a clear indication of the extent of student learning. A medial summary during the lesson is also advisable. A medial summary reinforces the concept(s) being taught, allows for reflection, and gives students the confidence to move forward by making the lesson relevant to the student’s lives.
  1. Appropriate homework assignments - Lessons should contain an opportunity for students to review what they have been learning or to go deeper into a topic and enrich the learning being done in the class.

It is important that the instruction provided to our students be challenging, motivating and meaningful for our students. Without the active involvement of students, little or no learning takes place. To that end, we as teachers need to encourage the active involvement of all students in the learning process in order to provide an environment that optimizes learning.

If you have any questions about any part of this pre-observation, please see me by the end of the day on ______.

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