This particular Video Observation felt very successful to me as a student and as an educator. Our job was to watch 30 minutes of a video taped lesson and analyze pedagogical choices. We used the prompts from our Domains of Teacher Practice to guide our thinking and reflection. An important part of these Video Observation assignments is that we take the time to first just absorb the lesson as is--without judgements, without assumptions, and without opinions. Prior to the written assignment linked above, I took careful notes on the video itself--observing as much as possible. From the the teacher's dialogue to his actions, choices, and materials to the students' responses, interactions and output, I did my best to note everything I saw and heard so that it would be easier to analyze pedagogical choices and the effect they had on student achievement and lesson outcome.
One of the EDUC 671 objectives is that students will be able to "Address the range of racial, cultural, ability, language, and social needs of students that need to be considered when planning pedagogy." This particular video observation was one of three and specifically focused on analyzing the pedagogical choices of the student teacher featured in this particular lesson. We used the prompts from the MAT Program Reflective Teaching Cycle document which included analyzing things like what approach was used, content knowledge, differentiation, connectedness, and funds of knowledge. All of these ideas relate to the range that students bring to the classroom and how our pedagogical choices, lesson implementation, and overall objectives of our teaching affect those needs of students.
Part of the Video Observation Assignment includes following the Reflective Cycle. Step 1 being to simply see and describe. The see and describe portion of this assignment (not included) was where I had a chance to simply type everything I saw and heard within the lesson--completely objectively and without bias. The next step is to analyze (and eventually prepare a lesson/adjustments to current lesson). The analysis is what I have included and shows how I organized answers based on prompts from the MAT Reflective Cycle document, and the evidence I saw within the video and the course documents I cited to back up my evidence. These three levels of analysis (observe, react, back-up) helped me to better understand the 5E pedagogy, the strategies I saw within the video (positive and negative choices), the potential choices the teacher could have made, and why I think something should have been changed/altered. I am a type of learner who finds herself rushing through reactions/analysis. Step 1 helped me slow down and make deep and meaningful observations regarding this particular lesson.
On a small scale, I felt that my Video Observation #2 demonstrated substantial growth just from the previous Video Observation #1. Dr. Mora-Flores, used my VO #1 in class as an observation of a good example of analysis but needed more evidence to back up my claims. I set my focus on using our readings, our texts, our articles, and our in class notes to make my VO #2 much more evidence based. Where VO #1 focused on Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Critical Thinking/Discourse, VO #2 solely focused on Pedagogy. I had the chance to dig MUCH deeper into one single aspect of the MAT Program Domains and Goals and feel that my observation and then analysis was much more viable and supported by various pieces of evidence. This assignment led me to a lot of outside research, as we had not covered the 5E Lesson Plan format in class at that point. I needed a firm grasp on the lesson structure in order to accurately analyze the pedagogical choices that I observed. I researched some articles using the USC Library search engine and ended up finding some great resources to either support or critique some of the actions/decisions I observed in the lesson.
Despite only witnessing the first two aspects of the 5E Lesson Plan (Engage and Explore), I am very intrigued by implementing this lesson structure into my future classroom. Using open ended questioning techniques and using an exciting opener is a great way to get students engaged within a lesson. The explore phase allows for a lot of hands-on and student-led activities which is great for collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking. During the second phase, the teacher is engaged with monitoring, facilitating, and observing students--a great way to get some informal assessment data. To be honest, throughout the entirety of a 5E lesson, assessments come easily. Teachers today sometimes have tunnel vision when it comes to assessments--only seeing them summative paper/pencil tests at the end of the tunnel that is a lesson/unit. These types of assessments do not work with all students or all content. This lesson and activity showed me how informal and formative assessments can help guide the lesson in the moment, and guide future subsequent lessons--making them more meaningful and connected to student learning.
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION
EDUC 670 Video Observation #2:
Part 1: You will first identify moments of practice aligned with each Model of Teaching, with our Domains of Teacher Practice competencies, and the California TPEs. Using the Rodgers (2002) Reflective Cycle, you will first complete a “raw description” without judgment or interpretation of the moments of practice you identified. You will describe the evidence of learning during the classroom interaction.
• Part 2: You will then analyze what you saw occurring in the video observation using parts of your description as evidence for your analysis, and draw connections using the supporting