Julie Konen

Observed/Technology Integrated Lesson

ED-201/ED-216
Reflection and Feedback
Howdidyourlessondesignreflectwhatactuallyhappenedinthelesson?Whatdid/would
youhavechanged?Wereyouabletoteachthelessonintheallottedtime?Whyorwhynot?
Wereyourlessonobjectivesclearlystatedanddescribewhatyourstudentsactually
learned?
Mylessonplanoverallwasfairlyaccurateinreflectingwhatactuallyoccurredinthe
lesson.ThereweresomecomponentsofmylessonthatIdidntactuallygoforwardwithdoing,
andIwishthatIhad.Forexample,insteadoftakingcontroloftheclassanddirectingagroup
discussion,IchosetofocusmoreoninitiatingindividualdiscussionwithstudentsasIapproached
themoneonone.ThiswasapersonaldecisionthatImadeasIwasactuallyconductingthe
lessonbecauseIfeltitwasabetteruseoftimeandIwasexcitedabouthowengagedstudents
were,sopartofmyreasoningcamefromjustnotwantingtodisruptthatflow.Inreality,Ido
believeagroupdiscussionwouldhavegreatlybenefittedmystudentsunderstandingofthe
objectivesinthelongrun,however,Ialsothinkalongertimeframeoradditionalclassperiodto
dothiswouldhavebeenideal.Itwouldhavebeenagreatwaytosharefindings,concludeour
understandings,andreaffirmthepurposeofthelesson.Otherwise,basedonthelessonIactually
performed(thatdifferedslightlyfromwhatwasplannedonthelessonplan),mytimingworked
outprettywell.
Upondiscussionwithmyobserver,IcametotherealizationthatIdidntmakethelesson
objectivesclearduringmylesson.Afteralittlebrainstorming,Idecidedthiscouldhavevery
simplyandeffectivelybeenestablishedbywritingtheobjectivesontheboardandhaving
studentscopythemontotheirworksheets.OnceIthoughtaboutthisconcept,Irealizedthatmy
cooperatingteacherbeginseachofherlessonswithagoalthatstudentscopydownthegoal
likelybeingadirectreflectionofthelessonobjectives.Fromthispointon,IbelieveImgoingto
findawaytosharetheobjectivewithstudentsrightatthebeginningofclassinordertosetthe
tonefortheremainderofthelessonandfocusattentiononthelessonspurpose.Thisisalsoa
perfecttimetoidentifywhythislessonisimportantandhowitcanbeappliedinbotha
professionalandeverydaysetting,whichcanbeachiefcomplaintofstudentsastheyget
older:whenamIevergoingtousethis?Idontwantstudentstoeverhavetoaskthisquestion
inmyclass.IwouldratheritbeatopicofconversationupfrontsoIcandrawintheirattention.

Scott Lawrence: Excellent analysis! Your instructional design did provide clear and
specific objectives, but some whole group modeling/discussion would have provided more
clarity for student exploration of the materials. I do understand your reasoning for not
wanting to disrupt the flow.
Howdidyouencouragestudentparticipationandelicitresponsesfromallstudents?What
strategiesdidyouusetomanageandmonitorstudentbehavior?Howdidyouengagethem
inrespondingtoyouandeachother?
Iwasfortunateenoughtobeworkingwithastudentgroupthatengagedveryactively
withthewebsiteIprovided.Theirparticipationwasphenomenal,anditwassoinsightfultohear
themtalkinginsmallgroupsabouttheirfindings,exchangingstoriesrelatedtothecontent,and
excitedlyrespondingtowhattheywerehearingtheirneighborstalkabout.Buttohelpgauge

studentsunderstandingofwhattheyweredoingontheworksheet,Iwouldpersonallyaskthem
questionsrelatedtotheirlocation.Theyweremorethaneagertoanswermyquestionsandhave
conversationwithme,Ijusthadtostimulateit.OneparticularmomentIfoundtobemeaningful
waswhenIspokewithagirlwhowasexaminingawealthysuburbofSouthAfrica.Iaskedherif
whatshewasseeingwassimilartowhatshegenerallypicturedwhenshethoughtofSouth
Africa.Sheexpressedsurprise,andexplainedhowsheonlyreallythoughtaboutthedesertwhen
shethoughtaboutAfrica.
Mystudentswerewellbehavedformylesson,andIdidnthavetoimplementmuchof
anystrategiestomanagetheclassroom.Thereweretimeswhentheyoverpoweredmewith
discussion,butIdidntletitgettomebecausetheywerediscussingtheprogramandsharingtheir
experienceswitheachother.Iknowthisisquiteapassiveapproach,anditwouldntworkinall
situationsforexample,itwouldbehardertoensurealargerorrowdiergroupwasstayingon
task.Inthefuture,Iwouldliketopracticetakingthestagemoreandcontrollingthegroupin
ordertocompletethetasksIinitiallysetoutformylessonandmyself.

Scott Lawrence: The high engagement with this lesson did minimize behavioral concerns.
Individual conversations were initiated, but it would have benefited all students to hear
more about what their peers were experiencing on their virtual tours.
Whatstrategiesand/orproceduresdidyouusetoassiststudentsinlearningthelesson
content?Howeffectivewerethosestrategies/proceduresinhelpingstudentslearn?What
changesoradjustmentsdidyouneedtomakeduringthelesson?
Asateacher,Idefinitelytookthefacilitatorroleinthislesson,andthatisbecauseI
wantedtoprovidethefoundationformystudentstoexploretheprovidedtechnologyandits
capabilitiesontheirown.Itwasamazinggivingthemminimaldirection,andwatchingwhatthey
didwithit.Insteadofinstructingthemwithstepbystepdirections,Iwasabletowatchthem
pursuetheirinterestsandhavethatreflectintheprogressIsawbasedontheirdecisions.Less
rules,regulations,andrestrictionsinthislessonplanworkedformystudentsandme,givenIhad
averyselfmotivatedandinterestedgroup.Theexplorationreallyallowedthemtomake
discoveriesontheirownaboutthetechnologytheywereusingandthecontentathand.
However,Irecognizetheneedforbalanceinalessonbetweenfacilitatingandbeingfront
andcenter.IfIwouldhavestucktomyoriginalplanofdirectingagroupdiscussionamong
studentsbasedontheirfindings,IbelieveIwouldhavebetterachievedthisbalance.Yet,Imade
mychoicetoforgothegroupdiscussionforseveralreasonsthatIstandbehind,giventhetimeI
hadtoworkwith.Inthefuture,Iplantofindthetimeandresourcesandplanappropriatelessons
toprovideamoreefficientbalanceofthetwo.

Scott Lawrence: I understand the inquiry-based approach you utilized and applaud your
initiative here.
Howdidyouknowifthestudentslearnedwhatyoutaughtthem?Whatdidyoulearnfrom
listeningtostudentresponses,examiningtheirworkorobservingtheirinteractions?How
welldidyourassessmentsconnecttothelesson?

Iprovidedseveralmethodsofassessment.Onewayofassessingmystudents
understandingofthematerialwasthroughoneononediscussionwiththempersonally.Iwas
abletoaskanarrayofquestionsrelatedtoobjectivesinordertotracktheirprogressasthey
exploredtheirlocation.BecauseIfeltIwasweakinaskingquestionsonthespotduringmy
recordedlesson,Icameequippedwithalistofquestionsthistime.Ididntnecessarilyaskallthe
questionsIbrought,buttheyallowedmetobrainstormandprojectstudentsthoughtprocesses

anddiscussions.Fromthere,duringdiscussion,Iwasmorepreparedtoaskquestionsonmyfeet
basedontheirinterestsandthedirectionoftheconversation.Itmaysoundsilly,butmygoalwas
toimprovemyabilitytoaskthoughtfulquestionsonthespot,andthiswasveryhelpfulin
engagingmystudentsinawaythatwasmeaningfulto
AnotherwayIprovidedassessmentwassimplybylisteningtomystudentstalkwitheach
otheriftheychoseto.Inmygroupoffivestudents,mythreeboysopenlyspoketheentiretime,
whilethetwogirlskepttothemselves.Ididntrequirethattheytalkamongsteachother,sothis
wasaproblem.Infact,thegirls,whospentlesstimeinpeerdiscussion,providedmoreelaborate
responsesontheirworksheet.Ontheotherhand,theboysdidmorediscussingtheirlearning
aloud,whiletheirworksheetresponseswerelessprecise.Ididntpredictthisatall,buteach
student,regardlessofwhichwaytheyprovidedtheirdepthofknowledgeonthelessonobjective,
inonewayoranotherfoundawaytoexpresstomethattheywereunderstandingwhatwewere
doingandgraspingthematerial.Infact,itwasagreatbalance,andIreallylikedthatthosewho
feltmoreconfidentinexpressingthemselvesinwritingwereabletofreelydoso,whilethosewho
preferredtobemorecommunicativecouldalsoshine.

Scott Lawrence: Interesting analysis! I think you accomplished your goal of improving
your questioning abilities. Do you think the depth of knowledge gained from this inquirybased approach was the same for the boys as it was for the girls who used the worksheet
more to guide their thinking? The worksheet questions actually provided important
criteria for guiding the exploration, which would have been beneficial to share with the
whole group first.
Howdidyouseekfeedbackfromyourcooperatingteacher?Whatdidyoulearnfrom
his/herfeedbackandhowdidyouapplyittoyourlesson?
Aboutaweekbeforemylesson,Irequestedfeedbackfrommycooperatingteacher.She
informedmethatshebelievedsomeofthevocabularymightbeoverthestudentsheads.Because
Iwasalreadypressedfortime,IknewIhadtofindsomewaytoincludeabriefyet
understandabledefinition.So,ontheworksheet,Iprovidedthedefinitionofaterm,gavethem
thechancetolistsomepossibleexamplesofthisterminreallife,andthen,Ihadthempickout
examplesfromtheirlocation.Thiswaytheywereabletotakeinageneralunderstandingofthe
world,applyittotheireverydaylife,andthenapplyittotheirnewlocation.Someexamplesof
wordsIdidthiswithweregeographicfeaturesandmanmadefeatures.Ifoundthistobe
beneficialformystudentsbecauseitkeptthemovementgoingevenwhentheywerestumpedfor
alittlebit.

Scott Lawrence: Relevant feedback from your CT, which you applied purposefully to your
lesson design!
Whatdidyoulearnaboutteaching,studentlearningandassessingfromthislesson?How
wouldyouusewhatyoulearnedforfutureinstructionalexperiences?Basedonthislesson,
whatWisconsinTeachingStandardrepresentsyourareaofgreatestgrowththissemester?
Whatstandardrepresentsanareaoffurtherdevelopmentforyou?Why?
Fromthislesson,Ilearnedaboutthevalueinfacilitation(evenifitwasunintentional),
theimportanceofopendiscussionandfreelearningintheclassroom,andtheabilitytoreflecton
eventhesmallesttweakstomylessonthatcouldvemadeahugeimpactonmylesson.
Additionally,itwasinterestingtocomparemyresultsandprogressfrommyvideolessontothis

one,andseewhereIstillneedtoimproveinthefuture.
Witheverythingconsidered,IdsayaccordingtoWisconsinsTenTeacherStandards
listedhere,myareaofstrong,continuousgrowthwouldbe8:Teachersknowhowtotestfor
studentprogress.IthinkIveallowedmyselftoexploreandimproveindifferentmethodsof
formalandinformalassessment,especiallywhenIspecificallysoughtouttoimprovemyability
toaskquestionsoffhandduringmyobservedlessonincomparisontomyrecordedlesson.Thisis
anareaofgrowthwithinbothmyself,andmypractices,thatImproudof.
Onthecontrary,anareaIwouldliketoseemyselfdevelopinoverthenextsemester
wouldbe7:Teachersareabletoplandifferentkindsoflessons.Bythis,ImeanIwouldliketo
seemyselfimproveinplanninglessonswhereIamlessofafacilitatoranddoingmyfrontstage
directing,whilealsomaintainingmyeducationalvaluesandbeliefs.Goingintoahighschool
settingformynextfieldandknowingIwillhavetodowholeclasslessonsasopposedtothe
smallgroupsIvegottenusedtowillbeachallenge,butIdefinitelythinkIwillbenefitfrom
takingmoreofafrontandcenterapproachinordertocontrolthegroup.

Scott Lawrence: Reflective and thoughtful insights! Being a facilitator of learning is an

important and difficult role to implement as a teacher. Yet it has wonderful benefits for
student learning. It allows them to be active doers and thinkers with the content. I think
what you want to strive for is blending some direct teaching with this facilitation. It will
provide a bit more purpose and focus for the student learning.