Catherine Shea

Professor Suk
EDUC 230-01 Education Field Experience
Spring 2018
Rationale Statement

(2) The teacher appreciates multiple perspectives within the discipline and facilitates learners’
critical analysis of these perspectives.

Artifact: Observation Report #5 - Domains of the Child

Date of Completion: April 2018

Course Completed in: EDUC-230-02 Education Field Experience

Rationale Statement:
In this observation report, I have demonstrated how the teacher diversifies the lesson by
engaging the students in group discussions. He not only utilizes their opinions, but respects them
and analyzes them. Not only does this make the student feel heard and appreciated, but it also
helps broaden the students horizons by hearing opinions that might differ from theirs. This
teaches students to actively listen, process, organize their thoughts, and respond in a respectful
manner. This is demonstrated when the teacher calls on him and asks him directly, “Johnny,
what is your take on the Buchanans?”. This is important because the teacher is specifically
asking for his opinion regarding the topic. Then, after his response, the teacher, “elaborates and
provides examples of what Johnny has explained to the class”. He is using Johnny’s opinions to
help facilitate the learning of his peers. Not only does this enrich the lesson, but it proves to all
students that their opinions are valuable. This directly relates to standard three because it shows
how the teacher “appreciates multiple perspectives within the discipline and facilitates learners’
critical analysis of these perspectives” (New Jersey Department of Education, 2014, p.2).

Through completing this observation, I learned how impactful it is to value student’s

opinions and analysis of their material. Seeing the confidence it gave the student was a very
profound thing to witness. The teacher also was communicating to the class at this time that their
thoughts truly matter, and they were not invalid because they are adolescents. Completing this
observation, I realized that every action we perform as instructors in the classroom is conveying
a subliminal message to the children about how we think and feel about them.

I could use this observation report going forward in my career to remind myself of the
important of our actions as educators. I gained extremely valuable knowledge through this
observation on the development of adolescents, both socially and individually. This observation
report will help me to look for warning signs of a teenager struggling with their self confidence,
and it will also teach me how to foster their courage to speak up and to contribute their thoughts
and feelings to group discussions.

References

New Jersey Department of Education. (2014). ​New Jersey professional standards for teachers
alignment with InTASC​. Retrieved from
http://www.state.nj.us/education/profdev/profstand/ProfStandardsforTeachersAlignment
withInTASC.pdf