In this practicum experience I visited the classrooms of both a veteran teacher and a novice teacher. During the classroom observation, an observation form was checked off that examined the planning and preparing of the lesson, the classroom environment, and the delivery of the instruction to the students. After the observation, focus on the differences in their instructional behaviors, quality of their instructional practices, and how they executed teaching techniques to accommodate the diversity within their classroom.
First teacher observed was Mr. Wright; he is a second year health and physical education within the school district. The following checklist will give you a look into Mr. Wright’s health class. CAMELOT SCHOOLS CLASSROOM OBSERVATION
School: Camden City Accelerated
Date: January 30, 2014
Teacher/Class: Mr. Wright; Health
Observed Time: 12:40 – 1:10
Domain I – Planning and Preparation Exceeds Expectations
Meets Expectations
Needs Improvement
Unacceptable
Not Observed
Demonstrates knowledge of core curriculum and student development X

Lesson plans current and available X

Uses materials, resources and technology to make subject matter accessible to all students X

Teachers plan for student assessment is fully aligned with the instructional outcomes X

Domain II – Environment Exceeds Expectations
Meets Expectations
Needs Improvement
Unacceptable
Not Observed
Creates an environment of respect and rapport and establishes a culture for learning
X

Classroom is safe and the physical environment ensures the learning of all students X

Standards of conduct are clear with evidence of student participation in setting them X

Teachers monitoring of student behavior is subtle and preventive X

Has a classroom library for independent reading for all levels X

Classroom is a rich-print environment with student work and instructionally supportive visual aids X

Domain III – Instruction/Delivery of Services Exceeds Expectations
Meets Expectations
Needs Improvement
Unacceptable
Not Observed
Lesson objectives are communicated and revisited during instruction X

Exceeds Expectations
Meets Expectations
Needs Improvement
Unacceptable
Not Observed
Engages students in discussions, problem solving and critical thinking that makes subject matter meaningful
X

Provides appropriate and meaningful feedback X

Uses flexible grouping arrangements, provides differentiated process, product and content based on different levels of learning X

Spoken and written language contains no grammatical or syntax cal errors X

OBSERVATIONS: Environment:
• Classroom has posted: student data, work, objectives, and standards.
• Desks are arranged in groups and facing board away from windows; space is maximized.
• Reinforced classroom rules and norms
• Promotes positive peer relationship with topic and discussions Instruction:
• Do now activity was well planned and executed. It intrigued the students and offered a smooth transition into your lesson.
• Power point provided base for questions and conversations which were relevant to the conversation.
• Students filled in guided notes during presentation.
• Excellent rapport with students, they were very comfortable which aided in the discussion of delicate subject matter. Recommendations:
• Power point was difficult to read from further back in the room. Preview power point before using it in the classroom.

The second teacher that I observed was Ms. Aboyme; she is an eighth year math teacher within the school district. The following checklist will allow a look into her Algebra classroom. CAMELOT SCHOOLS CLASSROOM OBSERVATION
School: Camden City Accelerated
Date: January 30, 2014
Teacher/Class: Ms. Aboyme; Algebra
Observed Time: 1:30 – 2:00
Domain I – Planning and Preparation Exceeds Expectations
Meets Expectations
Needs Improvement
Unacceptable
Not Observed
Demonstrates knowledge of core curriculum and student development X

Lesson plans current and available X

Uses materials, resources and technology to make subject matter accessible to all students X

Teachers plan for student assessment is fully aligned with the instructional outcomes x Domain II – Environment Exceeds Expectations
Meets Expectations
Needs Improvement
Unacceptable
Not Observed
Creates an environment of respect and rapport and establishes a culture for learning
X

Classroom is safe and the physical environment ensures the learning of all students X

Standards of conduct are clear with evidence of student participation in setting them x Teachers monitoring of student behavior is subtle and preventive X

Has a classroom library for independent reading for all levels X

Classroom is a rich-print environment with student work and instructionally supportive visual aids X

Domain III – Instruction/Delivery of Services Exceeds Expectations
Meets Expectations
Needs Improvement
Unacceptable
Not Observed
Lesson objectives are communicated and revisited during instruction X

Exceeds Expectations
Meets Expectations
Needs Improvement
Unacceptable
Not Observed
Engages students in discussions, problem solving and critical thinking that makes subject matter meaningful
X bh

Provides appropriate and meaningful feedback x Uses flexible grouping arrangements, provides differentiated process, product and content based on different levels of learning x Spoken and written language contains no grammatical errors X

OBSERVATIONS: Environment:
• Classroom has posted: student data, work, objectives, and standards.
• Desks are arranged in groups and facing board; space is maximized.
• Reinforced classroom rules and norms are posted and communicated throughout lesson
• Made math relevant to real world success
• Intrinsic motivation for student success Instruction:
• Do now activity was lead into more complicated problems. Smooth transition and reinforcement from previous taught material.
• Overhead projector allowed students to come complete problems on the board after working on them at their seat with peer assistance.
• Students filled in guided notes during the lesson completing examples of problems and definitions of meaning of the new math terms.
• Excellent rapport with students, positive attitude created a positive learning environment which allows students to be happy and successful.
Recommendations:
• Independent practice was too short. Allow time for students with different learning abilities extra time to accommodate them. When observing Mr. Wright’s health class, he was very enthusiastic from the start. He greeted all students at the door shaking their hands and welcoming them into the learning environment. As part of the behavioral instructional practice, Mr. Wright tries to change student’s behaviors as a result of how he teaches. When shaking all the students’ hands, he had glitter on his hand and it was transferred to all the students who shook his hand. This was how he introduced his lesson of sexually transmitted diseases. Anyone who had glitter on their hand had contracted a sexually transmitted disease, just because you know the person and the person shows no sign of having a sexually transmitted disease you still need to protect yourself. This allowed for students to get excited about the lesson and really open up, ask questions, and become active participants. The schedule of how the lesson would flow was posted on the board and review frequently. The students did participate in a power point presentation that include side effect, pictures, and medical procedures that allowed them to see which sexually transmitted diseases had cures and which ones did not. As a closure, Mr. Wright handed out a note card and had all the students write down three names of the opposite sex in the classroom. Allowed one student to refuse to participate and another student was handed a rubber glove. On one of the note card there was a red dot. The person had a sexually transmitted disease and gave it to the three people on their list, then those three people read their list and those people had contracted the disease and so on. The student who refused was the one who wanted to practice abstinence and the one with the glove used protection so they did not catch the disease. With Mr. Wright including these activities within his class, students are achieving more, remembering more, and having a positive learning experience.
When observing Ms. Aboyme’s algebra class, she had also stood at the door and welcomed her students into the classroom. The students do-now was on the board and all the students came in and began working on the problems. By observing this, it was obvious that Ms. Aboyme had set norms in her class of what expectations had to be met in order to be successful in her class. Her norms for her classroom were also visible for all students and visitors to see. After a few minutes, Ms. Aboyme asked for volunteers to go to the board and complete the problem. After the do-now problems were completed, Ms. Aboyme had the learning objectives listed on the board along with what would be occurring within the class period. Having this schedule allows students to have a schedule and help students who do not like unexpected changes or who need to follow the schedule to stay on task. After Ms. Aboyme’s lesson and presentation, her closure activity was for students to pair up, they had the choice of who their partner would be and complete one problem and define one definition. Ms. Aboyme offer choice when creating some assignments because she has saw behaviors improve when they have say in assignments due date, partners, or choice of activity for the day.
By observing these to teachers, their instructional behavior tells me that the quality of their instructional practice come from highly effective teachers. Mr. Wright and Ms. Aboyme lessons make sure that they are making connections from prior knowledge, managing instructional levels, and worked on short-term memory with student success. Ms. Aboyme demonstrated activating prior knowledge, modeled desired responses, and developing automaticity (Gravois &Gickling, 2008).
Some of the teaching techniques that they use to strive to accommodate the diversity of their student body at Camden City Accelerated Academy are they built a rapport with their students, accommodate and appreciate the differences between their students, focus their lesson on how their students learn, and establishing norms for the classroom to distinguish appropriate behavior for the setting they are in. In both teachers classroom, they have culturally diverse bulletin boards, decoration, and posters making their classroom a welcoming environment.
In conclusion, by observing these two teachers, allowed for me to see into see how they instructional behaviors differ between teachers, quality of instructional practices between teachers, and how to accommodate diversity within the classroom. It is important to see students in a different setting at a different time because they might require different discipline. This also allowed me to observe how a student’s behavior and performance was different in my class then in another. Observing also allowed for seeing a different set of standards and norms set out for these students to reach different goals.