FOCUSED

PROFICIENCY OBSERVATION #1 CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

INTERN:

BRIDGET BOURKE

OBSERVER:

GNEVANS

DATE OF THE OBSERVATION:

11 FEBRUARY, 2016
SUBJECT/GRADE LEVEL/CLASS PERIOD: ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY 4TH PERIOD @ SFHS WITH PFISTER

RECORD OF THE OBSERVATION BELOW

How does the Intern manage student behavior and create rapport with and among students in an
environment of respect?
Card sort activity & completion of the worksheet done in groups of 4 or 5 at lab tables. (Students at one
group told me that the reason they were doing this assignment was so they could actually learn something
about blood- that this way was much better because if you were just giving them notes they would be
asleep by now) Students seem to appreciate this mode of learning more than a lecture format.
Circulates around to each group during work time to check in and answer questions, etc.
Has a friendly demeanor when interacting with students. Seems happy & at ease working in the classroom.

How does the Intern effectively and safely use physical space / proximity to enhance learning for all
students (If relevant, specifically address lab safety)?
Uses lab space for group work to allow students to more easily collaborate by sitting together at one table.
Circulates constantly during the lesson using proximity to help manage behavior and keep students on task
answering questions that might lead to a stall.

How does the Intern manage classroom procedures to maximize time for instruction?
Bellwork question displayed on board and students directed to get started as they arrive in the classroom.
Class starts promptly at the bell, BB circulates as students work on BWQ to encourage them to get started,
ask & answer questions, etc.
Has a handout for homework for students to do once they finish their classwork for the day.
Exit ticket given in the last few minutes of class to refocus the students at the end of class and assess their
learning from todays lesson.

How does the Intern establish classroom standards that foster a culture of learning for all students?
During work time on the card sort & handout, each student has their own sheet.
Interacts with all groups multiple times during the worktime. Frequently speaks individually with students
as she circulates around the class.

Comments for Debriefing / Classroom Management Tip (Try This!):

As you circulate around groups, be sure to position your body so you never have your back to the majority of
the students- Place yourself at the perimeter of the room so you can frequently look up, make eye contact
with students around the room to ensure everyone is on task.
What is the cell phone policy in your school / classroom? One student was on his phone- pretty out in the
open for several minutes during work time- if the policy is to not have phones out, then you need to enforce
it consistently. At one point you walked right by this student and did not acknowledge that his phone was
out. Actually now that Im looking, I see at least 4 cellphones out and visible. As far as I know ACPS cell
phone policy is that phones must be put away (in backpacks) & silent during classes.
If students are meant to be working in groups in a meaningful way, groups should be 3-4 people max. There
were two empty lab tables where students could be seated to break them into smaller groups. Larger
groups and off task behavior is going to increase. To make group work more productive, group members
should have a clear reason why they need to work together (as opposed to working near one another all
doing the same thing).
The majority of the time during the period was unstructured group work. It is difficult for students to keep
focus on their work in groups for more than 10-15 minutes. Break the work into smaller chinks and refocus
as a class periodically to discuss what they should have done so far. For instance: card sort for 5 minutes-
discuss / justify your order (class discuss) , then answer first set of related questions. Discuss- giving
students an opportunity to ask questions to the whole group. Then work for 10-15 min on the next group of
questions- then discuss This seems like it will take longer, but is actually more efficient because you have
more control over how fast students will be working and there will be fewer side conversations of students
perceive a need to finish in a limited time. This will also eliminate the need for you to have the same
discussion individually with each group over & over
Be sure to make it clear to students how much time they have to work & what to do once they are done.
Some stations still have papers & books left behind for you to put away. Monitor students as they leave
stations and remind them to clean up as the go.
Make more of an effort to use student names in every interaction. Although you do a nice job interacting
with individuals during the period, I did not hear you using names consistently.