Class: 10 SA

Observer: Dr. Alain

Instructor: Lubna Ammar Date:

Sunday, February 19, 2017

# of Students: 16

Formal Classroom Observation

Pre-Observation Questions for the Instructor
(Please write your answers to the following questions and give them to the observer before class begins.)

1. What are your objectives for today's lesson?

Define even and odd functions.

Examine the relation between even functions, odd functions and symmetry.
Classify functions into even, odd or neither.

2. How do the objectives for today's lesson relate to the goals of the course?

Students learn about functions and their properties. Even and odd functions are very
important properties that will help students in graphing functions and giving answers
from graphs.
PREPARATION 4 3 2 1
Outstandin Go Fair Poor
The instructor had a clearly discernible lesson plan g
od
There was an appropriate balance of structured and open-ended/communicative
The exercises and activities were introduced in context
The plan was geared toward real life learning and authentic language use
Comments:

LANGUAGE USE
The instructor used the target-language in the classroom appropriately and
Comments:

LESSON PRESENTATION
The lesson was presented effectively and clearly
The activities/exercises chosen to achieve the objectives were effective
There were smooth transitions between activities
The time allotted for activities was appropriate.
The amount of teacher talk and student talk was appropriate
The type and amount of teacher feedback was effective
Cultural instruction was integrated into class activities
Comments:
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
The use of small groups/pair work during each activity was appropriate
The seating arrangement facilitated learning
The instructor divided his or her attention among students appropriately
Student participation was on task.
Comments:

CLASSROOM ATMOSPHERE
Student participation was active and lively
The class atmosphere was warm, open and accepting.
The instructor was sensitive to students' difficulties and abilities
Comments:

USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Use of technology (video, audio, web materials) was appropriate given the
material being presented

Comments:
 Other Comments:

Strengths:
Classroom environment that is very safe, comfortable, productive, and engaging most of the time.
Use of room enables students to switch flexibly between spaces appropriate to different activities.
The teacher is extremely warm, caring, loving, and friendly.
Good management skills in open discussions.
Students participate in a visual thinking routine I observe and I wonder.
During group work, teacher monitors, facilitates instructions, and moves around the students asking: how do you do that?
The students seem to be extremely cooperative and great listeners.
The students were trying out things trial and error they were actually experimenting and the teacher allowed this to occur
very smoothly didnt interrupt or ask them to stop.
Teacher takes into consideration students voice: Did you enjoy the lesson? What did you like best?
Teacher uses technology in a constructive meaningful way. ILS was effective.

Suggestions for Improvements:

Visual Thinking Routine I see, I observe
Remember the main purpose of all VTRs: Make the thinking visual
Make sure your students observations and thoughts are somehow recorded on the whiteboard
Dont let a VTR be a bypass discussion
While questioning, dont stop at a yes/no response. Make sure you are reinforcing the thinking AT ALL TIMEs
Why do you think so?
In what sense? Why? (Is it the same kind of symmetry?)
What makes you say so? (Do you think we have a pattern? Again dont stop here, what makes you say so? )
Hey students, do you agree with what was said? What do you think? Why or why not? Involve the students in the
discussion. Initiate a debate a lively discussion.

The group activity was interesting. However, make it more inquiry based and dont tell them how to classify the images.
When you do so you break the purpose of inquiry. Keep it open for them. Challenge them!

However, reconsider the time allotted for group work. Was it really appropriate? Wasnt it too long?
 Consider the question: Do you notice they all belong to the same group on the board? Again, you gave them the answer.
Instead, What do you notice here? What do you realize? What is happening?

Someone was explaining his answer and a student laughed. Just ask without being aggressive: Why are you laughing? What
is funny? Let us laugh altogether.

Following the task on ILS, two groups shared. How do you ensure that the others got it? How can you tell?

Early finishers: What do they do? Assign for them peers to work with or allow them to help others

Exist Ticket: I would have preferred if you asked them to write their own example and explain if it is odd or even. Make
sure you include a checklist to ensure who got the concept or not.

Your voice:
Needs to be louder you dont need to shout or scare them but there should be a variation in your voice.
The variation in voice will help create a more lively classroom.