Boyer_ Journal Assignment M6_Co-teaching

Instructions for Journal Assignment

• Steps for Columns
o Observation Column: Make observation notes in this form related to a teaching
video uploaded in Edthena
§ Identify/describe 3 to 5 observations that relate to this week’s journal
topic
o Meaning Column: Review the observation notes and write your thoughts about
what you observed. In other words, what does what you saw and wrote make
you think of?
o Research Column: Note the research that confirms or refutes your thinking,
using APA in text citations for each thought comment and/or observation, e.g.
(Author, date, pg.)

Teaching video name: UDL #2 Date: 4/12/21

Observation Meaning Research
28:29 The student standing He understood the story, was “curriculum designed to
next to his chair with a wiggle able to demonstrate that he foster deep engagement,
seat rarely participates in understood the story, and
class. This activity made the
creativity, and mastery
story and lesson accessible to was interested enough to taught by
him. complete the activity. teachers who have been
well trained to do those
things”-Sacks, 2014, p.3).

41:54 I ran out of time for the
vocabulary game.
31:35 After walking around, I
noticed they all had accurate
pictures of an important event.
I often over plan and run out “provide language
of time to do all of it. I wish Isupport tailored to
would have just done one to students’ developing English
two picture pauses with a skill levels. This means, for
shorter vocabulary review. I example, teaching
wanted them to write a relevant vocabulary
sentence or label the picture. explicitly and more than
once” (Sacks, 2014, p.3).
I could see that they were “All of the
successful. I do not think I did work to develop quality
a very good job of assessments is wasted if
communicating with the teachers
students exactly what it was don’t have a process for
they did well. delivering assessment
results
in a timely and
understandable form”
(Stiggins & DuFour, 2019, p.
643).
Boyer_ Journal Assignment M6_Co-teaching

Summary:
In a 500 word summary, use the components of the above table to create 3 well written
paragraphs.
• Describe what you observed and your own thoughts about what you saw.
• Synthesize the research (articles and/or webinars) you’ve read on the topic this week by
comparing and contrasting it as it relates to your observations and your own thoughts.
• Finally, describe how your thinking has changed and what changes you will make in your
teaching because of what you have learned.

This video is a 45-minute language arts lesson for 2nd graders. I have included some UDL
principles in the lesson that were effective for teaching. I also have identified ways to improve
the lesson in the future. The objective of the lesson is to have students demonstrate an
understanding of important events in the given story. I chose to use Picture Pause as a way to
assess their understanding because it removes any language barriers students may have. The
class has several ELL students and students identified with learning disabilities. It is not very
easy for them to express themselves through writing or speaking. One way to deepen the learning
of ELL students is to teach from a “curriculum designed to foster deep engagement, creativity,
and mastery” (L. Sacks, 2014, p. 3). Providing different ways to increase engagement is also a
Universal Design for Learning principles. This strategy is effective for many students, including
ELL students and students in special education. I noticed a student in the class who is very rarely
focused on the lessons without multiple reminders. When asked questions to check for his
understanding, often his responses show that he did not understand. In the video he did not have
to be reminded to focus. He was fully engaged, and his drawing demonstrated his understanding
better than a verbal or written response would have.
Sacks also states that language supports should be “tailored to students’ developing
English skill levels” (2014, p.3). One way is to explicitly teach relevant vocabulary multiple
times (Sacks, 2014, p. 3). I had 2 vocabulary activities planned. One was a review of vocabulary
meanings in the beginning of the lesson. The other was an introduction to revising activity that
had the students replacing generic terms for words that were more specific to the topic. I had also
planned for three picture pauses, but we barely squeezed in two. When I plan a similar activity
again, I intend on spending more time on each picture pause to allow students to provide details
in their pictures, but also write sentences or labels to further explain their pictures and practice
writing skills.
As I walked around the room, I noticed all students had accurate drawings. Even if they
did not draw details, they described their picture using important details. This was, of course, the
objective. However, I did not share with the students what, exactly, they did that made their
response meet or exceed the expectation. “All of the work to develop quality assessments is
wasted if teachers don’t have a process for delivering assessment results in a timely and
Boyer_ Journal Assignment M6_Co-teaching

understandable form” (R. Stiggins & R. DuFour, 2019, p. 643). I checked in on every single
student. I could have easily told them what they drew in their picture that made it clear they
understood the story. I would then stamp their page to signal to them that they met the objective.
The stamp would also signal to me that the student met it, and I should spend more time with a
student who did not meet the objective.

References

Sacks, L. (2014, June 17). It's Not Enough to Talk the Talk [Web log post]. (Links to an external

site.) Retrieved from http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning_deeply/2014/06/

its_not_enough_to_talk_the_talk.html

Stiggins, R., & DuFour, R. (2009). Maximizing the power of formative assessments. Phi Delta

Kappan, 90(9), 640.