I recently completed a couple of classroom observations with student teachers who had identified
student engagement as one of their personal learning goals on the
action plan for the observed lesson. We agreed I would collect data on student engagement at five-minute intervals using an annotated seating chart.
Here's the diagram from one of the classes. Letters "A" through "H" mark students who I judged were
not on task at at least some point during the five minute time index of the survey.
What do you notice? What questions do you have?
Here's the diagram from another class at a different school. The seating arrangement shifted mid-lesson when students began to work in pairs; these pairings are indicated as bolded connections on the diagram.
Again, letters "A" through "H" mark students who were not on task at that time index of the survey. You can see a chronicle of this lesson below the chart.
How do you reflect after a professional learning experience?
When I supervise student teachers and teacher assistants, I use cognitive coaching to frame my classroom visits. Students fill out a pre-observation action plan, using their goals for professional growth to identify a focus for the observation..PNG)
In EDI 331 - Mathematics Teacher Assisting, I engaged each of my students in a one-on-one Cognitive Coaching session aimed at setting goals for their teaching practice this semester. I have found that setting goals focuses my efforts, and I make an effort to set two or three explicit goals for every course I teach.