Monday, 8 July 2013

Maths Classroom Walk Through Term 2 2013

Today we had a CRT day in which we did a classroom walk through. This is where we visit each class and observe each teacher for approximately 40-50 minutes taking a maths lesson. We also ask two children a set of pre-prepared question. At the end of the day we then regroup and discuss what we saw in the classes.

Catriona and I observed Kristen first and it was really interesting seeing her teach a group of children at a higher level. The thing that stood out most for me was that Kristen really encourages the children to explain the strategies that they are using. She has them explain to the whole group how they worked it out and then they worked through the problem as a group. As the children were doing this they were reflecting on the strategy they had used and were rethinking whether it was the most effective. I saw/got a lot of good ideas just from watching a short lesson. From the observation it really made me aware how important it is that I am giving children the tools and building up their skills before they get to the senior class. Her class is also very settled and they were all engaged and on task.
It also made me reflect on Maths Calendar and how it is quite simple and I will be including some harder activities into my own.

Kristen and Catriona observed me teaching a fraction unit. It was quite intimidating/scary having other people watching and not knowing what they are writing or thinking about your teaching.
I was really disappointed in the lesson as it just didn’t go as usual. I was feeling terrible and had to pause every few minutes to have a cough. The lesson was average, the groups I was working with just didn’t get it and the children in the groups working independently were quite noisy with a bit of disruptive behaviour after all of the hard work during the term (annoyed me a lot).

After school we regrouped and went through what we saw and the questions that were asked the children. I got a few tips and next steps for my class from this meeting that I will be trying to implement into my programme.

2 comments:

  1. Katie, it is good that you were disappointed because it shows you care. You want your children to succeed and you work hard to adapt your teaching practice. Just remember you are only just starting out and Kristen has been teaching for quite some time. There is so much to learn in the first few years of teaching, you realise how little you really know when you get into a classroom of your own.
    It is hard teaching when you are not feeling the best. I would suggest for next time you work with the group who will respond and participate fully. Remember too that we will be asking them about their learning and the first group you taught had three students who find it hard to articulate their learning to you.
    Don't be intimidated by Kristen and me. We only want to support you. You are a reflective teacher who has made awesome progress in just a term.

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  2. We talked about this in our meeting today Katie, you are where you should be for the amount of time you've been teaching, nothing to worry about. I was the same when I was a PRT. You learn so much in the first couple of years and I am still learning now. No one's lessons go to plan when they are being observed (it's Murphy's Law) and I can tell you mine didn't either and I wasn't happy with it. My students are used to having people in to watch what they are doing so they know to behave (they don't always when it's just me). You have already made changes to your teaching and have identified things that need work so that's a good thing. You are doing a good job (and you have survived your first term)!!!

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