An Artist Refined

Analysis of Teaching Reflection Paper

Amanda Michelle Armor
ED 522: Analysis of Teaching
Spring 2014
2 May, 2014
Dr. Deborah Ellermeyer

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Introduction
John Steinbeck once said, I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great
artist...Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and
spirit. So while it is obvious that there is a science to teaching, we often forget it is also a finely
tuned art. And like any good artist, a teacher must hone his or her talent through repetition and
practice. Over the course of this semester I have become a better teacher by honing my talent
through the influence of Dr. Ellermeyer, my classmates in discussion, and the course text, The
Art and Science of Teaching: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective Instruction, by Robert J.
Marzano. The following goals mark ways in which my participation in this class either
improved upon prepossessed talents or provided opportunities for new skills in the practice of
teaching.

Goal #1: Establishing and communicating learning goals, tracking student progress and
celebrating the success of students:
In reflecting on my teaching style prior to this course, I considered what I did to meet this
goal. I came up with three ways I have succeeded in doing this. At the start of the year I set up a
couple of wipe-off boards at the front of the room, and adjacent to the door, that I have labeled
my Big Question Boards. Each day I write the objective for each class in student-friendly
terms. This helps me to focus in on what I want students to learn, and also helps students to
realize the goals they are meant to achieve. In addition to the boards, I have students chart their
progress toward the learning goals for any larger projects and assignments by developing a
checklist and marking things off as they go. Once they mark something off, they have to bring
the checklist to me and I initial that I saw it too. This helps both them and me to track their
progress throughout the course. One way that I have found to celebrate student success in

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achieving their goals is the use of golden tickets, which are lottery tickets students can
accumulate for meeting certain requirements or going above and beyond expectations in class.
Each month I select tickets from the box randomly for rewards.
Upon the completion of reading chapter 1 in the text, I considered what I was doing that
worked, what could use improvement and what was not yet happening in regards to my learning
goals, tracking progress, and recognizing achievement. In taking a look at my usual objectives
and big questions in the context of the chapter; I decided that, though the district template
recommends a specific opening tag to our objectives, I needed to be sure that mine fit the kind of
lesson I was planning to teach. I decided to continue to write my objectives as the procedural,
Students Will be Able to, but whenever I can and it applies, I will also add a declarative
Students will understand to set appropriate objectives for the students to follow (Marzano
2007, 18-9). My progress checklists were good but somewhat insufficient because they focused
more on what was completed, rather than how well they were done, . The textbook
recommended having students set their own goals and chart their progress toward them, using a
teacher-supplied blank chart. It was suggested that this visual representation of their progress
would motivate them and provide a springboard for discussion between teachers and students or
parents (Marzano 2007,25-7). In addition to that, I noted the need for more formative assessment
in my classroom in general. Marzano stated that it is proven statistically to increase achievement
(2007, 24-5). These assessments will also provide more measures of growth for students to chart.

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Goal #2: Helping students effectively interact with new knowledge

Prior to this course, I noted a few ways that I was able to help students interact with new
knowledge. I always sought to provide a variety of platforms on which to gather and test student
learning. I made use of technology-based activities, like web-quests, and chatrooms; researchbased activities, where students would seek out information using any resources at their
fingertips: and also traditional methods like reading, discussion, and artistic expression. The
recent addition of the Lead to Learn program in my district added further options that focused on
ways to have students share not just their answers, but their thought processes. Some of these
metacognitive activities included keeping dual entry journals, that they shared with their peers
after reading assignments, and dual-submission study questions. The students read and answer
these questions, then submit them in essay form to me. Based upon their answers, I return deeper
probing questions that they would then reflect on and resubmit for credit.
Chapter two provided me with some more food-for-thought to enhance my learning
activities. Based upon reading and discussion I have decided I need to chunk my knowledgebased information into small sections, and make use of smaller groupings for discussion. The
text noted that since people are only capable of digesting a small amount of information in a
single sitting, chunking is a wonderful way to keep material palatable and increase learning
(Marzano 2007,44-5). As far as grouping goes, Marzano recommended keeping students to
groups of two or three (2007, 44). Chapter two did reaffirm my use of elaborative
interrogation, or probing questioning that digs a bit deeper into why students give the answers
they do (Marzano 2007,49-51), so I will continue to use that, both in discussion and though the
dual-submission study questions.

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Goal #3: Helping students practice and deepen their understanding of new knowledge.
Prior to this course I provided opportunities to practice inside and outside of class in a
variety of ways. I utilized practice quizzes in groups as a method to start up discussion between
students and allow them to fill in gaps in their learning by seeing how their peers approach
content. I also have been a big believer in the use of games in the classroom, so I often created
review games, both small ones for the end of a lesson, and large ones for the end of a unit, to
make the recall and application of learning fun and active for students. In addition to basic
review, I provided opportunities to use skills that have been learned, by assigning research and/or
creativity-based projects that ask students to use their new knowledge to further their thinking on
a brand new topic.
After reading Chapter 3 and taking part in the discussion board conversation I committed
to improving practice in my classroom in a few ways. Marzano recommended involving parents
in homework by having them practice skills with their children at home (Marzano 2007, 70-1).
This would provide an opportunity to involve parents in learning, keep them apprised of their son
or daughters progress and maximize usefulness of homework and time in the classroom. In
addition to using homework as a method for practice I will use more graphic organizers to
interact with declarative content as in-class practice (Marzano 2007, 62-3). Marsano also made
mention of the need to use revision as a method of practice and this fits wonderfully into my
teaching style (2007,63). Besides revisions in writing, now I will have students review their
record of content and revise it after each activity to modify their understanding based on their
interactions with the content for all subjects.

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Goal #4: Helping students generate and test hypotheses about new knowledge?
I have always felt very strongly about using the scientific method for learning. I do not
care if it is a science course or art, I believe that students learn best from testing out ideas and
seeing if they work. Partially that is due to my own learning style, and partially due to my
undergraduate research. However I came about it, it is something that has been adopted into my
style of teaching since I first stepped into a classroom of kids. Due to this, I tend to encourage
research as a viable learning tool. Whether formal or informal it can increase and strengthen
learning skills. I rarely give answers, but point students in a direction that allows them to seek
out the answer for themselves. Additionally, I assign and encourage collaboration in the
classroom. I think cooperating on self-directed research can actually help students view things in
a new way and ultimately provide them with more accurate results. In reading assignments, I
encourage students to use metacognition to note the things that stuck out to them, rather than
simply telling them what it is they were meant to find. This makes them evaluate things
themselves and generate predictions based upon only the knowledge they have learned in
previous lessons. This seems to build confidence and also prepares them for the world outside of
the school walls.
Chapter 4 reinforced my convictions about the scientific method as a way to learn. After
having read it, I decided that I will continue using prediction, questioning and inference as
reading/metacognitive strategies in class. Marzano calls this experimental inquiry and
problem solving tasks and this kind of problem based learning, or PBL coined by Barrows and
Tamblyn in 1980, is shown to have promising results (2007,87-95). I will also encourage
students to view English Literature content scientifically and utilize hypothesis and testing to
reach an understanding of things they have read. In every lesson, I will have students predict

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answers to their big questions before we start as a bell-ringer activity and then use lecture,
activities, reading and discussion as the tests for their hypothesis. They will then return to their
hypothesis at the end of the lesson to see if they guessed correctly. Finally, I will make more use
of collaboration in research work, allowing students to share findings more frequently and
collaborate on projects in a way that requires all individuals to bring something unique to the
table and share (Marzano 2007, 97).

Goal #5: Engaging Students

In my classroom, prior to this course, I always sought to keep students active and
interested in the lesson. Though I recognize that this is not always possible, I do my best to
utilize what materials and knowledge I have to make learning fun. I tend to use a lot of hands-on
learning; I incorporate technology, even when it seems like a big risk to try it; and I avoid lecture
as often as possible in favor of small group discussion and guided practice. When I do have to
lecture I try to add personal anecdotes, stories, funny voices, acting, and an element of mystery
to keep the speech dynamic and interesting.
Upon the completion of Chapter 5, I decided to continue to make use of physical action
during lessons. I have always thought that getting students on their feet and moving improved
learning and Marzano agreed with me on this matter citing his example teacher, Mr. Hutchens,
get up and stretch procedure (2007, 98). He also noted that the increased oxygen and blood flow
gained from physical activity help the brain work better (2007,100). I will continue to be flexible
in lessons and be ready to change things up to increase engagement since the text noted that
activities, not achieving the level of engagement you expected, can and should be traded in for
new approaches (Marzano 2007, 99-100). Marzano suggested a number of ways to increase

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engagement, some of which I currently use and others that I have decided to test out in the recent
months. One of these that I already employed was playing games in class. The text and I agree
that providing that element of competition often keeps kids more focused and excited to learn
(Marzano 2007,107). A few new engagement tools that I have begun to make use of would be the
use of mystery puzzles and entrance trivia questions. The puzzles provide an air of mystery
that will increase engagement by mentioning something at the beginning of the lesson and then
providing the answer at the end (Marzano 2007,101). Additionally I have placed a whiteboard
outside of my door and a submission box. On the board each day, I write a content-related trivia
question that students can submit an answer to for a prize drawing (Marzano 2007, 115-6). So
far both are beginning to have an impact on my students. I think making it a part of class
procedure next year, from the start of the year, will really get students motivated.

Goal #6: Establishing or maintaining classroom rules and procedures.

The number one rule in my classroom has always been and always will be: Give
Respect to Gain It. I follow it in life outside of school, and I hope that my students see the
value of this life lesson as I bring it into the classroom as well. I hope that my modeling of
classroom rules serves as an example to my students. In order to show my respect for them, I
frequently allow student input in the development of classroom rules. I also encourage maturity
through rewarding those students who handle problems in a pro-active and thoughtful way. An
example of this would be the girl who emails me her work because she ran out of ink on her
printer, or the boy who stops at the end of the day to ask a question about a homework problem
so he will be able to complete his work on time. These kids are demonstrating respect and
maturity by seeking answers to their problems, before they become a problem.

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Upon Completion of Chapter 6, I have decided to write the basic rules prior to the start of
the school year and then have my students write the procedures to go with my rules. These rules
can be listed on a white board so that they can be revised throughout the year in order to
accommodate needed revisions (Marzano 2007, 127-30). I will attempt to hold short meetings to
deal with classroom concerns and issues periodically using Roberts Rules of Order.
Goal #7: Recognizing and acknowledging adherence to and lack of adherence to classroom
rules and procedures.
In the past I have done a great job acknowledging students adherence to classroom rules
and procedures. I give verbal praise, send home calls, emails and post cards to parents when
students are doing well in class, and award golden tickets, as previously mentioned, to those
students going out of their way to be helpful and respectful. I have also learned a lot about
responding to poor adherence to rules and disruptive behavior from working in a school that had
a reputation for being out-of-control.
In that school I dealt with everything from kids who felt that climbing on top of desks
and walking around the room was okay, to bullying by plucking glasses off girls faces and
putting them in lights and beyond. These kids threw textbooks out of the windows of many
teachers in the school, would rip open pencil sharpeners and grind their hands on them till they
were bloody. Trust me when I say it really made me think long and hard as to whether this was
the career for me. Unfortunately in that school the administration did little to back up teachers, or
reinforce rules, and when parents were called for many of the worst offenders, they simply
laughed at their childs behavior and said that sounds like my son/daughter. From this
experience I learned the value of a good support system within a school and how to deal with
extreme disruptions, but also came to discover that the concept of constant vigilance or

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withitness as discussed in Marzanos text (2007, 135) is not always enough to make a
difference, especially when a teacher is trying to get around the classroom to give students the
one-on-one attention they may need in learning. That said, I am improving on withitness now
thanks to my nearly impossible multitasking back then.
Some of the things I am seeking to improve after reading Chapter 7 include more instant
positive reinforcement, withitness which I think can always improve, and the application of
interdependent group contingency as a method of rule reinforcement. While I do reward students
who follow rules and procedures in the long term, I am trying to verbally and nonverbally thank
them more often, be it on their way out of the room in a private acknowledgement, or aloud but
softly as I pass their desk (Marzano 2007,136-7). It seems to be really encouraging the students.
Additionally, as mentioned above as withitiness, I am striving to be more conscious of
everything going on in the room so I can catch problems before they occur. I am also attempting
to use students as an impetus to keep their peers in line through what Marzano calls
interdependent group contingency (145). By recording adherence of the class as a whole and
letting them know that they will all reap the rewards, or face the consequences for it, you put the
impetus in their hands not to punish their friends through their bad behavior. Thus far I feel that
this method seems to work only when the majority of the class is well-behaved. In a class like
those at the aforementioned school, I would be punishing good kids too often for it to help
morale because the bad kids simply didnt care about the good ones.

Goal #8: Establishing and maintaining effective relationships with students

My relationship with my students seems to have been greatly enhanced by a few simple
things. First and foremost spending time with them outside of the classroom on a field trip or as

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a part of an extra-curricular activity makes you more approachable. I always do at least one trip
per year and also dedicate a lot of my time to putting on plays in my school both in class and
after school. The kids who participate in these things develop a connection with me. That bond
often begins as early as 6th grade, when they join the Middle School Musical that I direct, and
extends through 12th, when many of them stop by my classroom during study hall just to chat or
to ask for help on their senior projects. Another thing that seems to impress my students and
make them respect me more is the promptness to which I respond to the emails they send me.
Even if it is just to let me know something simple, I always reply politely just to let them know
that I got the memo. One final thing I do that helps the students respond to me with respect and
deference is that I treat them as mature adults. In teaching 11th and 12th graders, this is a big deal.
So, from the start of the year, I set the procedure that I will treat them as adults, until they give
me reason not to. They choose their own seats each day, they provide feedback and thoughts
about what is happening in class, and they often are given windows of time in which they can
complete out of class work and can set their own deadlines for completion.
Since reading Chapter 8 of the text, I have tried to find ways to let the students know I
value them as people, not just students. I have decided I will try to attend more extracurricular
events to show my support for the kids (Marzano 2007, 155-6). I have never seen a lacrosse
game at all and many of my students are involved in that. I have also decided to reinstate my
brag board in the classroom, a bulletin board on which I would post articles and pictures of the
accomplishments of the students in my classes. In addition to getting to know students better, I
will become more approachable by continuing to keep a calm disposition and tone of voice even
when and if the environment becomes intense (Marzano 2007, 160).

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Goal #9: Communicating high expectations for all students.

Prior to reading this chapter I thought that communicating high expectations meant
something else entirely different than what Marzano intended. My pre-reading reflection states
that I provided rubrics that expressed my expectations for all work assigned before the students
began work, provided samples of exemplary work from previous years for any larger project or
paper assignment, and recognized students who went above and beyond expectations through my
golden ticket policy. What I failed to consider was the all students part of the goal. It was
not that I didnt set high expectations for everyone, but deep inside of me I have to admit, I
didnt believe they would all reach the bar I had set.
In order to better reach those perceived low fliers, I have begun to really assess how I
feel about my students and actively focus in on those that frustrate me the most. The text noted
that, changing the teacher behavior that comes with low expectations will most probably
produce the desired effect on student achievement (Marzano 2007, 165). I am trying to better
understand why they behave as they do, and am focusing my energy now on providing positive
affirmation to them. As recommended, I am calling more often on the students who dont
volunteer answers, giving them a way out, but always ensuring that I return to them to gather
another answer later (Marzano 2007, 170-1). Up until our break for Easter, this seemed to be
working on the student I began trying it with. Hopefully once we get settled back in, I will see
him begin to refuel again.

Goal #10: Developing effective lessons organized into a cohesive unit?

Prior to this course I was often complimented on my lesson development. I am a good
organizer and logically fit lessons together into units almost naturally. I utilized much pre-

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planning, setting goals for each unit before I work on the first item within it. I also made use of
self-reflection by keeping a teaching journal in which I recorded things to alter for next year.
Additionally I took time to talk to students during lessons about what was working for them, and
what could be changed. One of the best discussions I have had in regards to this was after our
practice standardized tests, the NWEA program. These computerized tests are given twice yearly
and intended to be prescriptive in order to allow teachers the opportunity to see what their
students need at the beginning of the year and what they have learned by the end. As the students
finish, I approach each one and explain what their individual score tells me about where they are.
Then I ask them what they felt uncomfortable with on the test to be sure to cover those lessons
that they feel they need the most, as well as what the reports indicate that they need.
Chapter 10 of the text seemed to really be a review of the entire book. It encompassed
almost everything previously touched upon, giving me an opportunity to review the class
lessons. It led me to decide the most important ideas that I want to focus on in my teaching. I
came away committed to focusing on building really good objectives and make learning
activities to get students there, rather than simply relying on books to formulate my units for me.
I will consider the focus I intended (knowledge, issues or exploration) and craft learning
activities to meet it (Marzano 2007, 177-80). Also, time and time again throughout the text, I was
reminded that I need to be flexible as a teacher (Marzano 2007,177), which I think is something
I need to be constantly conscious of. Finally the text gave a really well-organized list of
questions for daily reflection in figure 10.3 that I plan to print and use after each unit as a part of
my teaching journal (Marano 2007, 190). This should help me stay aware of each of the
important goals Marzano and this course has encouraged me to set for myself going forward into
my 7th year at Seneca Valley Senior High School.

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Conclusion
Be it through my lesson planning, my formulation of objectives and units, the
relationship I have with my students, or the style of classroom management, I feel that by
keeping all of the above ten goals in mind I will become the kind of teacher I truly wish to be.
As Steinbeck noted, the art of teaching is something that doesnt just better one mentally, but
also betters ones soul, and I think in improving myself as a teacher under the tutelage of Dr.
Ellermeyer and Robert J. Marzano, I may have just become a better person as well.

Works Consulted
Marzano, R. J. (2007). The Art and Science of Teaching: A Comprehensive Framework for
Effective Instruction. Alexandria Va.: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum
Development.