Prompt for ED 201 Lesson Self-Assessment

Name: Elizabeth (Libby) Kent

Lesson Topic: Vocabulary for Language Arts Reading
Date Observed: Monday, November 04, 2013
School: Manitoba Elementary Grade Level: 4th Number of Students Taught: 4
Cooperating Teacher Name: Mrs. Maya Richards
Planning and Preparation:
The planning and preparation for my observed lesson was very detailed which was then reflected in my
teaching. My lesson design reflected what actually happened in the lesson in a few ways. I used the activities I
planned, and allowed myself adjusting room if my timing was off. For example: During the sharing of the
students sentences, I told them to just pick one to share rather than all four of their sentences like I planned to. I
tried to stay on task with my teaching as I described in my lesson plan. I incorporated the accommodations I
laid out in my lesson design to the actual lesson by having some students start writing their sentences while
others finished their puzzle. I would have changed the way I used the vocabulary cards so that the students
would be more engaged and the sentences wouldnt have to be read out loud more than once. The suggestion of
posting the cards where everyone could see them, and/or asking what experience the students had with certain
words before going through all of them would have been helpful. I did teach the lesson in the allotted time slot
for the most part. The definition part took up more time than anticipated, so I just cut off some of the sharing
time at the end. Lastly, my lesson objectives were clearly stated and they did describe what my students actually
learned, and what they need to work on.

Learning Environment:
The learning environment aspect of my lesson was somewhat of a challenge for me. I encouraged
student participation wherever I could and prompted responses from all students. I had students give me an
answer of what they were thinking before I moved onto the next student. This way, I could build off their
thinking to produce the correct answer. Strategies I used to manage and monitor student behavior were taking
away distractions such as pencils and bracelets, asking students questions to make sure they were paying
attention, and using their name to bring them back into discussion. Having the students work independently on
the word puzzle and their sentences allowed them to use their own experiences to link to the words. I engaged
the students to respond to me by giving them my full attention and asking them questions to gauge their
thinking. By having the students call on each other to give the definition of the word, they were able to respond
to each other. They also rated each others sentences with thumbs up, down, or in between. Keeping the
students attention was a difficult part since the set-up allowed for distractions.

Classroom Instruction:
The instruction of my lesson was varied in many ways. I used three main procedures to assist students
in learning the vocabulary words. The first one was saying the words out loud, and then having students read
the sentences the word appeared in. That student would call on another to give a definition for the word. This
strategy was not as effective as I would have liked it to be since the seating arrangement didnt allow some
students to hear the sentence therefore not paying attention. If I used this strategy again, I would have the
seating arrangement different so everyone could be heard, or I would post the cards with the sentences on the
wall so that each student could follow along even if they could not hear the sentence being read. The second
activity I prepared for the students was a vocabulary puzzle where the students had to match the word to the
definition. The puzzle was fairly effective in what I wanted it to accomplish. I should have outlined the rules
more clearly at the beginning and/or modeled how to put the puzzle together. The problem wasnt so much that
the students couldnt match the word to the definition; it was that the puzzle wasnt fitting together nicely.
Outlining the outside of the puzzle in a color would have helped the students find the outline easier since it was

difficult to explain. The last activity was having the students write sentences with the vocabulary words in them.
This procedure was very effective and engaged the students attention very nicely. They were excited to share
their sentences with their classmates. These sentences allowed me to connect the instruction to students
experiences and ask questions to check for understanding.

Assessment:
Assessment was constantly being used throughout my lesson. I used both formal and informal
assessment when determining if the students understood the vocabulary words. Orally giving definitions to the
words, listening to others sentences and determining if they made sense, and asking questions if the word was
challenging to them were all methods of informal assessment. Methods of formal assessment included solving
the puzzle, and turning in the sentences they created. This allowed me to examine their word to determine if
they needed more help. I learned from listening to student responses that some of the words were harder to
understand than others, so activities needed to vary to accommodate those challenges. Through the observation
of the students interactions, I could tell which students were struggling and which ones were bored and needed
to move on. My various techniques of assessment connected directly to the lesson objectives since I could
determine and prove if the objective was met or not. Using assessment during my lesson allowed me to enhance
my knowledge of learners and modify my teaching and learning strategies. I was also able to reflect on the
effectiveness of my lesson.

Professional Responsibilities:
My responsibilities were completed in a very professional manner. I looked for and discussed feedback
right away from my ED-201 teacher so I could reflect on my teaching while it was fresh in my mind. My
cooperating teacher did not observe the lesson, and therefore could not give me feedback. I learned much from
the feedback given such as different strategies to employ and a more effective use of the vocabulary cards. I
discussed modeling techniques that I could have used before the puzzle so I wouldnt have to explain the
concept individually to each student. Engaging the students with the words by allowing them to say and see the
word together could have allowed them to make better connections. Posting the vocabulary cards on the wall
would have been a more effective way to have the students to engage with the sentences as well. I realized that I
need to physically show the students what I am trying to describe instead of conceptually since its easier to see
and do then come up with multiple ways to explain something. I will apply these new strategies to my lessons in
the future.

Reflection:
This lesson taught me much about teaching that I have not learned from the textbook. I learned that
patience is the key to teaching and student learning. Explanations are a large part of teaching that can be done in
several different ways. Assessing is constantly a teachers friend throughout every day in the classroom. This is
both formal and informal. Assessing allows teachers to make adjustments every day based on observations and
student outcomes. I can use what I learned about new methods and more effective strategies for future
instructional experiences. Modeling and keeping the students attention will definitely be two procedures I work
on. The Wisconsin Teaching Standards that represent my growth during this lesson are understanding that
children learn differently, testing student progress, communicating well, and knowing how children grow.
These standards allowed me to plan different activities to appropriately address the age and ability levels of the
students. The teaching standards I need to continue to work on include how to manage the classroom, plan
different lessons, and connect with other teachers and community. My field work will continue to teach me
these standards and apply them when needed.