Ryan Ball

ED 327

Dr. McAllister

May 3, 2019

Video Reflection

The lesson I taught on April 22nd in Mrs. Hewitt’s 8th grade classroom went mostly as

planned. However, I did hit a few instructional snags and I could have been more intentional

with some strategies.

As you can see in my lesson plan and in my video, I taught a lesson about the plot

diagram using a chapter from The Sword and the Circle, which is a collection of Arthurian tales.

My content objective was for students to “be able to analyze basic story structure, in sequence,

through the use of the plot diagram.” In my plan, I tried to meet several Indiana English

standards:

8.RL.1

Read a variety of literature within a range of complexity appropriate for grades 6-8. By

the end of grade 8, students interact with texts proficiently and independently.

8.W.3.3

Write narrative compositions in a variety of forms that –

● Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and

introducing a narrator and/or characters.

● Organize an event sequence (e.g., conflict, climax, resolution) that unfolds naturally

and logically, using a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey

sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.
 ● Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to

develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

● Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to

capture the action and convey experiences and events.

● Provide an ending that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.

8.SL.2.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and

teacher-led) on grade-appropriate topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and

expressing personal ideas clearly.

By teaching students the structure of the plot diagram, and by helping them apply the

diagram to stories they were familiar with, I hoped to uphold standard 8.RL.1: By giving

students a tool with which they could understand the basic structure of any story, I hoped to

enable my students to interact with texts more deeply, proficiently, and independently. In a

similar vein, I believe that an understanding of the plot diagram will serve students well in their

own narrative writing (standard 8.W.3.3). Students will understand that good stories need

conflict and a logical sequence of events in which the stakes continue to rise. The plot diagram is

also a useful tool for organizing thoughts when students begin drafting stories. By placing

students in new groups and having them collaborate with each other, I asked students to build off

each other’s ideas (standard 8.SL.2.1).

The reason I moved students into groups was actually twofold: I was also striving to meet

the developmental needs of adolescent learners. Adolescents crave positive social interaction

with peers. They also crave movement. By moving students into new groups, I hoped to meet
both these needs. I also allowed for movement by asking students to attach their answers to the

whiteboard.

Adolescents need positive social interaction with adults just as badly as they need it with

peers. Middle school learners also require a structure that allows for competence and

achievement. I tried to deliver positive interaction and reward achievement by validating

students as often as possible. When they did good work, I always praised them and explained

why their work was desirable. Even when students gave an incorrect answer, I was empathetic

and acknowledged the accurate parts of the answer before correcting the inaccurate parts. You

can see these validations throughout my video.

I also allowed for self-definition and creative expression by asking students to diagram

one of their favorite stories, then share it with their tablemates. By allowing students to pick a

story that is relevant to their own lives, I allow students to more meaningfully connect with the

curriculum. This was also a culturally sensitive choice toward diverse learners: By allowing

students to choose any story they want, I avoid assuming cultural schema. I used this assignment

as assessment data: This was the final task I assigned to students. I visited tables and listened to

students. I silently determined whether students were applying the plot diagram accurately.

Across the classroom, understanding of my content objective was high.

There were a few adolescent needs I did not attempt to meet. I did not necessarily

concern myself with structure and clear limits: Mrs. Hewitt had already done that work for me.

The classroom was well-behaved and I fortunately did not have to worry about behavior

management. I also failed to observe the adolescent need of meaningful participation in families,

schools, and communities. Again, this had mostly to do with the fact that I was only teaching one

self-contained lesson. Were I to revise this lesson for a larger unit, I might ask students to go
home and ask their parents to share a folktale. Students would then diagram the folktale using the

plot diagram. This would be a great way to get parents involved and to celebrate cultural

diversity in the classroom.

My primary failure in teaching this lesson was that I lectured much more than I had

planned on. Although a lot of student collaboration happened while students reviewed the text

and filled out their slips, I was hoping to facilitate a debate once all the slips were on the board.

This debate, for the most part, did not happen. I had originally planned to circle up the desks, but

I did not want to destroy Mrs. Hewitt’s classroom or eat up a lot of time. Subsequently, the

debate did not feel like a debate to the students: They did not know how to respond to my

instruction. Rather than facilitating a debate, I ended up asking a lot of guiding questions in an

attempt to get my students talking. I failed to set a structure or clear limits. I could have avoided

this by creating a structured debate with a timer, notecards, opposing seating, etc. Another

weakness that contributed to my lecturing is that I had a short wait time: I felt uncomfortable

waiting for students to answer my questions, so I kept talking.

Shari Switzer was able to observe this lesson. She had a lot of positive things to say on

her observation form. She thought it was helpful that I connected my content to relevant pop

culture, such as Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. Shari praised me for challenging my

students by asking, “Can you tell me more?” She also recognized the intentionality behind

moving my students into new groups. Shari was also gracious enough to identify areas in which I

can grow: She noticed that I did not share my content objective with my students. As a result,

students moved from one activity to the next with no clear context or end goal in mind. I view

this as a significant mistake and one I will learn from moving forward. Shari also suggested

giving a “time frame” for each activity, so students knew how long to spend discussing a given
topic. Finally, Shari noticed my joke about the whiteboard plot diagram turning into “an absolute

mess” and asked me how I could make it more organized next time.

Shari seemed especially impressed with my “very effective demeanor” with the middle

school students. I often struggle with striking the perfect balance between relatable and funny,

but also professional and informative. It seems that Shari believes I am close to finding this

balance.

Overall, I am grateful for this opportunity to “get my toes wet.” This was my first time

teaching an entire classroom an original lesson plan without assistance. A big takeaway is that

you cannot “wing” a lesson: I more or less tried to “wing” the debate segment of my lesson, and

it failed altogether. The other parts of my lesson plan, which were detailed and clearly structured,

went exactly according to plan. In other words, a lesson plan can never be too detailed. I would

also like to improve my wait time and to begin thinking about the big-picture strategies I can use

to meet adolescent needs throughout the school year.