First Informal Observation

In preparation for my first formal observation next week with my Friday P1 Year 8s, I asked if my mentor could observe the lesson I had planned.

(Takashi Murakami, A Panda Family Against the Blue Sky, 2014. Acrylic on canvas. 100 x 100 cm)

I felt confident in this lesson. I had planned a lot and did my best to create an engaging lesson plan, powerpoint and extension activity. I admit I was nervous at the start, especially as I knew I was being watched, but this anxiety quickly dissipated as I became more invested in the lesson.

Remembering that the rhythms of the lesson need to be followed helped me find the pace for the lesson and I found that setting expectations at the start and reviewing them at the end really helped to focus the lesson.

There are many things in this lesson I tried to impliment, which I had not experimented with before, such as dismissing students by asking each student to think of an emoji or being extremely clear with behavioural consequences, both of these were successful and I will carry them forward into other lessons.

I have found that I need to come up with more ways to reinitiate focus, beyond 'listening in 3, 2, 1 , and focus', although I will continue to use this as it feels polite, respectful and sets timeframes by which I want expectations to be met. I will try to think of more ways I can gather focus that keep these benefits.

I was focussed in this lesson to use silence to get silence, this also was successful, but not in all circumstances. As I continue to gain experience I will be able to better respond to dynamics within the classroom. Another focus of this lesson was organisation, I laid out the resources, came prepared to the lesson and was organised to print out my lesson plan and provide a pen for my subject mentor to make notes. I will aim to keep up these organisational habits in future observations.

Overall I was very happy with how this lesson went, its success was a great encouragement after the day before where I felt I had no control and I hope to utilise its successes to proactively manage behaviour and learning in my future lessons.

I will take on board the targets set for me by my subject mentor and pay specific attention to this in my next lesson. I will type up her notes from this session now.

Here are her notes:

Du Informal Observations - L. Kandiah 3rd November 2023

Standing Quietly - sets expectations well. You keep them standing (I forgot to ask them to sit down.. - This was due to nerves of being observed. This informal observation was good for me to build confidence and I hope I will remember everything for my next formal observation.)

Reg - Stopping low level disruption quickly.

You have strong presence and positive language.

Brilliant presentation slides.

You discuss your expectations of behaviour and share what the students will have achieved by the end of the lesson.

Giving students a lot of chances to watch and digest information in the video. Great literacy support for EAL students.

You speak well with students, very encouraging.

On a new double page - "everyone got that class?" - Great how you can make the task clear and ensure that students heard the instructions. You gave them opportunity to use your template or design their own based on what they have seen in the video.

Class we're going to be focussed in 3, 2, 1. - (I used this as I have been doing this to set an expectation and a time frame by which I expect a class to close their conversations.)

During the activity - Circulating and supporting students, e.g.

- "Second row, well done."

- "If I warn you once I will separate you, if I warn you again its 15 Minutes."

You are constantly aware of what students are doing during the activity, positively reinforcing and also quick to respond to low level disruption.

Speaking to the group while they are working - great to remind what their focus is and celebrating those who are designing their own.

That is 15 minutes - You are halfway through. - (Setting clear expectations of time and reminding students of times allows students to scope their progress and work efficiently.)

You speak as they are working to give new information. 'Balance colour with white and black already in the template,' This is great.

"Focus in 3, 2, 1 Thankyou. Just for these last couple of minutes I would like you to work in silence. I have allowed you to speak and now it is time to focus and get done what you want to do."

Developing purposeful behaviour for learning amongst a calm and respectful atmosphere.

You repeat instructions in a clear manner.

'Thankyou guys. we're moving on now.'

Now setting up designs for your ideas - You refer back to when we asked them what they wanted to do. This puts the scheme into a larger context.

Detective hats on.

If you recognise the zoomed in image put your hands up. Fantastic technique to get students to actually look at the board.

Discuss emojis, Fab questions. "How do we use emojis to express ourselves?"

Winding down discussion with "3, 2, 1 Thankyou"

"The people who make emojis design new ones every year" TARGET - Could this be an opportunity to discuss art careers? just a little comment, it's nearly there.

"There seems to be some confusion"

TARGET - Could be more clear with the layout of the pages.

This is where the students who are usually really engaged start to get chatty and giggly.

The task is quite simple, just to make a note of which emoji they will start to design.

Could this become drawing one or encourage to go back to their title - some have done this instinctively.

It started to drag on a bit, students have taken back their colour pencils so some not able to continue on their titles to keep them focussed.

"Thank you for talking about the tasks..."

Well done for focussing - this helps us to progress.

Reiterating. expectations from the beginning is nice.

H/W:

1. - Finish the title

2. - Find photos of artist work

You are clear and offer for students to upload to Google classroom if not able to print at home.

Pack away - Good amount of time, remind students to take books as they will need them for homework.

Standing quietly - hands up and share an emoji with me - nice way to engage with each child before they go.

Planning was great - you had resources ready and adapted to your log in.

Amazing Lesson!!!

Well done :) Loved it Thank you.

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Planning Notes

Usually I will not publish my notes for planning a lesson, however I thought it may be useful here to list the ways I am developing ideas from this lesson's experience and feedback and how it will fit into the scheme of work around pattern that I am developing for these year 8s.

Tasks to complete before next lesson:

- Create lesson Plan [Artist Research] -

- Include reading for the lesson (Print before the lesson) and organise flipped learning. Passing reading paragraphs around the classroom will help me learn names. Developing rapport with students.

- Time for review of homework. - How can we use the completion of homework to segway into the lesson today? - Show your neighbour task? - pick one image and explain to your neighbour why you chose it drawing on what we learned last lesson.

- Set up station for trimming

- Come up with a stretch task if students finish early - maybe designing some of their poly prints.

- Introduction to block printing from another colleague's slides.

- Come up with way to engage with each child to release them (think of an emotion that could be an emoji or one they could design themself?) - Homework?

- Print off students photos submitted online via google classroom.

- Check if H/W task was set as appropriate.

- Start to formulate these lessons within a succinct Scheme of Work.

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