1. Jennifer’s*Teaching Priorities
Strengths Areas of Growth & Development Teaching Priorities Until End of The Year
 Likes Her Kids
 Always Prepares for Lessons
 Sound relationships with students
and parents
 More Patience
 Organization
 Feeling less overwhelmed
 Creating opportunities for culturally relevant student
engagement (not just activity based)
 Note-taking strategies that encourage critical reading &
thinking
 Writing a sound & rigorous lesson
 SMART AIMs
 Do Now (reviewing material)
 I do, we do, they do
 Assessing whether the AIM was achieved
*Thisis quitea bit and wewant to do thingswell-so wemightjust
havetime just to focus on LessonPlanningwithideasfor
engagementinterwoven
Needs:Teacher feels she needs different resources other than books/worksheets that will provide engaging opportunities for students. We will
find some howeverwe willalso workon how to use the resources to create rigorous instruction.
First Meeting!
Jennifer was very receptive to feedback and seems to have a good rapport with her students. One student was cryingbefore leaving for computers and
she checkedin withhim and rectified the situation. She loves her kids and is open to trying new instructional strategies so that her students learn
more. I asked Jennifer many questions about the curriculum, schedule, and whatshe noticed about her students behaviorally and academically. She
observed that her students read and take a lot of notes but didn’t seem to retain much information afterwards. We also discussed activity based vs.
knowledge based lessons. Jennifer and I determined the above Teaching Priorities to workon forthe remainder of the year. Wewill start slow and try
and chip away at something each time we meet. If Patty can write a solid lesson-many of her other areas of growthand development can be improved
along the way.Jennifer is also open to me observing her 5th grade class and interacting with students while she teaches her lesson.
Next Meeting:Tuesday,##12:45-1:30
Our goal will be to review the components of a good lesson plan (it’s structure) and practice writing some SMART aims for her next unit on Colonial
America. I willalso give Teacher a binder of lesson templates she can use to write in her lessons so she has an organized way to begin planning a solid
lesson. Our action plan willbe to get Teacher a designated space in her room to write her daily aims. In the session following-I’lltry and observe a
lesson and debrief as wellas discuss strategies to get students focusedon the aim in an engaging way.
ChangesIdentified
Coming Soon!

2. There’s more on the next page-sorry I couldn’t fit it on one!
Jennifer’sActionStepsforournextmeeting
 Read the two short articles I provided links to in my email. One is on the basics of a SMART aim in a lesson and the other is on Bloom’s Taxonomy
 Start changing mindset from activity planner to knowledge provider. Ask yourself every time you teach a lesson in the next week-whatdo I want
my students to know when they leave my classroom? (not:What are the students doing?) Even write it on a post it note on your desk, your
planner, or on the board (where a student can’t see it)to remind yourself of this question. Thinking of yourself as a knowledge provider will
eventually change how youplan lessons and teach students
 Review lesson plan materials and resources that I’ve attached so youcan get familiar with some lesson plan formats.I have left my notes and
comments. Don’t be overwhelmed by what I show you, just know that can get there in time.
EducationalQuoteof the Week:
"The most important part of teaching = to teach what it is to know."
~Simone Weil, French philosopher
Don’t forget that you can email me anytime with questions and comments! 
*Name has been changed-school unidentified forprivacy

3. Observation 2: Class 5B 4/13/2016
Observation Feedback
Studentreadsaim:Studentswill describe workand living
conditionsof the slavesinWilliamsburg
Bry callsout youredirectand byraisingyourhands
studentswrite downone factabouthowslaveswere
treatedfromyesterday’slesson(silent)
Some studentsare talkingbutit’saboutwork
Teacher:Who wouldlike toshare first?
Students:
Beth:Slavessleptonstrawand worked6 to 7 daysa week
Slavesworkedwithnopay
Some were house servants
If theydidn’tdo whattheywere toldtheywere whipped,
killed, andseparatedfromtheirfamilies
Juba-leftoverfood
Teacher:Jason’srighthere and I can’thear himwhich
meanssomeone ishavingaconversation
Studentsputtheirpostitnoteson the board.
Thiswas the previousday’saim.Goodideatoget them
to reviewit!Iwoulddesignate aspace onthe board that
differentiatesapastand currentaim.
Good! Silence isalsoagoodthingto have ina
classroom-itmeansstudentsare working
To get more participationandhearfromeveryone I
would“coldcall”.Tell them youwill choose on3-4
students.Thisgetskidstoparticipate andwill speedup
the do-nowsoyou can getto the bruntof the lesson.
A lotof studentsrememberedcontentfromthe day
before.Great!
Suggestion:Walkaroundasstudentsare writingto
previewwhattheyare doing.Choose studentswho
won’trepeatfacts.
Anothergoodwayof redirecting.Studentsperkedup
and triedpayingattentionmore.
Nice puttinguptheirpostit notes(setsome
expectationsonthisforputtingitup)-have anearly
finisherworkoran expectationforwhenstudentsfinish
early.(Iwouldhave themreada bookor provide them

4. Nisa-talksbackwithattitude
Mia-notevenlookinganddependingonotheranswersof
teammates.Talks10 minutesaboutmissedassignments
Jennifer:Don’tyouthinktheyhadadifficultlife?We take
thingsforgranted.We have upsand downsinour livesbut
nothingislike Slavery.
Aim:Usingmultiple intelligencesstudentswill listenand
compose a call and response song
Have kids100% do thiswhenyouask questions-Getturn
and talk30 seconds
Beth(she’sfunny) She mightbe someone yougettotrack
participationof otherkids
Teacher:Let’slistentoour Jubasong andshare-kidsare
talkingwhile we pluginthe cdplayer
Studentsstartliningupat the frontof the room.
witha funreadingor academicpuzzle forthemtowork
on)
There are definitelywaystoredirectthis.Iwouldsay
“Nisa,I knowyou’re anice girl,whydon’tyou try and
say that againwitha nice tone.”Give studentsachance
to re-correcttheirbehaviors.
True.Maybe turn thisintoa question thatstudentscan
reflecton.Askthemhowmuch easiertheirlifeisthana
slave.Getthemto make the comparison(notyou!)
A do-nowshouldbe between5-8minutesfromstartto
finish.Youare startingaround9:15 so we’ll explore
some waysto shorten thisupa bit.
Great aimand highlevel onBlooms.Iwouldprobablybe
more specificandexplaintostudentswhat“multiple
intelligences”mean.Also-askstudents“Whatare we
doingtoday?”
Participationisprettylow-youhave the same students
talking. Toget everyone totalkandparticipate have
themturn andtalk for30 secondstotheirpartnerto talk
aboutthe question.
Have a studentdothisbeforehandandsetexpectations
for listening) Whatare studentsduringthistime asthey
are listening?Findwaysforthemtoactivelylisten.
(Drawit out write outthe directions)
Good gettingkidstolistenfirst
Is thisa review?Studentsare sayingtheydidthis
yesterday.

5. Kidsstart performingtogether
Studentsstartclappingoffbeatandare not takingit
seriously.
Beth-goodpoem-she’sgoodwithinfusingacademicswith
the song
Jema’ssongcouldbe inappropriate.“Kissthe yellowcorn-I
thoughtJubawas black/beanfood.”
Might be good toget a videoonthisto showit to see it.
Studentsshouldmaybe stayattheirseatsforthis.Have
one side of the room do itfirst(or see whocan do it
betterboysvs.girls)
Suggestion:Cultural relevance:Askkidshowdoesthis
dance and songrelate to theirmodernmusic (there isa
lotof dancingwithrappers etc.)
Askthemwhat thisremindsthemof inreal life-some
girlswere doinghandmotionswhichhave beenpassed
down(have themdoa brainstormhowdo youlearn
gamesetc)
Get waysfor studentstoclapetc.
Setclear expectationsforsharing
For sharinginfrontof the class-maybe getkidsto
practice witha friendorpartner first.Duringdo-nowask
studentswhowantto go andwrite theirnameson
board sotheyknowwhois goingfirst.
Good forstoppingandhavingthemredo.Mia, Nisa,
Beth,(AwesomeJubasong)
Have studentpassthemin first(maybe save sharingfor
the day aftertheypass inthe homework) Canprintthem
inpacketsso kidscan read along.
Alsoif youmake sharinga competition-studentscanrate
while astudentisperformingorwrite downsomething
theylearned.Thiswill keepthembusyintheirseatsand
not callingoutandmakingcomments.

6. Beckyis calledup.Kidscall outthat Haroldhas crush on
Becky.
Laurie isfidgetingandtalkinginherseat.Yougive herthe
great teacherdeathstare and she stops. 
Some studentsare complainingandbraggingaboutthe
clapstheyreceivedfromtheirperformance.
Nice jobsummingitupas kidsgoget theirsnack.Make
sure these questionshave one wordanswersandare quick.
A goodway to reviewmaterialfromotherclassestoo!
If the studentsknewwhowasgoingaheadof time then
thismay nothappen.There shouldalsobe some type of
consequence forstudentswhoare makingfunof other
students.
It isimportantto setup expectationsbeforehandasto
howthe class as a whole shouldreacttoperformers.
Maybe clapsor a snaps are fine justdefine howmuchor
little youwantstudentstodo.

7. Trending Behaviors From This Lesson
Behavior Cause Effect Solution(s)
FramingQuestions Whenwe ask questions
it’sbecause we want
answerstocheck
knowledge.
Whenwe ask the
incorrectquestionor
somethingopenendedit
generallymeansthatitis
up to interpretationfor
the studentandyou
don’talwaysascertain
whatyou wantfrom the
student.
Duringyour lessonplanning
write the questionsyouwant
studentstoanswer.Alsoturn
some of your statementsinto
questionssoyouare putting
more thinkingonthem.Theyare
the oneswhoshouldbe doingall
of the work!Use yourBlooms
TaxonomySheettoframe the
questions-theyhave sentence
startersthat are great.
Organizationof
Activities/Time
Management
Directionsare notclear
or givenbefore an
activity
Studentsare confused
but alsoprone to
misbehaviorsand
negative interactions
withtheirpeers
Before anystudentmovesgive
directionstostudentsboth
verballyandvisually.Write the
directionsdownonthe board
and have studentsparticipate
and readin pairsthe directions.
Have studentsrepeatdirections
whole class.If studentsdon’tdo
it right-make themrepeat(they
hate this) until theydoit right.
Lack of Participation I don’tthinkitis lackof
interestasmuchas lack
of motivation.There is
no expectationthat
studentsneedto
participate thereforea
large percentage of the
classdependsonthose
whowill.
Onlya fewstudents
participate and a fewof
those are studentswho
like don’talwaysbehave.
The effectisthat you
have studentswhoare
intelligentnotsharing
theirknowledgebase
withthe classwhile your
attentionseekersare
gettinga large deal of
negative attention.
Get a studentparticipation
tracker.Don’t askstudents“who
wouldlike toparticipate”buttell
themthat theywill participatevia
coldcallingor othertechniques
(we can talkabout thislater)

8. Session 4
 Create a Do Now Routine
 Rewards System
 Practice it with the students every day!
Do Now Routine
Timing5-8 Minutes
Step1: ___________________________________________________________________________________
Step2: ___________________________________________________________________________________
Step3: ___________________________________________________________________________________
What do Now’sdoyouwant on these days?(IsuggestFridayis“FunFridays”and youdo a differentone!)
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Class Reward System
What are some behaviorsyouwantyourstudentstostopdoing? (Pick4)

9. Possible Rewards:
Aftera certainamountof pointshave beenearnedstudentscanget(Some ideas-give the studentsoptionsbecause theymightaskyoufor unreasonable things
like videogamesandpizzaparties!)
1. Candy
2. Free Time (duringclass)
3. Music duringthe do-now
Teacher’s Class Reminders 
Questions:Ask targeted questions/Use Bloomsand
write some of thembefore the lessonifyou can! Try
these phrases
 If you were….(metacognitive)
 Talk to yourpartnerand ask themto give youone
fact aboutwhat we justlearned
 I’mlookingfor….whocananswerthisforme?
Re-direction:Try and do it in a calm and positive tone
 Say “I thinkyoumightwantto try that
again…say/dothisina nice way.”Wait forthem
to correct the behavior
 Say studentnamesof whoisdoingthe right
behavior.Youcan say “I see student1,student5,
student3 raisingtheirhands.Whoelse will Isee
do this?”(Withenthusiasm)
Participation: (Studentscannot piggy back and repeat
what someone has said
 I’mgoingto pick 2-3 studentstodayto answer
thisquestion(coldcall)
 Choose a student.Have themcall onsomeone
else
 Say “I love howI have 6 handsin the air rightnow
but I want4 more hands!”Wait until youhave 4.
Use humor-tryandliftsomeone’shandupina
sillyway.
 Throw a squishyball around(Ican tell youhowto
setexpectationsforthis)