Reflection on lesson plan based on digestive system for 2nd Practicum. Uploaded for digital portfolio.

1. Daily Journal Week 11
Cheska Lorena November 12, 2008
OBSERVATIONS
On Wednesday, I taught a lesson on the digestive system. To make the lesson more tactile and
kinesthetic, I designed a large-scale demonstration in which different student groups acted out different
functions of the digestive system. I found it difficult to focus on the students because my attention was
divided between doling out instructions and overseeing the entire demonstration. As a result, my
classroom management and teaching strategy suffered. I was unable to note student response and their
lack of engagement and therefore did not improvise or change the lesson in ways that fostered more
student interaction. It was a personal disappointment that I was unable to engage all the students, but
the situation proved to be a very valuable learning experience.
REFLECTIONS
The supervisor made a few suggestions: bring the demonstrations down to small-scale groups and hold
the students accountable for their learning by involving them in the inquiry process. After thinking about
these suggestions, I realized that I have been constructing my lesson plans around my activities. I initially
thought I was following my personal principles of teaching education—student centered learning,
higher-level thinking, group collaboration and active engagement—but I soon saw that my lesson plans
didn’t really reflect these principles. The lesson plans were focused around activities on which I was
placing more emphasis on their entertainment factor. It is good to have engaging activities that will
motivate students to learn, but there should also be more emphasis on what the students are actually
learning and the quality of this learning rather than on whether they are being entertained or not.
Enjoying learning science should become an intrinsic motivation for students after I first learn how to
create lessons that truly engage student participation in class.
I think part of this difficulty is due to the fact that I am unsure of the boundaries. When I taught in a
high-school setting, I had to be careful not to teach college-level content. Now that I am in a middle-
school setting, I have to be careful not to teach high-school level content but also make sure that I am
not oversimplifying the content. I have to gauge whether or not my lesson plans are age-appropriate
and sometimes I do not make the right choices. I believe, however, that as long as I follow the
standards, set consistent high expectations, and provide challenging lessons the boundaries will cease to
exist. As a science educator I should teach science not as a passive subject but also as a way of
understanding. I should learn how to let go of controlling the learning environment, and let the
students be more active in their own learning process by providing them with more opportunities that
truly reflect my personal education principles.
QUESTION/CONCERN
N/A