Name:Date:

Kristen Wachsmann

AP World History

1. This is an Advanced Placement World History class being taught by teacher Kristen Wachsmann. She is using a teaching strategy called Inner/Outer Circle. As you watch, think about why she is using this strategy and watch what she is doing while the students are participating in the lesson. Also watch and listen to the students as they participate in the lesson.

2. What have you observed? What have you seen and heard? Stop and reflect. Mrs. Wachsmann is using this teaching strategy as a way for students to review material they have been asked to read outside of class and also concepts they have discussed in class. You will hear more about this strategy later.

Notice that the students are looking at their notes and also taking notes. The students in the outer circle are asking questions of students in the inner circle. They obviously had to prepare for this activity and likely have spent a long time learning how to participate in this type of activity.

You have seen Mrs. Wachsmann taking notes while the students are speaking. Also notice that a student came in late and Mrs. Wachsmann quickly got the student involved in the activity without interrupting the group.

3. Look at your notes. What have you observed? Reflect.

Mrs. Wachsmann compliments the students on their questions and answers which is positive feedback. She also tells them not to be nervous thereby lowering the level of concern the students might be feeling. She gave specific feedback asking the students to be active listeners by repeating part of the question in their answers. She also pushed them to think deeper and at a higher level about the concept of Communism as viewed by Americans. The feedback is timely – immediate in fact. She now asks the students to switch positions. Listen to see if her specific feedback has any impact on the next part of the activity. Take notes as you observe.

(1/26/2017) (PlayPosit)

(https://www.playposit.com/printable/512887) (1/2)

4. Notice how the Mrs. Wachsmann stopped the group a couple of times to provide feedback and/or give suggestions. Because of active listening on her part, she was able to provide immediate assistance to students so they then had the knowledge and/or feedback they needed to proceed with the activity and experience a sense of success. Mrs. Wachsmann was as engaged in the activity as her students. Good teachers strive to be with the students during the learning process instead of asking students to complete a task and then leaving them alone to work without being part of the learning. Reflect on the importance of being with the students during a lesson. Now listen as Mrs. Wachsmann challenges the students with an opinion question and asks the students to make sure their answers are supported by concepts they have studied.What level of Bloom's Taxonomy is she asking the students to think?

Mrs. Wachsmann then concludes the Inner/Outer Circle activity by providing more specific, constructive and immediate feedback. She also brings closure by restating the purpose of the activity and the objective. Listen to what she says. And watch how she transitions students to the next phase of the lesson.Reflect on what you have seen and learned during this part of the observation.

5. Stop and reflect on the transition from one activity to the other.

Did you notice how quickly and smoothly Mrs. Wachsmann transitioned the students from the Inner/Outer Circle to the 'timeline groups'? She quickly numbered the students, told each group where they were going to work and asked them to move quickly to their group. All this was done in about a minute thereby wasting almost no instructional time. All the supplies were ready for the students, she had a sample of the final product available to the students and showed it to them before they began their work. She

'cold-called' on students to read the directions so all students were likely paying attention because they wanted to be on task if called on to read the directions. She reviewed previously taught concepts before the students began their work and allowed them to use their notes, textbook, or technology thereby ensuring their successful completion of the task.

6. Effective teachers always reflect on the lesson, and lesson outcomes. Listen as the teacher reflects on this lesson, and compare it to the responses you have written on the observation worksheet. Use both the teacher’s reflections and your own observation when writing your overall observational reflection.