Week 7 Assessing, Reflecting, Planning

Assessing Student Engagement and Learning:

Describe student willingness to participate in the second VTS discussion.

Most of the students were anxious to participate. Hands went into the air immediately when they saw the image.  Thirteen out of sixteen students contributed to the discussion.

What did students notice about the featured artwork?

Students noticed: animals (horses, bulls / buffalo), Native Americans on horseback, a gathering of Native Americans dressed in ceremonial attire – some standing and some seated, two teepee’s, a large bird with the same feathers found in the headdress, a small buffalo, action / movement happening, They also noticed that this piece was created on an animal hide, and that this piece was created by Native Americans.

Did students list or interpret their observations? (Why do you think that occurred?)  A couple of students listed, but the remainder interpreted. This was our third image to VTS, I think my students have learned that it’s a safe environment for sharing, that I will listen to all input equally.

Describe student interactions during the discussion.  How did this impact group meaning making? Several students linked their contributions to those of others.  Often, when one student pointed out a detail of the piece, successive children added to the meaning .One child was rather outspoken in disagreeing. I neutrally reminded the group the importance of being respectful. Fortunately, that did not seem to affect the dynamics of the group. Another time when a child was sharing, a classmate praised the interpretation. (It was a little girl and I envisioned a third grade Kathy Unrath, as I heard the sweet little voice pipe up excitedly, “OHHHH! That’s a good one! Nice job!)

How did the discussion conclude? 

Once again, I went about five minutes over the exceeded recommendation. I told students that our time was almost up and that I was going to call on two students who had been waiting with their hands up for a long time. I called on those students and a third who had also been waiting a long time to speak. I thanked the group and told them that I really enjoyed the experience. There were several students who voiced their disappointment that the session was over.

What do you think students learned from this discussion? What did you observe that makes you say that? I think my students learned that meaning making can evolve, and that sometimes opinions change after hearing the input of others who may know more about a topic. A girl who initially believed that the two teepees were dresses later observed that she only said “They were like dresses.”

Reflecting on Practice

How did the VTS discussion feel and what did you learn by facilitating this lesson with your students for the second time? Surprisingly enough to me, the camera made me feel nervous. I had done a sound check the previous day, and was disappointed in the sound quality of the flip camera. I had requested that students speak-up. My perfectionistic tendencies wanted everything to be ‘just so’, and I was extra conscious of watching the clock which seriously distracted me. Behavior issues were also a distraction.

Were you able to use the questions and prescribed teacher behaviors comfortably? If you omitted or changed one, what impact did it have on the discussion?  Why do you think that occurred?

I don’t think I asked, “What more can we find?, often enough. In failing to do so I think students over focused on the same details for far too long. This contributed to boredom and discipline problems.

Were there any surprises?  How will these impact your practice moving forward?  Although I had studied the image and had even already used it with another class, I was surprised when a student pointed out a detail I had not previously noticed. Perhaps this will always happen, but I want to work on trying to be neutral when it does. I was also surprised how bored I became with the students who ‘saw the floor as a stage’. I had allowed several students the chance to approach the SmartBoard to make closer observations as I felt that it was difficult to see many of the finer details. These students wanted to make their observations while standing, and one child in particular tended to ramble on and on, noticing new details the whole time and then rambling more and more. (I wanted to pull my hair out!) From now on, I will preface our discussion time with a little blurb about how it’s okay to come up from a closer look, but that all discussion needs to take place from one’s seat.

Planning:

What do you want to work on as you plan for future VTS lessons? As I’ve mentioned, I think the experience will work better if I adhere more closely to the script, moving things along with the suggestion that there’s more to look for. After viewing the video I also want to work on saying “Okay”. It seems that I tend to say it nearly every sentence! AUGH!!!! How annoying that must be to my poor students! I’ve noticed there are three students who have yet to participate in a VTS discussion, I plan call on them next time, and maybe save my little performers until close to the end of the session.

How do you think you can accomplish that? I think I need to make a conscious effort on these things.  Now that I’m aware of them, this should be easier to do. ;-)

Oh yes, I’m still working on time too, but if I can keep the discussion moving along, that should take care of itself.