[Intentional Focused Observation] IFO1 (Made 2024 Fall Semester)

My knowledge of building respectful relationships and learning about students is being validated by seeing the rapport Mr. Earle has with his students and the ways he understands the ways they behave, such as knowing that one student in particular is obsessed with Shrek and will try no matter what to include him in any project she is working on. My conversational skills are being tested and I am working on developing them further by talking to the students occasionally myself. I believe my preconceptions are mostly true.

I am wondering how I can better build relationships and learn about the students despite my relatively minor role in the classroom. I am wondering how to convince students to work when they are not and how best to convey information when they are failing to comprehend it.

I am observing Mr. Earle succeed in doing the things I am wondering about, and if I can emulate that to some degree I should get one step closer to figuring out how to work with students and communicate with them within the role I find myself in.

HERE’S WHAT? What did I notice in the classroom?	SO WHAT? Implications for my teaching practice and the learning of my students?	NOW WHAT? What are my next steps? Next Day / Next Week / Next Month
I noticed that Mr. Earle has a rather lax relationship with his students but that he can also be more serious when they are goofing off and not doing their work.	The implication is that my belief about what methods are good for teaching seem to be validated, however I will need to keep watching in order to figure out if that is totally true or not. Being lax with students can make them feel comfortable and that can help them want to learn.	I will continue to watch Mr. Earle and continue to talk to the students and try to engage them in a friendly but firm manner in the coming days and weeks.