[Intentional Focused Observation] IFO3 (Made 2024 Fall Semester)

By actually attempting to elicit student engagement and thinking and trying to figure out, while teaching, what they were thinking, I was able to validate my ideas about how to do at least the first of those two things. By asking guiding questions, encouraging answering with validation, etc. I was able to elicit engaged responses from students and that squared quite well with what I expected going into this. Sadly my inability to understand others’ perspectives due to my autism definitely also has played a role as I was afraid it might, so my fears are also being validated to an extent.

What can I do to overcome my difficulties gauging students’ thoughts and opinions while teaching? How can I ensure that what I am saying conveys what I want it to?

I observed two different teaching styles as well as Mr. Earle’s this week, and as such saw two new ways to elicit and interpret student thinking. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t particularly adore either of them since it just isn’t the way I like doing things, but they did give me a chance to think about new directions I could take my approach and they certainly let me figure out what I wanted to avoid doing when I teach. I also observed one of my fellow students using seating within the classroom to develop the idea of the feelings of colonists after the proclamation of 1763, although I don’t think she highlighted what she was doing nearly enough for it to land with the students.

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 I struggle to convey ideas without time and information with which to prepare beforehand.	The implication is that I need to ensure I have time to put together my thoughts and a plan of action and that I always have what information I need even if it requires asking Mr. Earle for it after being told not to worry about it. If I don’t do these things, I will falter in conveying information to my students and eliciting the information I need to.	I need to work to make more time in my schedule to prepare for teaching, I need to ensure that I am immensely involved in the development of my group’s 3 day lesson plan, and I need to communicate more with Mr. Earle in relation to getting my hands on resources I might need.