8/6/2019 Science in Y2, 27.09.2010

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The East Northamptonshire Initial Teacher Training College: Graduate Teacher Training Programme

Lesson Observation Proforma Establishing Relationships & Routines...

School Higham Ferrers Infants School Lesson time 09.50-10.40Date 27/09/2010 Year group Y2Teacher Mrs L.Ward Subject ScienceNumber of student numbers 29 M 13 F 16Student ability Mixed Other adults in the room T.A and myself Focus of observation Science Making comparisons

Establishing the learning environment (Routines: entry, registers, distributing equipment, dismissal)The first part of the lesson was in the hall with all of Y2 and a guest speaker a mother with a 2-month-old baby. The children have beenlooking at differences and making comparisons between themselves and babies & toddlers. The children had also prepared questions toask the mother, drawing on differences in looks, foods, activities and needs.

How the teacher gains the students attentionMostly by voice intonation and projection. Sometimes by clicking fingers and sometimes by clapping a rhythm for students to come and

sit down, be quiet or come to the carpet etc.

Explanation of learning objectives and success criteriaClear discussion of learning objectives and steps to success. Learning objective mentioned at the start of the session with the guestspeaker, and then the steps to success were communicated back in the classroom. They were; 1) I can say what a baby does and what itneeds, 2) I can say why it does what it does and needs what it needs, and 3) I can compare a babies needs with my own.

Evidence of a three part lesson: a starter, main task(s) and a plenaryThis lesson was a little different in terms of set-up, as the guest speaker session could have been classed as a starter. However, theclassroom session also consisted of a starter. The classroom starter was verbal as L.W asked the children for a brainstorming of ideasabout the differences between them and babies. The main part of the lesson was recording a comparison between the children and ababy. This could be done however the children wished, by picture, table, and writing or bullet points. The plenary was verbal and a littlerushed before break time.

Teaching and learning strategies; subject knowledgeHaving the guest speaker and her baby was great for making the learning visible and tangible. The children responded really well to thisand it was clear that it sparked the childrens interests. In the classroom, giving the children independence to chose their own means of recording the data worked really well, there were some great tables, pictures and paragraphs of writing.

8/6/2019 Science in Y2, 27.09.2010

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The East Northamptonshire Initial Teacher Training College: Graduate Teacher Training Programme

Behaviour management strategiesNone needed. The children remained engaged throughout and there were no negative behaviours to deal with.

Assessment methodsQ&As with the children was enough to gain an accurate judgement of the childrens understanding. L.W will later take in the childrensscience books and mark the work they did during the main session of todays lesson.

Use of other adults in the room and how this affects the dynamics of the lessonThe T.A was used alongside the teacher during the guest speaker starter. Back in the classroom, the T.A worked briefly with each groupensuring progress with the task. L.W was at another table, also rotating between groups. So at any given time throughout the mainactivity, there was only one table without any adult supervision. This worked really well as it gave the children little or no time to go off task.

Relationships with studentsGood. Though i feel the constant pressure of learning objectives and communicating steps to success stops most UK teachers fromforming a really positive and meaningful bond with their students.

What the students learnt in the lesson (were the learning objectives and success criteria met?)Sparked by the guest speaker and her baby, and engaged by the set-up of the main session, i could safely say the learning objectiveshere were met, yet.

Any other relevant points noticed in the lessonI had an interesting discussion with L.W after this lesson. We both agreed that it is un-fair that the assessment of children is heavilyweighted upon the childrens ability to write and record what they know. Children could have a really deep understanding of a subject, yetbe unable to fully present this on paper in written format. This is why L.W says (whenever the curriculum allows) that children can chosetheir own means of recording and answering questions.