observation notes

I included many opinions in my observation notes from the 4 school sites I visited, so I will use them as my reflections for those weeks.

this was at Willowcreek Middle school:
-classroom is set up with up to 6 students at a table, there were 6 tables in use, and three empty ones in the back.
-As the students were filing in Mr. Porter wasn’t really paying attention to them. He was walking around doing stuff and then on the computer.
-He couldn’t find his lesson plan for a long time. He spent like 5 minutes looking for the paper while the kids just talked to each other.
-once he found his lesson plan he took roll, with his back to the kids while he was at a computer. I don’t really like that. I think if I have to take roll at a computer immediately like that I will either make sure I will be facing my students while I’m at the computer (and I can hopefully stand while I’m there) or I will assign one of the students to do it.
-I like how he asks the kids how their night was, and if they had any games or anything that day. I thought that was cool and the students really seemed to respond to it.
-I am always surprised at how smart kids are!!!
-He is not very good at giving praise when students raise their hands and contribute.
-As he was showing them their activity (building a pillar) he was speaking in a very condescending manner. From the way he is talking it sounds like he doesn’t think any of them can make a pillar that will hold more than 10 pounds.
-The kids came back to Robbie’s and my table to cut their tape to the correct lengths. Kids are so cool!! I love them. I can not wait to teach.
-As the students are working Mr. Porter isn’t really walking around and helping them and looking at what they’re doing. He’s organizing a bunch of binders on the other side of the room.
-One kid was really excited about his and walked all the way across the room to tell mr. porter that His pillar held up 3 binders!!!! And then, without any praise, Mr. Porter said ‘well it’s going to have to hold a lot more than that by Monday.’ I thought that was uncalled for, especially because that boy didn’t seem to have a lot of friends or social connections.
-I feel like I’m being very critical of Mr. Porter!
-Not enough clean up time (three minutes)
-Channel 1 is still stupid.