Revised 12/08/99

Please respond to all of the questions listed below in your Practicum Journal. This activity should involve approximately 60 contact hours in a senior high school.

A. School Culture

1. What do you observe when you first walk into the school that communicates the school culture? (Bulletin boards, pictures, decorations, trophies, etc.)

2. How would you feel entering the school if you were a minority student?

3. How would you describe student behavior? (Rushed, orderly, chaotic, etc.)

4. How does the culture of this school compare with other schools, the University?

5. If you were in charge, what specific things would you do to change the culture of the school?

6. What are the demographics of the student population?

7. List some of the key agencies and/or groups that provide support for the school.

B. School Policies and Procedures

1. Describe one policy or procedure in the student handbook that you feel is important.

2. Describe one policy or procedure in the faculty handbook that you feel is important

3. Describe something that you might add, delete, or modify in either the student or faculty handbook.

4. Are classroom rules standard for the entire school or are they different in each classroom?

5. What classroom rule would you add, delete, or modify?

C. School Support Staff

1. Who are the administrators in the school, and where are they located?

2. List the name of a key person on the office staff?

3. List the name of a key person on the custodial staff?

4. List the names of other support and/or resource people in the school?

D. School Layout

1. Sketch a map of the school showing key areas: lunchroom, media center, computer labs, teacher lounge, and etc.

2. Visit the media center and/or computer lab. What resources are available for teachers?

E. School In-Service

1. What in-service activities are available for teachers?

2. Is there a professional library for teachers?

3. Are most of the teachers in the school beginning or experienced?

4. Describe a teacher's meeting and/or team meeting.

F. Classroom Observation

Did you observe the following teacher behaviors? If yes, describe what you saw; if no explain the behavior you did see (if any is applicable). Beginning of class:

1. The teacher greeted students before the bell rang.

2. Teacher insisted on quiet at the bell.

3. Assignments and/or objectives and/or "agenda" were on the board to remind class what would be accomplished during the period.

4. Teacher was clear in explaining about how the activities/teaching during the period would accomplish learning objectives.

5. In initiation of lesson new knowledge was linked with old

6. Students were engaged in learning promptly. During Class:

7. Teacher called students by name.

8. Teacher did not create discussion stars by calling on the same 5 or 6 students but called on a number of students (Note: gender and ethnic inclusion).

9. Teacher moved around the room.

10. Teacher had good eye contact.

11. Teacher used more than one activity during the period.

12. Teacher checked individuals for understanding.

13. Students were given practice linked to the outcome the teacher wanted.

14. Directions were clear and well understood by students during transitions from one activity to the next.

15. Teacher as a "talking head" did not exceed 15 minutes.

16. Teacher used proximity to control student behavior.

17. Teacher's questions during discussion were at all levels of cognition, including evaluation and synthesis.

18. Teacher demonstrated adequate wait time.

19. Important points were reinforced by writing them on the board or through use of other media'

20. Students talk and activities clearly added to the concepts developed during the lesson.

21. Appropriate use of technology was used to support the lesson.

22. The lesson developed appropriate content concepts as supported by standards.

23. The lesson made connections to the real world.

24. The lesson integrated concepts with other subject areas.

25. The lesson was developed using appropriate teaching methods. Closing of Class Period:

26. Teacher reminded students what they learned (recap).

27. Teacher gave homework to reinforce the lessons learned.

28. Teacher previewed the direction that the class would be headed. Debriefing:

29. Did you observe a well-planned lesson with an initiation, a clear sequence of activities, and engagement of students in the learning process? Describe and explain.

30. Did you observe clear transitions from one part of the lesson to the next, bringing students along by the teacher's giving clear directions. Describe and explain.

31. Did you observe the teacher engage students with direct questions using student names and waiting for answers? Describe and explain

32. Was there good pacing which limited wasting time and increased time on task? Describe and explain.

33. Did you see good classroom management with the teacher constantly alert, monitoring students, giving positive feedback, moving around to engage students, and listening carefully to individual students? Describe and explain.

34. Did students add to the generation of knowledge through group work, process writing, Q/A, or reflective statements? Describe and explain

G. Classroom Participation

1. Ask permission to go around the class and help individual students during work time. What observations do you make regarding students' understandings?

2. Does the school have a after-school tutoring activity? If so, offer to help. What are your observations?

3. Ask the teacher if you could plan one lesson and present to the class. Use the questions in Part F to evaluate your own teaching.

4. What do you perceive as your own strengths?