Literacy Observation

In March our Literacy Expert visited the Junior High.  For this visit, two staff from each department worked together to develop a lesson that incorporated a literacy strategy.  Both teachers would teach the same lesson with an audience watching.  The audience included the department members that taught the same subject, the building Literacy Coach, and the Literacy Expert consultant.  Prior to the observation, we conferenced, sent information to our building Literacy Coach, and  provided items that we wanted the observers to watch for. 

For the observation, we were wrapping up a unit on working with exponents.  We had created a concept map / graphic organizer that included all the operations that could be done on exponents.  Students described the operation, gave examples with variables, and then gave examples and non-examples with numbers.  It was a great exercise for the students to pull everything together that we had done in this chapter and have it on one page.

After the observation, we conferenced and talked about how the lesson went.  As a whole, I think it was very successful.  Students were engaged, talking to each other, and problem solving.  I will definitely use the concept map again next year when we teach this unit.  I think I might use the concept map through the unit and add to it as we go, instead of using it to summarize at the end.

To summarize, a stressful activity, but useful when it was completed.  The students were not very excited about having 5 extra adults in the room watching everything they did, but they did great!