Observation Sheet – Questioning

(Please complete this form for both primary and secondary professional experiences and
place in your ePortfolio)

Graduate Standards - AITSL

Professional Knowledge: 1. Know students and how they learn
Professional Practice: 2. Plan and implement effective teaching and
learning

Question Type

Do you feel your questions I do feel as though my questions were well structured and understood by
were clearly structured and the students.
readily understood by the
students? I always made a point of asking the students if they understood and if a
group didn’t we would go over it again, or if an individual didn’t
understand then I would re structure my question to help them.

Did you use a variety of Yes. I used closed questions in my macro lesson. E.g. I asked the students
question types? what the structure of a narrative was, looking for specific information.

I used open questions in both my micro and macro lessons, opening up

conversation amongst the students and myself. E.g. I asked the students
what they loved about their father’s and to discuss it with the small
group.

What balances was there There was a great balance between the various question types. Through a
between the various questions variety of questions, students were able to think of answer and ideas on
types? their own but it also allowed for them to brainstorm ideas with a partner
or group to further information that they might not have known.

Consider both why and when I made use of the open questions to allow for students to engage in a class
you made use of the different discussion, all contributing their individual ideas to create an inclusive
question types? environment.

I made use of closed questions when I was looking for a specific answer
from the students.
Distributing and Directing Questions

Did you recognise any pattern In both of my lessons I did use a mixture of both open and closed
in the distribution of your questions. I didn’t want to ask the students just open questions as I felt
questions amongst the like that wouldn’t have resulted in a structured lesson but I did include
students? Consider reasons them as I wanted the students to discuss their ideas. Similar with the
for this pattern? closed questions… I didn’t ask only closed questions as I didn’t want the
student to become bored or disinterested as there is no interaction so I
did mix in closed questions when looking for particular information.

How have you directed If there were a group of students I knew that were struggling I would
questions to the group? quiz them surrounding the topic. E.g. When helping students with
maths, they had to figure out multiples and divisions of 3 so I would
read out the question and pin point key words and numbers as well as
read the sentence in a way to help them understand i.e. 15 / 3 … how
many in each group if we separate 15 in to 3 groups.

Have you used “wait” time? Yes. I waited a short time when asking questions, which allowed for
students to think about the question being asked rather then letting the
students that know the answer straight away, take lead.

Did you make eye contact with Yes. I believe making eye contact with the student’s keeps the students
the group as you directed your engaged and stops them from letting their mind wander as they could
questions? feel like they’re being watched.

Reactions to Student’s Responses

When a student gave the correct answer I did praise them but not over
How do you deal with correct the top. I used encouraging words such as ‘great answer’, ‘fantastic’ and
responses? Do you qualify any even ‘that’s right’.
praise given?

When students gave the incorrect answer I didn’t straight out tell them
How do you deal with incorrect they were wrong, I would say something such as ‘not quite but you’re
responses? How do you deal almost there, have another go’.
with students who stumble and If the student was close to an answer but not detailed enough I would
grope for an answer? encourage them to keep going into detail.

What use do you make of the I did redirect questions to get an extended answer. I found some students
student’s responses to develop would briefly and simply answer the question so to get them thinking I
the teaching point? Have you furthered the question e.g. I asked the students what the structure of a
redirected any questions in narrative was and a few answered with just the titles of the structure so I
 order to add to an initial furthered the question by asking what do you involve in each section
response? (orientation, climax, resolution and conclusion).

Are you the only evaluator of Yes I am the only evaluator who determines whether to students
the student’s answers? question was right or ‘wrong’ however I did allow for students to build
on other’s answers but there was never any discussion about another
child’s answer.

Overall Comments

Overall the students were great and didn’t have any major issues in understanding
any questions that I asked and if they did they were confident enough to put their
hands up or come and ask me for a further explanation.
Each student was willing to have a go at answering questions and if they weren’t on
the right track they were eager to give it another go.
Observation Sheet – Management
(Please complete this form for both primary and secondary professional experiences and
place in your e portfolio)

Graduate Standards – AITSL

Professional Practice:
1. Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments
2. Planning for Effective Management

Was your lesson plan effective

for managing the class? I think my lessons were effective in managing the class as when we did
the macro lesson there was a silent environment allowing for the students
e.g. How did the students to focus.
react to your lesson overall The micro lesson was also managed well as having a small grouped
and to your planned activities? tables allowed for me to keep a close eye on everyone.

Did anything unexpected The students reacted well to the activities, expressing their excitement
happen? and enjoying the tasks.

Did you provide a variety of Nothing major happened unexpected however there were questions that
activities? the students asked that were challenging in regards to their home life.

Were you satisfied with your I did not have a variety of activities surrounding the topic but I did have
timing, particularly for the end activities for the students to complete if they finished their work early.
of the lesson?
I was happy with my timing of my creative writing lesson but my timing
Did you feel you were able to for my Father’s Day card was a bit off... taking longer than it should have.
change things if needed?
I was able to change a couple of things with my Father’s Day card
activity. The students were meant to cut their own papers out but as they
struggled with cutting shapes, I prepared the cut out papers for them.

Were you aware of classroom I was aware of the classroom/school disciplinary policy and how it
procedures and school worked.
disciplinary policy? How
much did you know about your In the short week I knew a bit about the students. I learnt about them
students? through discussions as well as my mentor teacher informing me of things
to look out for e.g. autism, home life.
How did your mentor teacher
maintain a safe learning My mentor teacher had built great relationships with each student, each
environment? of them knowing they were able to speak to her about anything. She kept
the learning environment safe through the use of class rules, allowing for
What strategies did your the students to express themselves, never putting them down and by the
observe your mentor teacher use of flexi seating.
using to maintain this?
 She used strategies such as having a judgement free zone, celebrating
their work by displaying it around the room. Flexi seating allowed for the
students to choose where to sit which will allow for them to work their
best, whether it being at a table, on the floor with a little desk or even in a
spot on their own.

Maintaining a Positive Attitude in the Classroom

How did you demonstrate to I built great relationships with the students in such a short time. I made
the students that you valued sure to constantly be positive through my tone of voice and facial
them, and enjoyed learning? expressions.

e.g. Tone of voice, facial I always showed interest in what the students were telling me to make
expression, sense of humour, sure they knew that I valued them and the things they had to share.
introduction to students and
topic.

Which aspects of your I think the pace of the lesson and my calming and patient nature helped
teaching style do you feel the students to stay engaged with the activity at hand.
helped you maintain class
attention? Involving the students in group discussions or with partners also helped
as specially focusing on coming up with a storyline, they all got quite
e.g. Variety of activities, class excited and started brainstorming ideas continuously, then when asked
or group discussion, pace of to share with the class every student wanted to contribute.
lesson, interest at class level.

Did the students know what Yes. There had already been a standard set within the class throughout
was expected of them? the year so a simple reminder of that and they were great.

Were you able to redirect Yes. The students were really great if another student was trying to
energies of attention seeking disturb the class. They would often just ignore it and continue on with
students? Did the students their work as their was always an early finisher task.
have enough to do?

Dealing with Minor Misbehaviour

Were you aware of what was Yes I was aware as I constantly was walking around the class, checking
happening in all parts of the up on each student’s progress and helping them if they needed.
classroom? Did you know
what each student was doing? By walking around the classroom I was able to look over the shoulders of
the students and make sure they were staying focused on their task.

Did you take any action when Luckily, there was no majorly poor behaviour within the classroom
you observed poor behaviour? during the week, just students getting distracted. The actions I took were
Why? Why not? using encouraging words to get them back on to their task, walking
around the classroom and standing near where they were seated.

Did you use non-verbal cues? Definitely. When a child was misbehaving I would pause, waiting for
e.g. Contact, pause, gesture, them to pay attention, and if they didn’t get to hit to stop I would look at
movement toward student/s them with raised eyebrows suggesting that they stop. This worked quite
concerned. well in this classroom.

Overall Comments

This class of students were fantastic. While there were definitely a few minor
disruptions/attention-seeking behaviours, each student reacted to my lessons in such
a positive and willing way. They were all encouraging and supportive of their peers
and very well mannered. Students knew what standard was expected from not only
themselves but as a class and they made teaching them a positive and calm
experience.
Schools as text – looking at the whole school

Describe the school in terms of its The school seemed to be quite big in regards to
demographics, appearance and number of students and also in terms of its
resources (be general here and do not appearance.
name the school). I am unsure about the other year groups but year 3
classes consisted of 20 students resulting in 4-5
classes for this year group. My mentor teacher
informed me that they kept the student numbers low
in the classes as the students work better with more
of intimate attention.

The school is kept very clean and the teacher dress

appropriately.

There were resources available from my mentor

teacher… she allowed us to use her resources if we
liked something we saw. The whole school also
uses a particular maths program including books
and online access to information, which works great
in the classroom.

What were the roles and

responsibilities of the teaching staff Of course there is the roles of lesson planning and
you observed? teaching the lesson but a role I saw my mentor
teacher take on was almost as if she was their third
parent.

My mentor was a positive role model for the

students in her class, and the ones outside of her
class. She was constantly talking to the students
positively and with such care.

A responsibility that my mentor teacher also took on

was creating a safe environment with the students.
Students often informed my mentor about what was
happening at home, especially the ones that lacked
family support. Students would walk into the class
and be so excited to see her and give her a hug on
their way in.
What did you observe non-teaching
staff doing to support teaching and Every morning the school Chaplin holds a breakfast club for
learning in the school? the students that do not get fed at home. Food provided
involves toast, with spreads, and cereal.
There are also sandwiches available for students at lunchtime
if they were sent to school without food.

As we know it is very hard to focus when we are hungry so this

supports the students learning in helping them fill up and be
able to focus on the learning and not their empty stomachs.

Students

You will have observed the diverse

nature of your classes. How was Diversity in learning levels was supported through my mentor
this diversity supported? teacher helping the ones that needed it as well as a teacher’s aide
sitting in the classroom for a few lessons a week.

As there is diversity in the levels each student is at, the school has
a program where they have a group of students attending a session
every day to try and build them up to being on the level they should
be.

Classroom activities are also set at the standards of the students.

As an example; for reading and writing they have groups of the
same/similar capabilities that the students work in to progress their
abilities. Once the student is constantly exceeding their level, they
will move to the next level group.
Function of Schools

Did you observe the connection

of your schools with the broader While during the week they didn’t have activities involving the
community? How did this broader community, the previous week they had Bunnings come and
happen? create a toolbox with them for their father’s.

What do you think the function of

school is? The function of the school is definitely a safe place for each student.
The students have the ability to come to school and figure out who
they are with the support of the teachers and staff as sometimes it in
hard to figure out who you are if there is insufficient support from their
families at home.

The function of the school is to also support each student in their

learning, helping them achieve goals and be the best that they
possibly can be.

Throughout my schooling I have always had a positive view of

teachers, understanding that they are there to help you learn and
support you when and where needed.

Reflection – think about your What has changed is my views on how big of a role they are in some
experiences during the week and children’s lives. Some students really rely on their teachers for
describe how your previous educational support and even to have them as someone they can put
experiences have informed your their trust in to.
view of teachers and schools.
Has anything changed? Teachers are definitely more than just a teacher.