Observation

Observer: Danna Ritchie

Classroom: 4th Grade
Curriculum Area: Social Studies
Date: 3/1/16
Time: 8:45-9:40

Objective posted on board: I can explain why and how North Carolina was established.
The teacher had playlists for each student that were differentiated. They were
differentiated into SSI, SSA, and SSO. Teacher classifies these groups as Social
Studies Intensive Care, Social Studies Advanced, and Social Studies On Grade Level.
All students were covering the same material but had different personalized learning
activities to complete. Some of the different activities included close reading,
checkpoint on notecards, skim and scan text, worksheets, using iPads to listen to
videos, reading the textbook, completing a quiz from the book, and completing
timelines.
This type of differentiation we have discussed in some of our Methods Classes.
All students are reading about the same topic but the assessments they are completing
are differentiated by the students ability level. For example, the SSA group had to
complete a full time line chart while the SSI group had some of it filled out for them
already.
As students complete some of their playlist, the teacher will spot check to see
their progress. On many activities such as the quiz or questions from the text, if they do
not get it correct the first time they are given the opportunity to correct it before receiving
their final grade. The teacher tries to meet with each student individually each day to
check their progress. I believe giving them an opportunity to correct their work is a good
idea as long as they are truly trying to do their best. Many times I witnessed the teacher
rereading the question to the student because they simply did not fully follow directions.
In this class they do not have any direct instruction with their Social Studies
lessons. It is primarily personalized learning. They all have text books, playlists, and
other materials that are needed to compete their playlists. Some of these materials
include sticky notes, note cards, construction paper, tape, scissors, and other supplies.
The personalized learning element was an interesting concept to observe. The
students work individually for the most part and are actively busy during class time.
They are given choices in some of their activities such as making up a game to go with
vocabulary words or choosing their own way to create a timeline.
The only negative I observed during personalized learning through playlists was
when some students were not on task. Some did not get anything accomplished all day
therefore at the end of the week were very behind. The teacher is meeting with
students individually checking their progress but there can still be a student that spends
thirty minutes of the class getting nothing accomplished. I believe personalized learning
has benefits but it may also hinder some students and allow them to fall even more
behind.