Samantha Butkus

November 2016
Day Five Reflection
The fifth week clinicals followed the theme of science as we taught a lesson on how to
make kaleidoscopes. During this lesson, they were able to make hypothesis about the reflections
created from their drawings when viewed through the kaleidoscope. After seeing the results, the
students then altered their designs to better cater to what they wanted to see. Illinois Professional
Teaching Standards 7 and 8 were implemented during this lesson.
Standard 7- Communication states that the competent teacher uses knowledge of
effective written, verbal, non-verbal, and visual communication techniques to foster active
inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom (IPTS) and in the classroom
during this lesson, all forms of the communication methods were taking place. At the end of each
class session, students write on the board what the learned that day. Throughout class time,
questions are proposed to students to keep them thinking about the art they are about to make or
are currently making, and they answer them both verbally and though the work itself. A visual
communication also takes place here. Section 7D of the Knowledge Indicators portion of this
standard states that the competent teacher understands the importance of audience and purpose
when selecting ways to communicate ideas (IPTS) and this was applied as I provided additional
support to students that showed confusion or frustration and introduced them to alternative
actions in creating the art that made more sense to them. The Performance Indicators Section 7J
states that the competent teacher practices effective listening, conflict resolution, and groupfacilitation skills as a team member (IPTS) and was practiced because there were four coteachers instructing thirty students at one time. Being able to effectively communicate with both
the co-teachers and the students was necessary in order to have a smooth-running lesson.
Standard 8- Assessment states that the competent teacher understands various formal
and informal assessment strategies and uses them to support the continuous development of

students (IPTS) and under the Knowledge Indicators portion, section 8B states that the
competent teacher understands the purposes, characteristics, and limitations of different kinds of
assessments (IPTS) which were all taking place throughout the course of this lesson as I
recognized that not each student will produce similar work, and that the student who makes one
in depth kaleidoscope disk should not receive a lower grade than a student who made several
simpler kaleidoscope disks. Both students learned the material and approached it in different
ways. Standard 8 also states under the Performance Indicators Section 8K that the competent
teacher involves students in self-assessment activities to help them become aware of their
strengths and needs and encourages them to establish goals for learning (IPTS) and was applied
as the students viewed their disks through their kaleidoscopes. During this time, students saw
how the patterns and drawings created on their disks reflected in the kaleidoscope, and from
there altered pieces of the deign that they felt did no provide a composition that they liked when
reflected. They were able to come to a conclusion whether it was a lack of color or pattern, or if
it was the color and pattern choices themselves.
The kaleidoscope lesson went well overall but got slightly hectic with such a large group
of students listening to four different teachers, two of which they were not used to. Chaos aside,
the lesson was a success and each student was actively engaged in the creations of kaleidoscopes
and wanted to create multiple visually interesting disks to view.