Guided Response: Respond to a minimum of two classmates. What ideas did you gather from their…

 Guided Response: Respond to a minimum of two classmates. What ideas did you gather from their observations that were different from your own? Provide constructive feedback regarding the strategies they’d like to try in their own current or future setting. 

  

Lafogaula Leafa-O'Brien

Part 1

Wessling's strategy of teaching leaned more towards trying to teach students how to think. I believe this is particularly every teacher's main goal in teaching today. Wessling talked about the four components of the instructional model, which is the "Gradual Release of Responsibilities. The main idea of this instructional model, was so that teachers can teach for the purpose of shifting the information towards the learners. Throughout her lessons, she has touched base on these four components as her strategy in teaching her students how to teach. At the end, after all the discussions, guided practices, collaboration, and finally independent practices, the students were able to stand up and present to their teacher as well as their class, what they thought of the content. They were able to own their own learning in group works as well as described how they were thinking individually, as Wessling described it in the video. 

As suggested in "Of Learning and Assessment", the purpose of assessments is 1) improve teaching and learning, and 2) is to measure the student's achievement for the purpose of providing a grade. (Lefrancois, pg. 1.1, 2013). Wessling uses the instructional model and its four components to help her meet her students right where they're at plus more. She promotes critical thinking by allowing her students explore the way they think about the content that they're learning. These students learn not just by listening to their teacher lecture all day, but by working with her as well as their peers. Wessling then allows her students to present their work and participate in discussions so she can hear what they have to say and what they're thinking. I think this is a great way to assess students for learning because then the teacher truly becomes aware of what his/her students understand and don't understand.

Part 2

In Ms. Wessling's class, I was able to see and observe that the students worked collaboratively with one another during their group work. Then Wessling influenced them to own up to their own learning by discussing what they thought of the subject. She mentioned that sometimes it's easier to do group works because there would be just one student doing all the work while the other doesn't. This is why she made sure she was able to hear from every student individually although it was a group work. With this, she was also able to get feedback in of what they learned in order to keep moving forward with the learning. 

I was able to observe everything according to the video. 

The students were able to examine their own thinking by discussing what they talked or read about. Wessling asked her students to discuss what they as readers, can relate to react towards what they read about. With this, the students were able to answer according to what they were thinking rather than shouting out an answer they read from a book. 

In the beginning of the video, Wessling mentioned that she thinks teachers can meet the students where they are just by the way they design their instructions. She creates her instruction after understanding her students. Wessling evaluates, analyzes, and then applies the information to make sense of what they are learning. As a result, the students understood the concept, and probably remember it.

I think I would like to try the Instructional Model and the four concepts inside my own classroom. This model could definitely help students of all grade levels become comfortable in talking about what they think about the subject. 

Reference: Lefrançois, G. R. (pg. 1.1, 2013). Of learning and assessment [Electronic Version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

 

 

Briana Austin

Part 1

While watching the video Ms. Wessling really made her class think for themselves. She was asking them different questions that required more than a yes or no answer, she also had them write how they got to the analyst in their group work on a sticky note.

 The sticky note is a great for her to assess for learning, on them she had them write how they came up with their part of the group work. By doing this she was seeing what the kids knew and understood. This tells her what they need to work on more if needed.

Part 2

Describe what you observed from Ms. Wessling’s video that represents each of these strategies. 

While watching the video of Ms. Wessling I was able to see her sharing the information with the class at the start of the video. The class was also helping each other while they did the group project. During the group project the kids took ownership of their work by using the post it notes at the end of the project. They wrote how they came up with their part and what they did.

Were there any that you did not observe?

During the video I was not able to see her seeing what the class knew before she started and giving them feedback.

What evidence was there of Ms. Wessling’s students examining their own thinking?

They were able to examine their own thinking by putting their ideas on the post it notes and presenting the group project because they had to talk about how they got there.

What did you see from her video that you’d like to try (remember best practices are transferable across grade and age levels)?

I really want to be able to do more meeting with kids and talking to them about their ideas and sharing my ideas with them. I also really liked the post it notes idea because you are able to see where the kids are, but it is no pressure on them.  

Reference

Hawker Brownlow Education.  (2012, April 1).Embedded formative assessment – Dylan Wiliam [Video File]. Retrieved fromEmbedded Formative Assessment – Dylan Wiliam 

Teaching Channel. (2011). Improving practice with Sarah Brown Wessling (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/improving-teacher-practice