VTS: Week 5 Peer Coaching #1

VTS Peer Coaching #1

Lori-

The inferences your students made about the image like, “digging for…oil, gold, clay, etc.” and the setting being Egypt “because the colors look like a desert” show background knowledge possibly learned in other content areas.  I think it’s great that they are making inferences and connections!

In response to them being surprised by your paraphrasing, I agree with you- I also think VTS will provide validation for students.  You made me think twice about how I respond to students’ answers in other activities/situations, and I admittedly move on when I receive a correct response.  Using paraphrasing in VTS should help teachers with this as well.  This will make me more cognizant of validating them through acknowledgement with other lessons.

You said students were “relatively engaged” but you did have them view silently before beginning.  Good job!  I had to reiterate the silent viewing with my seventh grade students also.  With more VTS experiences, I think our students will begin to do this without having to be prompted.  This is probably another learned behavior…the teacher puts something on the board, and they immediately start to talk about/question the activity.

I was really impressed with your response to the student who made the comment about the writing.  Whether his intention was to share his observation or to be inappropriate (I’m thinking this may have been an attempt to get a laugh from the others), but you handled it beautifully!

You mentioned the students talking over each other in your reflection and planning- I like the idea of silent hand signals.  An object, like talking stick, came to mind for me- something the student’s have to pass around to signal their turn.  This might not be allowed (for lack of a better word) in VTS; we could ask Mary for some insight.  It also may just take practice.  It sounds like your first lesson went very well!  Great job!

:) Ginia