Video Reflection #2:

This video observation was interesting in that it was taken during transition time. I had students coming and going throughout the first seven or eight minutes! I liked being able to how those students react when they come back to my classroom after Title and Gifted classes. The video was like a third eye watching those students for me at a transitioning time that always seems a little bit off task and slow motion.

I was teaching a lesson on how to create setting in your writing. I felt really comfortable with the lesson and I was very well prepared for it. Based on what I saw, my body language, voice, and facial expressions were much more open and inviting this time. I didn’t catch myself repeating my favorite words “Alrighty” and “Okay guys, let..” as often either. Though I did say “Okay guys, lets get out our books.”, I didn’t have the broken record syndrome going on! I also noticed that I used many encouraging words and my tone of voice was positive and uplifting.

I seemed to struggle with my classroom management in this observation more than the last time. I watched my pullout kids walk into the room talking and distracting the rest of the students. I asked them to be quiet and told them that we would finish quickly and to read while they were waiting. I didn’t notice that they paid absolutely no attention to me as they went right on ahead talking and distracting the students that I was teaching at that time. I watched them all sit there as I finished my lesson and do absolutely nothing! I didn’t even notice because typically they always read when they are waiting for us to finish.

When I finally noticed that they were not paying attention, I told them to please be quiet a few more times after that. They just kept on talking and laughing. Now that I’ve seen that this situation was my fault, I thought about a few ways to prevent this from happening again. I have decided that I can’t get mad at them for the distractions because I have never once went over my expectations of them when they enter the class and I am finishing a lesson. I have decided to have a short five minute conversation on how I expect them to behave when they transition back in the class and what their options are if I am still teaching.