This is the link to the evaluation rubric I used during my Peer Observation. The follow up discussion is included in the link as well as here. The ist part of this project is called "Peer Observation of Scatter Square Dance lesson" and includes the evaluation and follow up discusssion of my teaching a lesson.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AVlOPk4HLv-yZGMydzRoZGJfNWNqdDY2cWdj&hl=en

Post Lesson Discussion:

I enjoyed watching Vicki do the same lesson that I did previously. It makes it easier to evaluate when you compare apples to apples. The biggest difference was the size of her class and that it consisted of all students who qualified for adapted PE for one reason or another.

 Vicki had 11 students in this class of 5th and 6th graders. I was initially concerned because I thought the lesson might be too “young” for this age group. I usually do Scatter Square Dance with 3rd and 4th grade and more traditional square dance with 5th and 6th grade. As it turned out, this lesson worked just fine with this group of students.

Vicki warmed up her students by having them run/walk for 3 minutes before the main activity. She explained that this is their standard warm up because she wants to build their cardio endurance for the Presidential Fitness test that the 5th graders must take in the spring. Her system was interesting and I would like to incorporate something like this in my classes. Each time the students make it around the track during the allotted time, they receive a plastic coffee stirrer to hold on to. They accumulate these sticks during the warm up period for every lap completed. At the end of the warm up time, the number of coffee stirrers (laps) is written next to their name on a class chart and the stirrers are returned to the cup.  The students monitor their own progress to see if they are increasing the number of laps they complete. After a month of walking/running for the same time limit, the time is increased to seven minutes and the cycle of self monitoring continues. Each week the students’ goal is to maintain or increase the number of laps for that time period. The time increases by 2 minutes each month and stays steady at 11 minutes.  The students are competing against themselves not each other.

It is easier/faster to write the progress on a chart, but I think I’d like the privacy of each student having their own record card.

For the main lesson, I was in awe of Vicki’s repoire with each of her students. She has built up a very trusting and caring relationship with these students. Many of these kids have been in her program since 1st grade when they qualified for APE. They were very comfortable with each other, but there was a clear sense of mutual respect. I think sometimes I am afraid of letting my guard down because I don’t want to risk getting too familiar and then jeopardizing class control. It was nice to see that it isn’t an either or situation.

I think she liked the lesson as is because she didn't really change a lot when it came to procedures and instruction. Vicki did select a few individual and partner moves from the list instaed of doing them all, because she felt it would have been too much for this particular group.

 I’m not familiar with the specific IEP’s of each student, but it is clear just by observing that they are in the right program. Gross motor skills and coordination were issues with at least half of the students in the class. Perhaps this is why the lesson was at an appropriate level for these students: their chronological age doesn’t make their muscular/skeletal age (Pangrazi. P.27)

Vicki made it a point during the lesson to communicate personally with each of the 11 students. Most of that interaction was positive, specific feedback: “You found your partner so quickly.” “Your feet and hands are listening to the beat.” I noticed that her feedback consisted of statements without value judgments. She explained that she wants the students to find the value themselves, not because she said it was good. I’m not sure I totally understand or agree with this, but it gives me something to think about. Pangrazi says, “Adding specific information or value to feedback improves student behavior.” (2004, p.72) Each of Pangrazi’s examples include a positive reinforcer such as, “Wow” or “Good job”, or “I’m impressed” followed by specific content statements.

Since I wanted to improve my closing activity, I paid careful attention to this part of Vicki’s lesson. Pangrazi says this part of the lesson brings closure “through evaluation of the days accomplishments-stressing and reinforcing skills learned, revisiting performance techniques, and checking cognitive concepts.” (2004, p.60)

 Here is how it went: At the end of the Scatter Square dancing portion of the lesson, after the various steps were taught and practiced to music, Vicki blew her whistle twice. This was a cue for the students to all hustle in around her and begin slow marching in place and stretching. While they are doing this (without any directions to do so from Vicki) she spoke to them about her observations from the lesson. She praised them for following directions quickly and how safety conscious they were. She said she appreciated that. She also had the students take their pulse at the wrist while she timed 6 seconds on her watch. They multiplied their beats times 10 and got their heart rate. She didn’t ask for students to share their numbers but instead explained the value of increasing your heart rate during exercise. All of this took less than 4 minutes. The students were cooled down and ready to line up with their teacher. I think I can incorporate this type of information into my closing activities. It is a good time to teach the kids, in short snippets, about good health and body composition.