Observation Experience

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Teacher: Thelia A. Lisle
Campus: Stamford High School
Subject: Web Mastering

My classroom is set up in a very unique fashion. In its former life, my classroom was a library. It is very large and divide into two classrooms. The other classroom belongs to Thelia Lisle, a fellow TATC person. So through out the year I have conveniently taken advantage of observing her Web Mastering class. It has been a great experience for me.

The web mastering class is small, only three or four students. The size of the class has made the learning experience more individualized. The students in the class were at various levels in their experience and ability, but this did not seem to affect the the class. The instructor was able to challenge each student on their level.

At first the students learned a few basic skills using a text, but after that the instructor found different resources for the students. I know that finding the resources and working through the projects before assigning them to the students took a lot of time. At times the instructor created her own assignments and handouts.

I liked how the instructor used assignments. Both individual assignments and group assignments were given to the students. At times the students were given very defined criteria and other times the were given allowed to be more creative. I feel that this is a great way to teach students what the will eventually experience in the work place.


Teacher: Amanda Hadaway
Campus: Haskell High School
Subject: Video Technology

I had the opportunity to visit Mrs. Hadaway's Video Technology class this past spring while they were working on their final group project. I was only in the classroom for a short time but I was very interested in how her class was formed.

The class was only a semester class and was preceded by digital graphics and animation. While I was there, I asked her about the two classes. Unfortunately, the class did not get to spend as much time on Video because of software problems. So for the first part of the semester the students worked with examples of video and learning terms. This problem is more common than we think. I know that at times I have not been able to do what I've planned because the software or hardware did not work. So I've learned that we have to have a back up plan.

The project that the students were working on was great. In groups of two they were to create a video about the war with Iraq. They were to find music, pictures, and video on the war to create their video. You could tell that the students really liked the assignment and it showed in their final product.

I noticed that while the students were working with the video that they were all wearing headphones. At first I wondered if they had that much freedom in the classroom. Then Mrs. Hadaway explained that the headphones were more for her own peace. It allowed the students to focus on their video and sound without being distracted by the group next to them. Once I saw them at work I thought it was a great idea. I think I would only allow the headphones if students were working with sound files.

Goals / Observation / Reflection / Standards I-XI / Standards Matrix / Site Map
I, II, III, IV, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI