Janet
Walters
MTTC
ESC Region XI
Documentation of My Cognitive Coaching
Experience
Formative Conference as the Teacher
Janet, the teacher. I have done my professional development
plan; it's really not that hard unless I am missing something. My understanding is that you are to comment
on it, and then I respond to your comments, and then you comment again, and so
on. I am to make a copy of our email
conversation to document that we had the pre-conference. Sooooo, here it is.
http://www.edtech.esc11.net/regXImttc/jan03/jwalters/profdevplan.htm
Peter, the coach. I reviewed your goals and will probably use
yours as a template for mine. The only comments I have are minor:
1. What age/grade are you teaching?
2. Is this one class period, or a series of classes?
3. Do you need to list the vocabulary words?
When dealing with digital cameras you may need to discuss
file size. This web site is great http://www.howstuffworks.com
There are sections on file compression, and how digital
cameras work.
Janet, the teacher. The students range from 5th grade to 9th grade. Their level of English language varies widely with little
relationship to their age. For example,
one eighth-grader has a 100-word vocabulary of the English language while one
of the fifth graders will soon exit ESL.
The project will take several class periods because of their low ability
to use English. They get a vocabulary
list each week (about 20 words). We have
recently been studying family names (aunt, uncle, grandparent, etc.) and travel words
(airport, freeway, bridge, etc.), they will use those words in their
compositions.
I think your best question is the one about
vocabulary. That question encourages me
to consider how I will evaluate their use of the vocabulary words.
Formative Conference as the Coach
Janet,
Please comment on my goals page.
Don't forget your PD and Journal for tonight.
Thanks.
What kind of images and where the teachers will get the
images?
Will some teachers be intimidated by Dreamweaver?
Do they all have the program on their classroom computers?
Could you use Word to do the same thing and have less
frustration?
I have done several professional
development sessions in which I have taught all teachers in the district to
create a web page using Word. For most
teachers, Word does all they want. Based
on my experience, I would not use Dreamweaver with
non-tech teachers; they will think it is too hard and they will find upkeep too
difficult.
For the all day class I take pictures with a digital
camera, edit and optimize the pictures for the learners. For a short class or
tech classes with the teachers, I provide generic pictures to be used.
Will some teachers be intimidated by Dreamweaver?
Some teachers are intimidated when I ask them to rename a
folder. For the most part, my teachers have faith in me and know I won't ask
them to do anything that they can't handle. Dreamweaver
MX is much more user friendly than previous versions. The same goes for Flash
MX and Fireworks MX.
Do they all have the program on their classroom computers?
No. After the training they can have it loaded on their
classroom PC. We have licenses to accommodate all of the teacher stations, and
all of the Tech Apps labs.
Could you use Word to do the same thing and have less
frustration?
No. Word brings with it a huge overhead of excess code.
The files are not easily convertible to other software. With the Macromedia
package of Dreamweaver, Flash, and Fireworks, we have
powerful tools to edit images and create web sites. For anything beyond a
generic page, a more powerful tool than Word is needed.
I have done several professional development sessions in
which I have taught all teachers in the district to create a web page using
Word. For most teachers, Word does all
they want. Based on my experience, I
would not use Dreamweaver with non-tech teachers;
they will think it is too hard and they will find upkeep too difficult.
Upkeep of a site created with Dreamweaver, and using templates and/or frames will be
manageable by those teachers who will attempt the upkeep. Many, of course, will
create the site to satisfy a requirement, and never change it once.
Pre-conference
as the Teacher
Janet E. Walters, the teacher writes:
Peter,
Please take a look at my instructional strategies table and
give me feedback for our pre-conference documentation.
Thanks,
Janet
Peter Baron, the
coach facilitates inquiry in blue:
Janet responds in
red:
Will investigate available
assistive technology in my school district
This is a good idea. Maybe
there could be a list published for all teachers to reference.
Will consider the individual
needs of my students
Do you get copies of IEPs? Or do you need to go to special ed
to read them?
At my school, the special ed director distributes copies of the modifications that are
mandated by the IEP. The document is a
summary of the IEP. Teachers know from
the modification sheet what special accommodations they need to implement, and
if they need more explanation, the files are open to any teacher to view the
entire student's record, including testing and determinations of the ARD.
Consider each individual student
activity to be sure that it is characterized by accessibility and equity
How do you plan to do this?
I will look at each student
activity I have listed on the Instructional Strategies Form and consider if any
student would have any problem doing the activity.
Make notes in the lesson plan to
indicate the need for assistive technology
Would you do this during the
planning process?
Yes
Peter, thanks for your questions.
Pre-Conference as the Coach
Peter writes,
Janet,
Please send me your comments/questions.
Janet writes,
The lesson first indicates that your "students"
are teachers, and then later you say that the students belong to a special
education class. You need to clarify.
Here are some questions to ponder:
Will the PowerPoint presentation have a designated purpose;
that is, will you determine the purpose and audience for the presentation they
create?
Will you require a minimum number of slides?
Will they learn about images and where will they get the
images?
Will they incorporate sound, transitions, and animation? If so, where will they get the sound
files?
Will they use templates?
Will they use drawing tools?
How will you determine mastery?
Will the students have an opportunity to showcase their PP
presentations?
Will the presentations be useful to them after the lesson?
Janet,
These are my responses for the pre-conference record:
Your questions are in black.
The actual teacher's responses to my questions are in
purple.
My responses are in blue.
Will the PowerPoint presentation have a designated purpose;
that is, will you determine the purpose and audience for the presentation they
create?
The students have done research with a partner on a career
field (technology, health care, sports and entertainment, trades...) They will have 7 slides to create. Each slide is to contain specific information
(slide 1 - title page, slide 2 - examples of careers in this field, slide 3 -
strengths needed....)
They spent class time today with 7 notecards. On each notecard,
they had to write out what they wanted on their slide (we checked spelling,
etc). I did this so that Monday could be
spent focusing on learning Power Point and not worrying about what they have to
write on each slide. They are ready to
make their first slide.
Will you require a minimum number of slides?
They are required to make the 7 slides and add at least 3
pieces of clip art. They will get extra
points if they use animation, color changes, etc...
Will they learn about images and where will they get the
images?
I will provide several clip-art images, and the instructions
for their use.
Will they incorporate sound, transitions, and
animation? If so, where will they get
the sound files?
I will teach simple animation, and sound. Animation will only be transitions. Sound will be the transition sounds provided
with PowerPoint.
Will they use templates?
We will use generic slides until they complete their seven
slides. Time permitting, we will add a template to the
project. I think we need to wait until the end to get sidetracked by all the
color schemes and layouts available.
Will they use drawing tools?
No.
How will you determine mastery?
Mastery for this class will be the successful completion of
7 slides.
Will the students have an opportunity to showcase their PP
presentations?
Their presentations will also be judged on Friday (next
Fri) and the top 2 teams will get prizes.
This presentation counts as 3 test grades.
Will the presentations be useful to them after the lesson?
I may try to incorporate Power Point into something in the
future, but we will continue using the mobile labs on Wednesday to wrap up
their presentation, practice using it, so they will feel comfortable presenting
on Friday.
In response to my being evaluated during this class, the
teacher said:
She is more than welcome to come. In fact, I think it would be good for her to
come. According to the comments she
often makes when I bring the size of my room to her attention, she has no idea
what I do. Bringing you and her along with
the laptop cart into my room, will show her just how tight we are on space. Combine that with 10 special ed kids and you've got a packed house! Be prepared for claustrophobia!
>Thanks again for offering to help! I hope that things will go smoothly. I've told them that you are a great teacher
and that paying attention will be very important.
Observation Record and Post Conference: Peter as Teacher and Janet
as Coach
Peter
Baron said,
I
just mailed you the video. That is the only copy, so I'll need it back.
Our
classes are an hour and thirty minutes, so there are two tapes. Feel free to fast forward. There were ten
students, plus me, their teacher (gray sweater), Katie Favara
doing the video (blue sweater), and our Lan Tech all
helping out. Additionally, the laptop cart blocked one aisle and my projector
blocked another. My evaluator never showed up. She had to run kids through the
metal detector instead.
Class
went well. Students were paired for research, and sat with their partners for
this class, but each had their own computer and did their own PowerPoint
project. We got through just about everything I wanted to cover, except for
animation, and I'll go back and do that with them next "A" day. In
the tape you will see a lot of partners helping each other, and helping
neighbors. The big girl who comes in late was at the Counselor discussing an
upcoming job interview. She is a one finger typer and
had to search for every letter on the keyboard. None of these students had ever
been in any of my classes.
I
was amazed at how well they adapted to the touch pad on the laptop computers.
Their
teacher seemed confident that she could continue with the laptops and
PowerPoint next class period. She's very nice and even sent me her IEP before
attending one of my Technology classes earlier in the year.
Your
job is to count (or time) off task behavior from the students you can see. It
will be tough differentiating between off task and neighbors helping each
other. For most of the class there was at least one teacher off camera to the
right.
Results
could be in the form of a snapshot: the average student was off task 5 times
averaging 15 seconds each time.
I
would also like any comments you would like to provide on how well it appears
they are helping each other.
Data Gathered by Coach for Teacher
Peter as Teacher, Janet as Coach
I could see only five of the students most of the time, but
those five were engaged and enjoying the lesson.
You provided good instructions and demonstration of the
skills that are necessary to use a laptop, for example, the use of both hands
for some keyboard functions.
The lesson was characterized by appropriate sequence, and
the pace seemed to be geared to the needs of the students. I liked that you asked for student input
about what should be placed on each slide.
Using the projector while you explained was very effective;
they were getting both visual and auditory examples of what they were expected
to do.
The manipulation of images was fully explained and you did a
good job of emphasizing the use of the cursor:
always use the corner of the image.
The boy in the blue shirt was off-task about every 8 minutes
for about 15 seconds, but only when you were busy with one-on-one help with
another student. They should have
learned enough about Powerpoint to create another on
their own and to see the benefits of an electronic presentation.
Observation Record and Post Conference: Janet as Teacher and Peter
as Coach
Data Gathered by
Coach for Teacher
Peter as Coach, Janet as Teacher
Janet writes,
I am interested in your evaluation of my explanations,
instructions, speed and clarity of speech. What else could I do to improve the
directions? Evaluate my interaction with the students and their achievement of
the goal - to create an autobiography.
Peter writes,
explanations
All were understandable clear enough for the students to follow.
instructions
You told the students exactly what you expected of them.
speed
The pace seemed a little slow to me, but I do not work much with
ESL students.
clarity of speech
No problem here. Your speech and diction were excellent. Your
sentences and directions were concise, pointed and directed at the appropriate
students, or to the whole class.
What else could I do to improve the directions?
Unless typing in the URL was a specific part of the lesson, you
could have made it easier for them to get to the pictures page. The pictures
link could have been from an AppleWorks document that you gave them, or from an
easier URL to enter.
As part of the lesson, it would have been interesting to have the
students show you and their classmates where in
Evaluate my interaction with the students and their achievement of
the goal - to create an autobiography.
You have a great relationship with your students. They seemed
genuinely pleased with the results they achieved. Printing the autobiographies
provided them with instant feedback. Good job.