Upon watching the “Lab Study Skills Workshop” conducted by a male teacher, his credentials not stated, the teacher was conducting a three part series on the subject of memory. The physical learning environment used long tables and purple, cushioned chairs. A small class size of about 6 students, each student sat at his or her own table. The environment was conducive to learning. The teacher stood in front of the classroom, two dry erase boards also at the front of the room. Using different colored markers, the teacher made good use of underlining, using big capital letters, and leaving some space between concepts on the board. The classroom had quality lighting and appeared to be at a good temperature.
It appeared that the learners were high schoolers or young college freshman. I noticed that there were a couple of Asian students in the class. The instructor was teaching the class to help students remember things better, especially what students read in their textbooks. He also did a lesson on definitions and how to best remember them. The instructor wants to get students to change the way that they study, in an effort to improve their memory.
Use your promo and get a custom paper on
"Observing a Teaching Lesson".
The students’ objective was to learn to remember things better. The demeanor of the instructor was friendly and open. He walked around the room and made sure to use solid eye contact with the students to keep them engaged and interested in what he was saying to them. One student shook his leg a lot and another student was playing with her purse, but it was not bad enough for the instructor to notice it.
In other words, did the instructor do all the talking or was there a climate of sharing? The instructor presented the material by using a combination of lecture and hands-on activities. He did most of the talking. The first activity that appeared to capture the students’ attention was to show 16 cards with words on them. All of the cards were flashed to the students, each student asked to remember these words afterwards. This worked well, the activity tying in to how to best use 90 minutes of study time.
In summary, the lesson appeared successful. However, I would have asked for more student feedback and organized some group activities. I feel that students learn well by applying information and talking to others. A group activity would help with that. I will break up my lessons better and make sure that I give a 5 minute break in my classes. According to the instructor, a break recharges and sharpens the mind and enhances memory. I also think students learn by asking questions.
