Assessment Throughout a Lesson Cycle

The purpose of this field observation is to observe how assessment is continually used throughout the day to inform instruction and help the teacher make instructional and procedural adjustments in teaching. For this field assignment, you will be looking at assessment through a procedural lens (are students on task, are they engaged, do they know what to do?, etc.) and through an instructional lens (are students learning?, are they getting it? Etc.) 

Task:  Watch 1 of the 2 videos below. 

• 4th Grade Math (Links to an external site.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw4R3HwwiUY
• High School Math Word Problems (Links to an external site.)

• Pick the video that you watched to reflect upon. You will address the following questions in a narrative format.

Lesson Overview and Background Information –

1. Describe the lesson setting (subject, # of students, structure of the lesson, associated TEKS, etc.)

Procedural Assessment –

1. How does the teacher assess on-task behavior and understanding of the lesson directions?
2. How does the teacher give directions for the task or lesson? How does the teacher know that students understand the directions?
3. What are the students doing? What are the students supposed to be doing?
4. Are students on-task? Is the teacher aware that the students are on-task? If students are not on task, what does the teacher do to try and get students back on task? 
5. Number of learners actively involved (Involved is the key word…not just sitting passively…involved in the lesson…)

Instructional Assessment –

• How does the teacher assess whether or not students understand what is being taught?
• Checks for Understanding or Formative Assessment – How does the teacher monitor the students’ understanding of concepts and proficiency in skills during the lesson? How does the teacher adjust the lesson on the basis of this feedback? How does the teacher provide feedback to students? How does the teacher ask questions? How does the teacher know that all students are getting it and not just some? If only a few students are getting it, does the teacher keep going or stop and re-teach?
• Guided & Independent Practice – How does the teacher give the students opportunities to practice using their new knowledge or skills under direct teacher supervision? How does the teacher provide opportunities for students to practice using their new knowledge or skills independently after the teacher is reasonably sure that students will not make serious errors? How is feedback given?
• Summative Assessment – What, if any, summative assessment measures are used at the conclusion of the lesson? How does the lesson end? Does the teacher use exit tickets or allow students an opportunity to show or summarize what was learned in the lesson? Were all students successful or just some? How do you know?

Final Reflection –

1. Write a concluding paragraph indicating the various types of assessment viewed. Would you have done anything differently? What worked? What did not work? Do you feel this lesson was a success based on what you saw with assessment? Why or why not?