The teacher does not begin her class with an advance organizer of the whole lesson, but through her lead in (I’m planning for a classroom party. How can I figure out the classroom’s favorite jelly bean?), she provides the students with an idea on what is going on in the lesson, and later she provides the student with a chart to use as a visual. The teacher uses induction by selecting the event of a classroom party and students’ favorite jell beans to later establish the abstract concepts of charting, subtraction, and addition. However, it is noticeable that she does not provide the class with examples or non- examples in any stage of her lesson, but she asks a lot of questions to guide the students’ discovery process (How can I figure out the classes’ favorite jelly bean? Do you have any other ideas?) Through her questions, she probes students to come up with the concept of a chart (How can we organize the information we have so we can look at it as a group?) and later with the concept of subtraction (How many more people likes green than red?) and also addition (How many people participated in voting?). The teacher gives the students the full responsibility of their learning. She probes students, pauses to allow students to think, and then nominates them for answers. In order to foster deeper understanding of the concepts, she asks students to come with their own problems individually. She does not give direct feedback. Instead, she makes them evaluate their own answer in case they want to change it i.e. the teacher asks a student a subtraction question. The student adds instead. The teacher delays feedback and probes the student into changing her mind to realize, herself, that she needs to subtract instead of add. She checks for her understanding of the process by asking her how she came to that answer. As well as this, the teacher builds on students’ answer for information i.e. she asks a student and waits for an answer; she asks another student to build on his/her friend’s answer and so on (Can you add to that Josh?). Finally, the teacher summarizes to the class what had been done.
Even though she does not apply all the strategies of indirect instruction, I think that the ones she uses are sufficient to reach the lesson’s objective by relating to the students experimentation with jelly beans and boosting their critical thinking concerning classification, charting, adding and subtraction. She shows creativity in using realia and visuals. The teacher is helpful throughout the lesson. she encourages group as well as individual work. I think she could use peer and group answer check before open class check in order to increase students' self confidence in their answers and to give a chance for everybody to participate. All in all it was a job well done.
Even though she does not apply all the strategies of indirect instruction, I think that the ones she uses are sufficient to reach the lesson’s objective by relating to the students experimentation with jelly beans and boosting their critical thinking concerning classification, charting, adding and subtraction. She shows creativity in using realia and visuals. The teacher is helpful throughout the lesson. she encourages group as well as individual work. I think she could use peer and group answer check before open class check in order to increase students' self confidence in their answers and to give a chance for everybody to participate. All in all it was a job well done.
