Part B Instruction Commentary

Elementary Education
Task 2: Instruction Commentary
TASK 2: INSTRUCTION COMMENTARY

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 6 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the
brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Commentary pages exceeding the maximum will not be
scored. You may insert no more than 2 additional pages of supporting documentation at the end of this file. These pages
may include graphics, texts, or images that are not clearly visible in the video or a transcript for occasionally inaudible portions.
These pages do not count toward your page total.
1. Which lesson or lessons are shown in the video clip(s)? Identify the lesson(s) by lesson plan
number.
[I have combined two video clips, both recorded during day 2 of instruction. The first clip (0:007:49) is a glimpse of direct instruction, where I scaffold the students through building their
arguments for composing a persuasive speech. I utilized a Smart Notebook presentation to
introduce new writing skills and further explain persuasive speeches. The second clip (7:5014:50) entails small group discussion, where I pulled different level students to the round table
to discuss their graphic organizers and composition. Students share their compositions with
their classmates, while I play the role of a facilitator, guiding students through cooperative
learning and group discussion.]
2. Promoting a Positive Learning Environment
Refer to scenes in the video clip(s) where you provided a positive learning environment.
a. How did you demonstrate mutual respect for, rapport with, and responsiveness to
students with varied needs and backgrounds, and challenge students to engage in
learning?
[In clip 1, there is a great exchange of giving information and receiving information to/from
the students. I demonstrate responsiveness to all studentsthey raise their hand to participate
and I reciprocate with my remarks. This positive learning environment remains throughout this
direct instruction clip. It is evident that I favor student participation and want to gain knowledge
on their perspectives, thoughts, and ideas. I make sure to respond to a variety of learners,
especially when we were defining the difficult vocabulary word, rationalization. After several
students build off their classmates definitions, I verify that all students understand this new
term; I even offer to look up the exact definition in the dictionary if it will enhance their
vocabulary comprehension (as seen at 2 minutes and 50 seconds). Before moving forward, I
made a point to check for understanding with all the students in the classroom. Also, within clip
1, there are several instances portraying a harmonious relationship between the class and
myself, in which there is an understanding for others feelings and ideas, where we
communicate well with each other. For example, I place value on all students perspectives and
opinions. This is shown when I ask students to take a stand on the essential question; I give
them a minute to think about their responses and then prompt students to stand up,
representing which side of the argument they are on. The students dutifully stand up, without
cackling or debating with their classmates who may argue the other side. In addition, from 3:57
through 4:00 minutes, one student asks if she could put a half down, but I quickly respond that
she needs to take a stand. I challenge this student to make a claim, and I value her opinion by
following up with encouragement to stick with her initial feelings. I ensured that all students
were accounted for by jotting down how many students supported each side of the argument.
In clip 2, during the small group instruction, there are a variety of backgrounds, learning
needs, and academic abilities. In clip 2, specifically at 8:44, I allow the students to partake in
more of a conversation rather than a formal discussion, which shows mutual respect and
responsiveness to student needs. Throughout video clip 2, students are often smiling and
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sharing laughter, yet they return back to engagement with ease, which emphasizes the positive
learning environment that I have created. For example, we all laugh together when the students
begin to sing Kelly Clarksons song, What Doesnt Kill Me Makes Me Stronger, as they relate
this message to Leonardo da Vinci (seen from 11:58-12:15). Aside from demonstrating rapport
with the students, I also challenge them to further engage in their learning. As their classmates
read pieces of their composition, the other students must focus on quality, effectiveness, and
organization. They must absorb the information and offer compliments and/or feedback,
actively participating in collaborative discussion.]
3. Engaging Students in Learning
Refer to examples from the video clip(s) in your responses to the prompts.
a. Explain how your instruction engaged students in developing an essential literacy
strategy and requisite skills.
[Demonstrated in clip 1, the instruction engages students in developing the essential literacy
strategy of note taking from the text to support their writing, as well as their requisite skills.
During this direct instruction, I distribute the graphic organizers to the students while
simultaneously posting an aligned structure on the Smart Board. As I am handing out the
graphic organizers for building an argument, at 4:50 in clip 1, I calm the students by telling them
not to become overwhelmed, as I will walk them through the composition process step by step.
On the Smart Board, I have the paragraph structure posted for the entirety of the speech. I
have students volunteer to read the components of each paragraph aloud, as seen from 6:296:40, as one student volunteers to read the requirements of paragraph one. Therefore, I am
laying the foundation for development of their essential literacy strategy, which they will need to
cite information and facts directly from the text to support their writing. The requisite skill of
organization is thoroughly outlined within this prewriting tool. Students must integrate the
essential literacy strategy and their requisite skills to fulfill the requirements of the graphic
organizer.
In clip 2, during small group discussion, all students are interacting, engaging, and
collaborating to develop the essential literacy strategy and their requisite skills. All students are
utilizing the essential literacy strategy of note taking from informational text to support their
writing topic; they frequently refer to page numbers, direct quotations, and/or references from
the text. For example, as seen in the beginning of clip 2 at 8:04, the student reads her thesis
statement directly from her graphic organizer. To compose her thesis statement, this student
needed to use her resource of the text to uncover two reasons for her argument, which we
further discuss within the small group. More specifically, they are using their requisite skills to
logically organize their ideas to build their argument, while also sharing their composition with
their classmates with proper tone, grammar, and English language conventions. The requisite
skills of editing and revising are evident while students jot down additional information and/or
change their wording, vocabulary, or structure of their paragraph (the student to my right edits
her work while listening to her classmates response, from 12:40-13:00). All students sitting
around the table are referring to their graphic organizer, which was thoroughly completed to
assist students in building their argument. This graphic organizer supported the essential
literacy strategy by prompting students to elicit facts and details from the text to directly support
their argument, specifically seen at 12:29, when the student discusses Leonardos influence on
future generations, when Charles Dent and Nina Akamu finished his bronze horse. In addition
to this note taking, students were required to use language conventions, organization, active
voice, and editing/revising to enhance their composition.]
b. Describe how your instruction linked students prior academic learning and personal,
cultural, and community assets with new learning.
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[The instruction of this lesson segment linked students prior academic knowledge and their
personal, cultural, and community assets with their new learning. I incorporated prior knowledge
by referring to authors purpose, relating to our essential strategy to persuade and argue their
perspective through writing (0:00- 0:20). Also, I connected their previous writing experiences by
provoking students to think about a time they wrote with the purpose of persuading, convincing,
or arguing their perspective to their audience. The students may have been exposed to some of
the components of persuasive text, but may have not realized it, which I point out in the clip 1 at
6:46-6:50. With that being said, I introduced the new vocabulary, such as thesis, counterargument, and hook, while they applied their previous composition experiences to guide their
writing. My instruction also linked to their personal lives, as I provide more relevant and realworld examples for them. While introducing persuasive texts, I mention that it is a specific type
of speech in which the speaker has a goal of convincing the audience to accept his/her point of
view. Persuasion is the art of using words to influence the audience, which can be
accomplished by argumentation, rationalization, and presentation of supportive and credible
information (0:00-1:03). During instruction, I realized that I should verify that my students were
familiar with some of the more challenging vocabulary words, such as influence, argumentation,
and rationalization. Referring to clip 1, the students were quick to define influence and
argumentation, but struggled with the vocabulary word of rationalization. Students build off their
classmates responses and employ word analysis techniques, specifically pointing out the words
ratio and ration, which they related to math. The students worked to decode this word and
utilize context clues to help them come up with a definition (1:00-2:20). After several students
shared their word analysis and definition, we consulted that rationalization is a mechanism used
to justify and make sense of a controversy. To deepen their understanding of this vocabulary
word, I offered students a relevant example (Clip 1, 2:22-2:45); I explain that they were
rationalizing with their parents to extend their bedtime by saying there is a two-hour delay and
that they will not be tired. I justify that in order to rationalize with their parents, they must
provide some persuasive and convincing arguments. The relevancy of rationalizing with their
parents helped connect their prior knowledge and personal lives to the new skill of composing a
persuasive speech.]
4. Deepening Student Learning during Instruction
Refer to examples from the video clip(s) in your explanations.
a. Explain how you elicited and built on student responses to promote thinking and
apply the essential literacy strategy using requisite skills to comprehend OR compose
text.
[During the small group discussion in clip 2, the students are provided with an opportunity to
express varied perspectives about the persuasive speech topic, as well as evaluate their own
composition. At 8:05, one of the students is eager to share her thesis statement, while her
classmates respectfully listen and offer positive reinforcement. To further explain her thesis
statement, I elicited for more information and built on this students response by referring to the
description of the thesis found on the graphic organizer. During this process, I decomposed the
students writing, checking for the following components: (1) did she state her opinion in one
sentence? (2) did she provide two supporting reasons? (3) If so, what are her two reasons?
(Discussed from 9:28- 10:13). By breaking down this students composition, I promoted the
other students to listen more carefully, think about it deeply, and provide more constructive
criticism than their previous reactions. After listening to the feedback, the student was able to
revise her work and make the appropriate changes. This small group interaction was used to
make their speeches more powerful, well organized, and supported by text evidence. The
process of sharing compositions and editing was beneficial for all the students involved. This
give and take exchange between students was imperative to cooperative learning, where
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students used the essential literacy strategy of note taking from the text and applied it to their
composition.]
b. Explain how you modeled the essential literacy strategy and supported students as they
practiced and applied the strategy in a meaning-based context.
[When it came time for composing their persuasive speeches, I guided students with
scaffolding instruction, teachable moments, and additional supports. In clip 1, from 3:21 to 4:45,
I empower students to take a stand and choose which perspective they will argue. This is the
first step in building their argument. For composition, I guided them step-by-step, using Smart
Notebook and a bit of direct instruction, which escalated into students trying it on their own. I
outlined the structure of the speech within the graphic organizer, which clearly identified which
pieces of information belonged in which paragraph. To reinforce this structure, I also posted the
format on the Smart Board for students to review. The students read aloud the paragraph
structures and the essay organization, displayed at 6:21-6:40. I then proceeded to post and
read samples of each component to this persuasive speech, which was the basis for student
composition. The students used these samples to inspire their own writing, applying it to a more
meaningful writing context.
To further explain my modeling and scaffolding instruction, I first defined what a hook
statement was. Then, I provided students with a list of seven techniques they could open their
writing with: an unusual detail, strong/bold statement, quotation, anecdote, statistic, question, or
an exaggeration/outrageous statement. As shown at the end of clip 1, from 7:12-7:50, I had
students read the definitions of each technique, as well as a sample hook sentence for each. I
then allowed students to take 5 minutes or so to jot down their initial hook statements or creative
ideas. After allowing students to create their own, I had them share with their tablemates to
receive feedback and evaluate their attention grabbing/ hook statements. In addition to
receiving pointers from their classmates, I circulated the classroom and assisted students with
composition where I felt necessary.]
5. Analyzing Teaching
Refer to examples from the video clip(s) in your responses to the prompts.
a. What changes would you make to your instructionfor the whole class and/or for
students who need greater support or challengeto better support student learning of
the central focus (e.g., missed opportunities)?
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different
strategies/support, such as students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners,
struggling readers, underperforming students or those with gaps in academic
knowledge, and/or gifted students.
[In retrospect, I could have given the whole class more practice with the new skills and
components of persuasive speeches, such as hook sentences, thesis statements, and counter
arguments. As seen from 3:35 at 4:40, not many students have had experience with taking a
stand and/or making a claim. After becoming informed on this literature topic, this assignment
forced students to make a decision and support it with rationale, facts, and details. Composing
a persuasive speech is a new skill for these fifth graders. Perhaps, I could have led up to this
reading and writing connection with classroom practice; students should have received more
practice identifying and writing their own hook statements, thesis sentences, and counterarguments. I could have implemented these strategies throughout the week in more relevant
scenarios to reinforce these new skills. Students could have practice the power of persuasion,
arguing their perspective and rationalizing with their classmates over differing opinions. For
homework, I could have assigned students a relevant task, where they were prompted to
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rationalize, argue, and convince a friend or family member to think or act in a certain way, and
then tell the class about their experience with persuasion. Students could have also be given
sample persuasive speeches to analyze and evaluate, labeling all the key components.
The students could have also been given greater support through scaffolding strategies.
Although, I decomposed the graphic organizer section by section, it could have been done more
effectively. At 5:45, this would have been the appropriate time to incorporate greater support.
Between the instruction and the explanation, a sample of persuasive text would have been
beneficial. Depending on the type of learner each student is, they would have been given a
choice of visual or auditory. The visual learners would be given a hard copy of a speech to
read, mark up, analyze, and use as a reference of writing inspiration. The auditory learners and
struggling readers would use the computer with headphones to listen carefully to the tactics of
persuasive speaking. I believe that more exposure and practice would have resulted in more
powerful persuasion strategies within student compositions. By putting these skills into practice,
students would have more reinforcement with the central focus of composition and the essential
language function, to argue. This additional practice would close the gaps in academic
knowledge, and be especially beneficial for students with IEPs, struggling readers, and students
with speech/language impairments.
Another missed opportunity is more about my approach to supporting student
responses. This change in instruction can be implemented within this lesson segment as well
as throughout my teaching pedagogy, in a more general sense. I routinely use praise, rather
than feedback. Although the terms are commonly interchangeable, there is a significant
difference for supporting and challenging student learning. Praise is a powerful language tool
used within the classroom, impacting students to behave or perform in a more favorable
manner. Where on the contrary, feedback is used to guide students in a way to improve their
performance by providing more specific information about their abilities and actions. In the
video clip, there are several missed opportunities where I utilized positive praise rather than
offering more constructive feedback to further challenge student learning. For example, in clip 1
at 1:13, a student is providing her classmates with the definition of rationalization. With this
students response being faulty and wavering, I am quick to respond with a compliment, Thats
a really good way to describe it, yet I brush it off and pass the question along to another
student. I should have valued the first students response more and elicited for further
explanation and exploration. Another example is seen in clip 2 at 10:56, during small group
instruction, I missed a great instructional opportunity. Rather than digging deeper into her
acknowledging the internal conflict that Leonardo was dealing with, I directed her to think about
her writing technique while she was writing her hook, leading her to express that she used a
quotation from the text. This class is a diverse group of students ranging in academic levels
and needs, therefore, I should have shifted my responses and facilitation based on more
individualized student needs, eliciting more information and pushing them a bit further into
composition. By varying my responses, I believe I would do a more adequate job filling the
gaps in academic knowledge for this diverse group of learners.]
b. Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your
explanation with evidence of student learning AND principles from theory and/or
research.
[While evaluating my instruction, I had mentioned that the students should have been
provided with more practice throughout the week. I believe that more exposure, practice, and
applicable examples would have positively impacted student learning of the new writing skills
within persuasive text. Supporting this notion, Benjamin Blooms Taxonomy provides
hierarchical levels of knowledge, where students learn by repeating basic facts and continue
into greater levels of complexity and application. Each level requires greater understanding of
concepts and increasingly abstract thoughts. Therefore, I should have utilized Blooms
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Taxonomy to guide students from simple writing skills into the most complex level, creation. In
the lesson segment, I may have preemptively assigned students to compose a persuasive
speech without them climbing the hierarchy levels: simply remembering the components,
understanding how to write them, applying them to persuasion, analyzing their effectiveness,
and evaluating the end results. Rather than allowing students time to comprehend, apply, and
analyze, I held students to the highest level of understanding, where they were prompted to
create their own hook statement, thesis sentence, and counter-argument. By following Blooms
taxonomy, I firmly believe that students arguments would be much stronger, leading to greater
success in composition.
Another effective change would be to incorporate more strategies or different approaches to
scaffolding. In order to meet students where they are and appropriately scaffold a lesson, you
must know the individual and their collective zone of proximal development (ZPD). As the
educational researcher, Vygotsky states, the ZDP is the distance between what children can do
by themselves and the next learning that they can be helped to achieve with competent
assistance. In this lesson segment, I applied two of the main scaffolding techniques: (1) use of
visual aids (graphic organizers) and (2) pause, ask questions, pause, and review. Although
these techniques deemed effective, I look back and feel that there are two other approaches I
should have employed, (1) show and tell and (2) give time to talk. First off, the use of show and
tell scaffolding would have been a great asset to my instruction. I should have demonstrated to
students exactly what was expected of them, showing them the outcome before they dove into
composition. I should have presented the criteria chart/rubric on one side of the Smart Board
with a model essay on the other, displaying them side-by-side. That way, I could guide students
through each step of the process, model in-hand of an exemplary finished product. Secondly,
the time to talk scaffolding approach might have increased performance of instruction and
student composition. All learners need time to process new ideas and information, while also
verbally making sense of the new content. Perhaps, I could have incorporated think-pair-share,
turn-and-talk, and/or triad teams to help build their arguments. I should have weaved in more
opportunities for students to discuss their arguments and persuasive compositions.
In regards to addressing my tendency of using praise rather than feedback, B.F
Skinners positive reinforcement and Maslows Hierarchy of Needs both support this
improvement. First, positive reinforcement strengthens a behavior by providing a consequence
that an individual finds rewarding. B.F Skinner has theorized that if the student continues to be
rewarded for acting a certain way, they will be more likely to repeat this behavior in the future.
In evaluating my teaching performance, positive reinforcement is a great tool to continue to
incorporate during facilitation. When I commend the students with a Great job, I love your
writing, or Keep up the good work, it may seem simplistic and ineffective, but this positive
reinforcement will influence students work ethic and behaviors. Secondly, Maslows
psychological findings of the hierarchy of needs are also impacted from positive reinforcement
and feedback from the teacher. With creating a positive learning environment, the students
physiological and safety needs have already been met. After physiological and safety needs
are fulfilled, the third level of human needs is an interpersonal feeling of belongingness and the
fourth level is esteem. These needs were met during the introduction of our small group
discussion when I established that we would hear from all members, we must respect one
another, and each students perspective has value. The students were engaged and confident,
sharing their ideas and fulfilling their needs of belongingness and esteem. The highest level of
human needs is self-actualization, which refers to when a person reaches their full potential and
accomplishes everything they can. It was not evident of whether or not this need was met, but
from my perspective, I believe that these students have yet to unlock their fullest potential
academically, socially, and emotionally. As they mature in future academic years, they will
achieve the highest need of Maslows hierarchy, self-actualization.]

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Elementary Education

Task 2: Instruction Commentary

TASK 2: INSTRUCTION COMMENTARY

Copyright 2014 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

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