SCROLL DOWN TO SEE SOME SAMPLE TEACHING VIDEOS. KEEP SCROLLING TO SEE A WRITE-UP OF EACH LESSON AND REFLECTIONS ON THE LESSONS.

ENGINEERING CLASS PARTS 1 AND 2

Subject: Principles of Engineering

​

Unit: Basics of Coding - Debugging

​

Objective 1: TLWK...the difference between syntactic and structural errors in code

Objective 2: TLWBAT...identify and correct syntactic and structural errors in code

​

Methods of Engagement:

​

• The first part of the class was project work in partners. Each group was tasked with building and coding a particular circuit. This was differentiated in that all groups had to complete levels 1-3, but groups that were easily able to achieve those progressed to challenges 4, 5, and 6. This gave them practice building and coding, and also gave them firsthand experience debugging before learning it formally!

​​

• The video begins with the 2nd half of the class period where I have a timer set for them to make sure their projects are completely cleaned up and they are ready to take notes.

​​

• I reviewed the 2 types of errors with them, and we did some samples together. Students shared or thought of a time when they experienced those bugs in their code.

​​

• Then, students broke out into pairs again to analyze two pieces of code. Together they worked to identify and correct the errors.

​​

• Last, pairs combined to form small groups to review their answers together and discuss any differences.

What worked?

​

The girls definitely achieved the learning goal, based on the corrected code they handed in. Since learning about debugging, they have been employing those skills in other codes, so I see that they do know it. Girls enjoy working in groups and seemed engaged during that portion overall.

​

What didn’t work?

​

Because there was a lot of moving around (physically, and between assignments), I felt that the class was not very efficient. Transition times also gave the opportunity for chattiness. Using the timer to time their transition seemed to really help, and they were proud when they were able to transition in the allotted time. Some groups finished debugging earlier, and I hadn’t assigned them anything else to work on. Next time I would like to give a task for them to complete if they finish early.

I also would like to be clearer with overall directions, since I am asking them to do this, then that, then move here and there, etc. Posting directions on the board seems to help them. Some students also seemed spaced out. It’s possible since they had already been doing some debugging on their own, the lesson quickly grew boring for some of the students.

​

Many of my classes are very hands-on, and fine tuning these elements (timing, where to be, what to do if you are finished early) are techniques I am working to fine tune in my lessons. 

​

ALGEBRA I CLASS

Subject and Unit: 9th Grade Algebra I Class, Unit on Solving Linear Equations

​

Lesson Objective: TLWBAT...Solve multi-step equations

​

• This lesson began with an overview of the goals for the lesson.

• Next, the students had a few minutes (with timer) to work on a warm-up of the previous skill (solving 2-step equations.) During that warm-up they had a chance to review what they knew about solving equations and to ask for help from me or from peers where they still had questions.

• The video cuts to the second portion of the class where I gave direct instruction on how to solve multi-step equations by first combining like terms or distributing. 

• I put up each kind of problem on the board, gave the students 1 minute to try it on their own, and then reviewed with them how to do it. 

• Each problem type was followed by 2 practice questions that every student answered on her CFU sheet to be handed in at the end of class. 

​​

What worked?

Overall I think the lesson went well. We’ve been doing this unit mastery style, so even though it was a new concept, it was building off two skills they’d already mastered (combining like terms and solving 1- and 2-step equations). We also did this frontal teaching portion after doing a warm-up activity reviewing some of those skills, so it was fresh and at the forefront of their minds before we learned the next step. I gave the girls time to try out the new problems on their own before showing them how to do it, which was a nice thing for them to explore before learning it formally. I think it helped them understand it better, plus it was more engaging.

​

What did not work? 

​

I had one student who missed a class before and had not completed her homework so she did not know what was going on. I had hoped that during the pre-lesson warm up she would get some of her questions answered, but she was still struggling by the time we got to the lesson. She did not achieve the learning goal, and needed to be retaught later. Differentiating for different learners is something I am continuosly working on, and knowing now where that student is holding can help guide me as I plan my future lessons in a way to support her needs specifically.