Observing in the classroom

Observations

 

Children were identified within the middle syndicate as needing intervention based on the schools strategic plan. The children who were chosen had not had intervention and at the mid-point in the year there was a distinct group of Year 4’s who were still counting and that were without part whole thinking. On observation of these children within a classroom situation there appeared to be a number of common  behaviours:

Ø  Task avoidance – pencil sharping, getting tissues, wandering, not following teacher instruction and therefore needing to double check, disengaging from the task

Ø  Non Participation (one watching and listening but no participation) in a hands on activity

Ø  Copying and agreeing with others answers

Ø  Fiddling, wriggling, silly noises and off task talking.

 

When observing in class work it was evident that many of the withdrawal group were unable to verbalise their thinking in mathematics and I wondered how regularly they had been called upon or challenged to explain their thinking. (This point will be discussed further when discussing my work with the withdrawal group)

Two girls were focused and listened carefully however on explanation of the work with their teacher their answers made no sense and they were only able to describe their thinking as far as “my head thinks it”.