Subject (Practical or Theory): Practical - Woodwork
Class Profile & Details: TY class, 24 students of mixed ability // 6th yr students under supervision
Duration of Lesson: Single (1hour)
Professional teaching skills and ability
Using varied set of skills + problem solving abilities to demonstrate steps to students / figure out solutions to design problems of construction work
Good voice projection + tone in dealing with classroom management + using professional tools
Good rapport with students - knowing names + cold calling with questions
Use of delegation to get one student teaching another - emphasising peer learning
Classroom management
Very important in a practical room with dangerous materials & machinery - students had been inducted to being in the room at the start of the year - evident in their behaviour
Students given responsibility to use certain tools & materials
Any students playing with materials called out immediately + know to stop as learned from their woodwork induction
Students finished instructed to help out other students - many tactics used to give students focus
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Presentation of learning content
Recap of what students are supposed to be finishing off (wooden spice racks)
Peer learning - students teaching each other how they constructed their spice racks
Student work placed on top table to be used as visual aids for students still working on theirs
Effectiveness of planning
Teaching & learning is evident through students’ ability to continue finishing their pieces without instruction
Evidence of students completing their inductions to the woodwork room as they behaved responsibly + knew the proper way to use tools + materials
Seating arrangement worked well as students were arranged + moved based on how well they were completing their wooden spice racks
Assessment and evaluation of pupils work in class
1 on 1 comments to students - commending good finished work / advice to those struggling
6th year students supervised throughout lesson as they move on to each next step - advised on techniques / tools to use to successfully assemble their LC pieces
Any additional comments on what you learned from the observation class?
Very interesting to see how a practical subject like woodwork is carried out
In talking to the teacher after class, a lot was prepared behind the scenes to prevent any accidents happening - much effort put into health & safety to deliver what could be seen as an ordinary lesson.
Seeing 6th year students working on their leaving cert pieces during a class of TY students said a lot for the teacher’s professional abilities + classroom management - important for myself as this could be happening in my own classroom