Observation 10 - 21/12/21

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