Small Group Observation: Respond-Trevor

(1987) described this form of instruction as a systematic method of teaching with emphasis on proceeding in small steps, checking for student understanding, and achieving active and successful participation by all students. I have also used the strategy as reference for determining the strengths and weaknesses of my lesson. After conducting in class lesson and reviewing my video lesson multiple times, I was able to identify my strengths

In this paper, I discuss my experience with observing a group counseling session with the purpose of evaluating it in terms of how it is set up, how it is run, interventions used, culturally sensitivity, and the contribution toward my professional development as a social worker. The group setting plays a critical role in social work outside of the individual session and can be largely beneficial for clients in the forms of therapy, counseling, self-help, and support. By attempting to better understand group interventions, I will learn how to apply this strategy in aiding clients for whom this method is appropriate by increasing their social supports.

In this group there were no disruptive members. I filled the role of an observer, I offered feedback at the end of the session. The counselor filled the role of standard setter. There was an encourager, a harmonizer, an expediter, and a follower.

Lawrence also started a lesson using an active board by having sample problems on it and students were called on random to answer the questions. The students seemed to respond to the lesson very well. There were some students who decided to have their own conversation instead of doing their lesson so Mrs. Lawrence call on the students to get their attention; however , they did not respond so she politely walked over to the group and said something to them and they stop talking completely. For the most part these students looked like they were having fun while learning. Many were helping each other count while some were holding up fingers. After this hour and a half of observation, I wanted to interview Mrs. Lawrence concerning on lesson plan development.

3.4 In order to support pupils using formative assessment it is necessary to ensure all pupils are clear of the learning intentions of the lesson. They also need to know the reason that they are learning it and the assessment that will take place. A discussion with them will make sure that all this is clear. Success

The researchers goal was to know if the effects of small-group reading interventions implemented positive behavior in support model, on elementary students that show any emotional and behavior disorders or that do not show any emotional and behavior disorders. The following are the research questions they addressed: (a) the differences in reading instruction in a general classroom for students at risk and to compare schools that combine behavior/reading risk. (b) differential effects with small-group instruction. (c) how do any of the observable differences translate to the outcome of students’ growth in reading.

The use of formative assessment practices with ELL students are observational checklists, peer assessment, and performance skills. By having students writing a lesson plan, the roles between the teacher and the students will be changed. This is a formative assessment that engages students in distinctive ways. Students are focused on goals and objectives. It gives them confidence. They are creating a lesson. For ELLs, this is a tremendous accomplishment when done correctly, as well as when done in a collaborative classroom environment. It promotes constructive feedback. Students play an active role in formative assessment. They not only perform the task given, providing evidence of their current learning, but they are also involved in self-assessment (and sometimes peer assessment); therefore, developing and enhancing autonomy.

Yes, the information the website provided along with the video gave a lot of useful information on how to implement small-group instruction into your classroom.

I noticed that many students pretended to not understand and they just wanted to prolong until the class was over. I didn’t think it was necessary to repeat the video maybe more than three times. The teacher gave out the worksheet to the students prior to the video and the worksheet was going to be scored, so the teacher wanted to make sure that the students did ok. Most of the activities the teacher did for the class were limited to one activity and that was to practice with the groups, reviewing and practicing what the teacher just

As I was videoing this lesson I found myself so focused on the group that I was videoing, that some of the other groups were getting a little loud. One thing I need to work on is to not let videoing keep me from correcting other students when they need reminded to stay on task. This is something new that I felt like I struggled with this second video, because in kindergarten they do centers. When I was in my first experience it was just I teaching whole group to third graders, and they knew the expectations from their teacher and myself.

group rules, all patients and therapists pledged their confidentiality, and the patients checked-in with their names, number of days sober, two feelings, and respond to a check-in question. The student planned the research and evidence based curriculum for all sessions they participated in.  The groups incorporated lecture, discussion, demonstration and experimental learning. The student integrated multiple teaching methods into sessions to maintain attention and meet the needs of patients with various learning styles. The sessions typically incorporated a writing exercise, packets for the patients, as well as small and large group discussions. The patients explored their addiction, co-occurring disorders, and identified maladaptive thinking

Groups talk about goals in different ways, using different words. Some groups have major and minor goals or meta- and micro-goals; others divide goals into mission, purpose or goal, and objectives, while other groups talk about aims and expectations. A group is strengthened to the extent it has clear goals and all members know what their roles are in helping to achieve them (Dimock and Kass, 2008, p.62-63). My placement is currently in the Mental Health field and as mental health workers we have groups that are organized to promote to mental health of all and to support the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness.

A video reveals more than what a person perceives. The raw video of my lesson 3 helped me see how I looked to the students when teaching a lesson. What does the students see and hear when their teacher is speaking? Three defining things I feel went well with the lesson and was evident in the video, the guided practice activity, the prepared lesson, and learning experience for all students. The lesson was planned and thought through days before I was scheduled to teach. Having a well-planned lesson is important. Additionally, the guided practice was a fun way to review the content from the previous class. Students enjoyed using the ELMO to review and label the contents on a map. Finally, all students learning styles were supported during the lesson. Including all the learning styles, kinesthetic, auditory, and visual is important to ensure student have the best learning experience possible.

According to Cartwright & Zander (1968), a group may be defined as a “collection of individuals who have relations to one another that make them interdependent to some significant degree”. Other definitions state that a group is “two or more persons who are interacting with one another in such a manner that each person influences and is influenced by each other person (Shaw, 1981). Turner (1987) goes further to say that “a psychological group is one that is psychologically significant for the members, to which they relate themselves subjectively for social comparison and the acquisitions of norms and values…that they privately accept membership in and which influence their attitudes and behaviour”. Clark & Pataki reserve the term “group”

As discussion began I felt that it was going well, I was so worried prior that no one would participate at all because they had already done the lesson that I just went with it. Looking back, I would hope in the future that I would ask students to explain further in their thinking, and not just except their initial explanations. I had thought I was doing this but there were a few instances when someone would describe the action as, for example, popping pop-corn and I would just leave it at that. I hope that with practice I can probe discussion and student responses more to allow students to feed off one another’s answers and expand.