Need lesson plan

[Monticello]

Monticello, it is not the company paying but the school and the reason why this particular programme was chosen is probably because the school won the tender. Brutal but true. I have no idea what are their criteria, probably overall performance. What do you think of my ideas?

Hi Magdalena,

Your ideas about getting your class to interact within a variety of collaborative groups sound great to me!

As a classroom teacher who has been through several observations, I know just how much the anticipation for these things can "wrack your nerves."

Dare I say -- "Just be yourself."? I know it may sound glib, but...

Here's a paraphrase of a quote I just saw somewhere on the Internet (perhaps even here at this site):

"Effective teaching is 25% preparation and 75% theater."

I also find this to be true. And perhaps that's where the "being yourself" has so much to do with successful teaching.

Just one last thought: Based on your posts here, I have no doubt that you will do well. In fact, should you be "caught red-handed" during your observation, it will only be for being the dedicated teacher that you so obviously are!

Best of luck to you Magdalena!

[magdalena]

Thank you, hope I will survive it (without losing a job). Will let you know how it went.

[Luizao]

Thanks for what you said Monticello!
..and Magdalena please do post a message saying how it went, I'm curious.
I have done lots of classoom teaching and many one-to-ones but havent got experience teaching at a company so I am interested to hear about it.

Once more, fingers crossed for you Magdalena

[magdalena]

Hi,

I was incredibly stressed, psyched for 2 hours of trauma but what happened was... she just popped in for 15 minutes, immidiately started writing in her notebook and left with 2-3 sheets densely written and I haven't heard from her ever since. Probably I should call or something. I was so preoccupied with the article I was writing in which I introduced some grammar, that I didn't not think how I was going to expand on it, what I was going to write on the whiteboard etc- so the presentation stage did not go down very well, although I think, if it'd been a total disaster she would have called me. Anyway, thank you for all your support, next time I will know what to focus on and I will panic a bit less, hopefully. Thanks!

[Monticello]

Hi,

I was incredibly stressed, psyched for 2 hours of trauma but what happened was... she just popped in for 15 minutes, immidiately started writing in her notebook and left with 2-3 sheets densely written and I haven't heard from her ever since. Probably I should call or something. I was so preoccupied with the article I was writing in which I introduced some grammar, that I didn't not think how I was going to expand on it, what I was going to write on the whiteboard etc- so the presentation stage did not go down very well, although I think, if it'd been a total disaster she would have called me. Anyway, thank you for all your support, next time I will know what to focus on and I will panic a bit less, hopefully. Thanks!

Hi Magdalena,

- So good to hear back from you! - especially now that your "day of dread" is finally behind you.

I was so preoccupied with the article I was writing in which I introduced some grammar, that I [wasn't] think[ing] [about] how I was going to expand on it ...

My sense here is that your preoccupation not only served to demonstrate your commitment to the task at hand, but also kept you from being able to remain as objective as possible in regard to your own self-assessment during those brief 15 minutes. In other words, I'm willing to bet that you did much better in the evaluator's written assessment than you may think.

The true value of any written assessment is the feedback it provides -- in terms of both strengths and weaknesses. Why not take the initiative and follow through with what your instincts are prompting you to do? -Ask for written feedback on your evaluation. Doing so will further demonstrate your dedication as a teacher (-so obvious to me) by showing your desire to improve your effectiveness in the classroom.

- Wishing you all the very best in your continuing success.

[magdalena]

Hi,

I did just like you said and you were exactly right, it turns out the lesson wasn't half as bad as I thought, the only problem she saw was that I stand and lean over the students and this may seem a bit condescending. Wow, probably it's time for me to get a bit more distance to my teaching. THANKS for all the support, I don't get much of that as I don't know any teachers. Wish you all the best!

[Monticello]

Congratulations(!), Magdalena.

- All the best.