Language Arts-IMB Clinical Report

By: Teresa Threadgill

Entry# 1 Observation of Teachers Instruction

Observation:
I observed a lesson that was one of several class times. It was on personal narratives. The
teacher had already begun this lesson before I started my clinical time. She is teaching strategies
that help them start their own personal narratives. She began by modeling the ways she would
begin to write her own personal narrative. She asks them to think about and jot down some times
that are special to them and a story that they would like to write about. The teacher has an anchor
chart on wall that gives the students some ideas to help make their narrative personal. 1. Write
from the inside of the story. Give details to the reader that only you, the writer, would have
known. 2. Make it real. Only give details that are true to the event. 3. Dream the dream of the
story. Then write it as if the reader is sharing the story with them. After writing a draft of their
story, the teacher models how to do an edit. 1. Use all they know about grammar rules to correct
spelling and punctuation. I love that when they would begin a final draft of the story, she would
give them a clean piece of loose leaf notebook paper and a folder to put their work in. She was
modeling and teaching the importance of their work.
I was able to observe the personal narrative celebrations. Everyone took their folder to the
carpet. The teacher had popcorn for everyone. The students took turns standing up and reading
their story to the audience. I love that she made this person center stage and allowed absolutely
no talking while the story was being read. She was teaching them respect to the writer. After the
reading, the writer got a chance to pick two students to give them a positive or what they liked
about the story. This was also good feedback and encouragement to the writer. Some were
reluctant to share but were encouraged to. The teacher would even stand by them if they needed
her support. This time was so touching and so personal. Students are so true to themselves. A
reader can certainly reflect and tell a lot about what is going on in a students life just by reading
their writing. It was very personal and I was honored to be a part of that.

Analyze:
I feel as if the teacher did a good job of presenting the information. I liked how she modeled
each strategy and gave good examples to follow through. Another good point is that she makes
posters and anchor charts and hangs them up so that the students can use them as a reference
until they become familiar and comfortable with using the strategy. Also, it was good to see her
give the students an ample opportunity to practice the new skill, both with guided practice and
independently. She walked around room during independent practice to observe and encourage
the use of this new strategy. It was evident in the lesson and during writing that the students
recognized the tips and suggestions when they began to work on their own narratives.

Appraise:
This observation and many that followed, has helped me and gave me good insight on proper
modeling and successful guided practice. It helped me to realize that if both of these are done
with preparation and good information, it will make the independent practice run more smoothly.
She modeled a good structure of the flow of the lesson. I believe that one of the biggest things I
took away from this that will influence my future teaching: Personal narratives are a good way to
learn some real things about my future students. What goes in their life outside of the classroom
will definitely affect what goes on inside the class. It will help make sense of many things.

Entry# 2 Reflection of a classroom document

Describe:

This is an example of a document that is posted on

the wall in this teachers classroom. It offers very
good strategies for being a good partner. This is
essential information because they do a lot of
partner work in this class, especially during guided
practice. I was able to observe how they take
ownership of being a partner and they were doing
quality work together. Also, when they were doing
feedback on the personal narratives, it was all done
with a compliment. One even said I would like it
if you did more of.. That was priceless. That
told the writer that they had done good work and
that the reader was actually listening. These
documents are good reminders.

This was one of my favorites. It actually gives suggestions to the

writer about raising the level. The teacher stresses doing your best
work and not just to get it done. This poster is very visible. I also
noticed that she moved it around a few times. Makes it looks new
and catches the eye of the student. I walked around the room and
did some observing and conferencing when the students were
working on their final edits. It was nice to see them referencing to
this and other anchor charts in order to do the best job that they
could. I love that she challenged them above what they that they
could and it made them do a better job.

Analyze:
This teacher has many anchor charts, encouragement posters and various other articles posted
on her wall. She actually teaches in a mobile unit so her spacing is limited. It seems that she has
used every inch available to her. While it seemed a little busy to me, I can certainly understand

the size restraints. Yet, I can say that in looking and reading many of her posters and charts; they
all seem equally important. I did observe that as she goes over a new strategy, she post that
anchor chart along with the one that they had learned previously to that.

Appraise:
As a future teacher, I realize that you want to put stuff on your walls and around your room. I
know me, and I know that I will be one of those that can easily put up so much stuff you will not
be able to see the walls. However, I have seen that sometimes, too much is too much. If it is so
heavy with material, it may just become cumbersome and the students will feel overwhelmed to
even look at any of it. I do not criticize in any way because I know experience and time will help
me to figure out the most important things to put up and what will be most beneficial to my
students. I love the idea of making anchor charts for new strategies and posting them for future
reference.

Entry# 3 Teacher Interview

Describe: Interview
1. How do you plan/Write a typical lesson?
When I plan, I first think big picture, so a year at a glance. I look at my standards in all subject
areas, for connected areas (or to start to develop ideas for integration. Then once I am at planning
for the day, I look at my objective or teaching point, I make sure it aligns or I see how it aligns to
the standard and I write my objective. I break it down, what is the objective, and I ask myself, "
How will I model this, or provide an example, or present to the students, how is this relevant (big
Picture), How are the students going to practice, How Am I going to check, or assess students on
this during conferencing? I also plan for my students, Mini lessons should be quick, the real
teaching is during the conferring, or small group. My ESL students need extra vocabulary
support, My EC students need a small group and more scaffolding, etc. The original plan is easy,
the prep work and the planning for differentiation is the key. This is done by knowing students
levels, and areas of weakness. I also change some aspect of my plans for the next day according
on how the day went.
2. What are some of your instructional challenges as a teacher?
Planning for students on reading levels from k-8th grade and students learning the language.
This is why it is so important to keep the mini lesson short and give students time to read with a
partner and readers workshop. Meeting with all students and holding them accountable for
independent reading.
3. What are some things that have worked well for you in instructional setting?
I have had a lot of success using the workshop model in a classroom because of the levels of
students and teaching for me is so much more beneficial in a small group setting or one on one. I
find it very important for students to be exposed and be asked to "do" a variety of things such as;
collaborate, discuss, explain to the class, argue or prove something wrong in an appropriate way,
read with a partner, read alone, in a group, respond to others in writing form. Students on any
grade level, on any ability level will benefit from these items listed above, this is a biggie with
me and I feel that my students (6th, 1st and now my fifth graders) when they leave, they are
more prepared to be a real person in the world, by learning how to do these things.
4. Do you like /use readers workshop?
Yes I use and like readers workshop! This is key for students, all the keys in balanced literacy
students need. No matter what grade level.

5. What do you think are some of the negatives of writers workshop?

Writers workshop is awesome! The only negative is time that schools sometime allows for
writing, however I say you should always have time to write, because this will help you in all
subject areas. Students need time to write!
6. What do you think some of the positive of using writers' workshop?
"Positives of writers workshop, everything! You learn so much about your students, it allows
students to have a voice, to critically think, and helps students apply skills they have learned.
Writers workshop isn't just one type of writing, you teach students several different type of
genres of writing, and every way helps students. Writing workshop allows students to love
writing, and feel successful to apply writing in other areas. EVERY TEACHER SHOULD
TEACH WRITERS WORKSHOP!
7. What are some of the ways you accommodate or differentiate the learning differences/levels in
your room?
I differentiate several ways, I assess students on appropriate leveled texts, Students chose books
on their level, I pull small groups and work on a skill but use a book on their reading level, or I
will model on grade level text in a read aloud. I Use a jigsaw method so students are grouped and
given assignments on their level then switch the second time and the new group has all levels. I
work on the skills and areas needed of the students, one student I may pull and we work on the
"CH" sound, and practice with word sort and white boards, one student I may challenge by
asking to explain a time when you felt like the character in written form using evidence from the
text. I use choice boards to give students options for reading comprehension work. I use games
and research based materials to practice skills with students grouped by levels.
8. What are some of your suggestions for classroom management?
Classroom Management- This is my 4th year teaching and I have tried several things over the
years. It really is about what works best for you and what can you be consistent with. I have
struggled with this and I use to change it all the time, and with certain students I would have
"exceptions", and that didn't go over great all the time. I am in a school now where we chose our
behavior policy. I have implemented a new method and philosophy in my classroom, I don't
bribe children with "things" or give positive reinforcement with material things. I do several
"nice things" for my students but I don't associate it with , "you were good, so here is candy or a
cookie". I teach students levels of Moral behavior, and the goal is to achieve a level 6, doing
what's right because it is their personal code of ethics, basically saying I make good choices
because I know and believe it is the right thing to do. Two rules, be nice and work hard No
excuses."

Analyze:
I think that this is a great teacher who is grounded in the fact that what she teaches the
students in her class needs to help them succeed in the next grades after her class. She is always
looking for ways to keep the students interest. Her excitement for writing is very evident in her
teaching and in her classroom. Because of tight time constraints, this teacher uses every available
opportunity to promote learning. The integration of other subjects is just an added bonus to being
in this teachers classroom. Because there is so little time for SS, this teacher incorporates
information from SS into the writing and reading lesson. She understands the fact that she needs
to pack the best and most helpful information into her mini lessons because they need to short
but powerful.

Appraise:
Working with this teacher has given me great insight on my future classroom. She has such a
varied level of students in her class. As does most classes in this school. But it does not hinder
the learning in her classroom. She has helped me to learn about various ways to differentiate in a
way that is not overwhelming and burdensome. I have realized that as a teacher, I will be
meeting many needs of different levels and different learning styles. Even though differentiate is
a big task, it can be just little changes that can still meet the need. I have seen the need that
thinking on your feet is definitely a good teacher quality. As many of my other clinical
observations have done; this teacher has shown me that experience and being in the class
outweighs the textbook. While the textbooks are good, some things you just have to try and see if
it works. If it doesnt, then you just move on and try something else.

Entry# 4 Student Interview

Describe: This interview was done during a conferencing conversation between me and the
student.
Q. What are you working on today?
A. I am working on the final draft for my personal narrative.
Q. Is there anything you would like for me to try and help you with today?
A. I would like for you to read my narrative and tell me if you think it seems real. Also, can you
tell me if I have enough details?
Q. What is your story about?
A. My title is My Best Last Day in Greensboro. I wrote about my last day in Greensboro
before I moved here. We had a party for my birthday that weekend at my grandmas house with
some of my family, cousins and school friends.
Q. Why did you choose to write about this topic?
A. I wrote about this because it was a sad day and a happy day. We were getting ready to move
and I was sad to leave my family and my friends. I wanted to write about some of the happy
things that happened so it would not make me so sad.
Q. Do you like writing? Did you like writing this personal narrative?
A. I like writing some things. Sometimes there are a lot of rules when trying to write. I like
when we are writing for fun or writing drafts. I liked writing this narrative because it was about
something that was personal to me and I could tell how special this day was to me and my
family.

Q. Do you like celebrating your writings and reading them to your classmates?
A. Sometimes I dont mind reading my stuff. It was kind of hard to read this narrative because it
was so personal to me. But many of my friends already heard some of this story so that made it a
little easier to read it to them. It is kind of weird sometimes when you are sharing. You dont
really know what your classmates are thinking. But I really like how our teacher gets up there
with us if we are having a hard time reading our paper.
Q. What do you want your reader to know or feel at the end of your piece?

A. I want them to know how special it was to me when I lived in Greensboro. I want them to
feel how much fun I had on that last day but how said it was for me. I hope they can see how
much I love my grandma, and how much fun it was when she played video games with me.
Q. What surprised you in writing this draft?
A. I was surprised at how much I ended up writing about it. I was thinking about a couple of
different things to write about, but I remembered the teacher talking about how to make it
personal. When I first started working on my draft, I was surprised at how easy it was for me to
write about this day. It hasnt been that long since we moved and I miss my grandma so much. I
am counting down the days that we get to go up and visit over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Analyze:
This conference started out as just a casual conversation. He actually asked me to read his paper
and tell him what I thought about it. I was very honored and happy that he wanted me to read it.
This was a young man so wise beyond his years. He had such insight to his feelings and how he
wanted to share that through his writing. As the two weeks continued, I got to spend some more
time with him. It was very obvious that he has a happy soul and it is very contagious!

Appraise:
This conference, along with the other student writings have definitely influenced my future as a
teacher. Hearing and reading those personal narratives, touched my soul. Children are so real to
themselves. I heard things that were so personal. It hurts your heart sometimes. It has influenced
me in a way that I will carry throughout the rest of my teaching experience. Children deal with
real stuff. They do not know how to leave it at home. Therefore, the teacher sometimes has to
reach them though whatever it is they are going through. Personal narratives are such a good way
to give a teacher some insight to what is going on with their students. As a future teacher, I plan
to implement this strategy.

Entry# 5 Overall Reflection

I am from a clinical past. The last two weeks. I am from a 5th grade class at Montclaire
Elementary. The sounds of children, happy, chatting, excited to see what they were going to do. I
am from a teaching experience, outside the school. Nestled away in a mobile unit. Like a world
from the world. I am from the smell of fresh plywood, used to build new ramps and rails leading
to other mobile units. I am from the rustle of the tress outside the window.
I am from the IMB semester in which I got to spend two weeks with the same class. I am
from past headed to future. I have learned that a teacher can integrate writing into every lesson.
The sounds of the pencils, scratching thoughts and ideas on paper. I have witnessed how
important it is teach, model and give practice time for every strategy that is introduced. I am
from the experience of watching the students put their inner most thoughts down on paper. As
teacher in training, I have learned how I can use writings to help me know about my students and
what is going on with their lives.
I am from a writers past. Writing has always come easy to me. I still enjoy it today. My
belief about writing instruction has only been deepened. It is one of importance and urgency.
Some would argue a point but I stand firm on the belief that writing and reading are the core of a
good education. One can easily see that it is integrated into absolutely every subject. Writing
instruction can be a good firm foundation for a more paved and easy traveled road of education.
I am from the place that respects writing. The instruction of writing will be highly favored in my
classroom. I have learned that writing should and will be celebrated. A clean piece of loose leaf
paper. Not torn or tattered edges. Final drafts. Grammar and punctuation: check. A nice sharp
edged clean folder with no bends or blemishes that will hold the final product until the time of its
revealing.