Name: Espinoza

Areas of Observation and Reflection

A Evidence of Effective Reading Instruction (Part 1 of checklist)

B. Evidence of Writing as an Instructional Method (Part 2 of checklist)
C. Physical layout of room (Part 3)
D. Wall space (Part 3)
E. Resources Available to Students (Part 3)
F. Visibility and Quality of Student Work (Part 3)
G. Vocabulary Development (Part 4)
H. Research/Inquiry Learning (Part 5)
I. Overall impressions - What questions are raised? What are some things you will take from this
classroom and implement in yours? (Parts 1-6)

Paper should follow APA format and should include 2 citations from either the text or articles we have read in
class all of these requirements met; your notes from your observations were detailed and clearly demonstrate that
you were observing very carefully on different occasions

5 (exemplary) 3 (proficient) 1 (unsatisfactory)

A Detailed, objective explanation describing to Some explanation
what extent your mentor teacher’s classroom describing to what extent
is a literate environment using a description your mentor teacher’s
of effective reading and writing practices. classroom is a literate
environment using a
description of effective
reading and writing
practices.
B Detailed explanation of physical layout, wall Some explanation of
space, resources available to students, and physical layout, wall space,
visibility of student work with explanation of resources available to
how it supports diverse learners. students, and visibility of
student work with
explanation of how it
supports diverse learners.
C Detailed description of how vocabulary is Some description of how
taught throughout the class period. vocabulary is taught
Connections to course material or other throughout the class period.
resources are made.
D Detailed description of how inquiry and/or Some description of how
research is used to support content literacy inquiry and/or research is
development in the classroom. If missing used to support content
clear discussion is presented with cited literacy development in the
sources of information regarding the role of classroom. If missing
inquiry and research in a secondary literate discussion is presented
environment. regarding the role of
inquiry and research in a
secondary literate
environment.
Vague or no explanation
describing to what extent
your mentor teacher’s
classroom is a literate
environment.
Vague explanation of
physical layout, wall space,
resources, and student work
with explanation of how it
supports diverse learners.
Vague description of
vocabulary instruction or
missing from essay.
Vague or missing description
of how research and/or
inquiry is used in the
classroom to support literacy
instruction.

Total: 25/25 pts. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into your mentor’s classroom. To respond to
your point about the read aloud/think aloud: perhaps I missed it, but if a majority of the students
are struggling readers, research shows that reading aloud, even at the h.s. level, supports fluency
and comprehension, especially since she is also in essence doing a think aloud. You do have a
good point, however, that perhaps those juniors could be doing some of the reading of the play
silently, on their own. Another strategy that you might consider in the future is paired reading; it
gets noisy, but perhaps each student is more engaged when reading out loud to a partner.