EDST 3000 Practicum Lesson Plan

Name: Erin Freeman Grade level: 10

Expected Duration of Lesson (hours, minutes, days): 1 5 minute introduction, 2 45 minutes Mock Supreme Court Trials

Date: 3/27/14 and 4/1/14, and 4/2/14

Lesson Topic/Title/Essential Question: Advanced American Studies/ Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas/ What was the nature and outcome of the Brown v. Board of Education Trial?

Standards/Benchmarks Addressed (use practicum district’s or Common Core curriculum standards AND Discipline specific standards from relevant professional organization):

Source # Content Area Standard (write it out)Common Core Standards

CCSS. RH.11-12.6

English Language Arts Standards in History/Social Studies

Evaluate authors’ differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors’ claims, reasoning, and evidence.

Wyoming Content and Performance Standards

SS12.4.1

Time, Continuity, and Change

Describe patterns of change (cause and effect) and evaluate how past events impacted future events and the modern world.

Wyoming Content and Performance Standards

SS12.2.1

Culture and Cultural Diversity

Analyze and evaluate the ways various groups (e.g., social, political, and cultural) meet human needs and concerns (e.g., individual needs and common good) and contribute to identity (e.g. group, national, and global), situations, and events.

Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to:

Students will be able to examine arguments in the Brown v. Board of Education court case, and use to them to create arguments/questions of their own positions.

Students will be able to reenact a mock Supreme Court trial of Brown v. Board of Education and come up with a verdict according to the evidence.

Academic Language Objective: Based on the language demands of this lesson, how does this lesson develop student abilities to understand and/or produce the academic language (e.g. relevant genresi,

key vocabulary or phrases, and/or linguistic features of the relevant genre) that is part of this lesson?

Please see the appendix of your TPAC content level material for a list of genres, linguistic features, connector words, and/or text organization specific to your field.

Language students will learn:

Brown v. Board of Education, NAACP, The Civil Rights Movement, desegregation, Brown II, and southern resistance.

Language students need to already know:

Plessy v. Ferguson, the Fourteenth Amendment, Jim Crow, and Justice Harlan’s Dissent.

Evaluation/Assessment: (Include Samples w criteria in Appendix)

Informal/Formative:

Brown v. Board of Education pretext reading (See appendix A)List of arguments from the case (See appendix B)Questions in the introduction of the case (See Body of the lesson for Day 1)

Formal/Summative:

Argument/Questions for your side Worksheet for the Mock Trail. (See appendix C)

Brown v. Board of Education Outcome (See appendix D)

Step by Step Procedures:

Expected time frame

What are you teaching? What is the content? What is happening? (include guiding questions and their purposes)

Standard(s) being met

Lesson Opening

Day 1: 3/27-1 minute

Day 2: 4/1 and 4/21 minute

“Good Morning Everyone. I know that it is hard to concentrate right now, because you have your National History Day competition tomorrow, but bare with me for a couple of minutes. We are going to be doing a mock trial, like the Korematsu v. United States that you recreated in the last unit, however we will be performing Brown v. The Board of Education of Topeka Kansas. ”

Before students come into the room, I will have the objectives for the lesson written on the board. “Good morning everyone. Today we are going to be doing a mock Supreme Court Trial over the Brown v. Board of Education case with the arguments you created from the handouts you received on Thursday.” I will then explain the objectives for the lesson. I will then give a quick little review over the background information of the case that we discussed on Thursday. Then I will form students into their learning teams. “I would like everyone to get into their groups according to the number/position you were assigned on Thursday.” I will then point to the area of the room that each group will collect. For example “Everyone that is Brown’s lawyers come over here. And Board of Education Lawyers will collect right here.”

CCSS. RH.11-12.6, SS12.4.1, and SS12.2.1.

Transition Day 1: 1 minute

Day 2:6 minutes

“Brown v. Board of Education has been dubbed one of the greatest, and most important decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States. This case however, was very complex and related to earlier rulings in the Supreme Court.”

Students will then move to their designated areas. “Now that you are formed into your groups. Each group will have 5 minutes to come up with the best arguments or questions within your group. Keep in mind that everyone has to speak at least once, lawyers and justices. So make sure you know what you want to say individually and for your group. Also, if you have more than one argument/question that you like feel free to speak

SS12.4.1

CCSS. RH.11-12.6

as much as you would like! ” I will use this time to circulate around to the four groups.

Body of Lesson (note important transitions)

Day 1: 5 minutes

Day 2:29 minutes

I then gave students a little background information about the case to give them a foundation to construct their arguments. “The first item that Brown relates to is Plessy v. Ferguson which was ruled in 1896. Can anyone tell us what Plessy v. Ferguson ruled? So essentially this ruling made it constitutional to separate races on the basis that facilities were “separate but equal.” This was extended to almost every facet of life, particularly in the South. The facilities in colored schools were not considered equal. Brown v. Board of Education also is related to the 14th amendment. Can someone tell us what the 14th amendment is? This is considered a Reconstruction Amendment, but the 14th amendment is one the most complicated amendments. The amendment calls for due process and protection from the law regardless of race. The Brown v. Board of Education ruling related to the 14th amendment under the equal protection clause. The segregated schools violated the equal protection under the guarantee of the 14th amendment.” Then I will have the group of students separate for Mrs. Todd’s 3rd hour and Mrs. Wilkinson’s 3rd hour so I could split students up equally for the trial. Next I will number students off around the room from 1 trough 4. The students’ number will correspond to the their position in the Mock Trial (see in Appendix C). I will ask them to circle their position so they do not forget. Next I will explain the assignment to the students. They are to create 5 arguments/questions for their position for the mock trial. They are also to read the pretext reading (Appendix A) to gain some understanding of the case. They can also use the argument sheet to decide whether it supports Brown or the Board of Education to help form their arguments and questions. I will then ask students if they have any questions about the assignment.

“Okay time is up, let’s begin our trial.” One person from the Brown’s lawyers, and one person from Board of Education’s lawyers will play rock, paper,

CCSS. RH.11-12.6, SS12.4.1, and SS12.2.1

CCSS. RH.11-12.6, SS12.4.1, and SS12.2.1

and scissors to see who will go first. I will have the students who are the Justices bring their chairs to the front of the room, so they can hear and ask questions, similar to a real Supreme Court Trial. They are also to wear graduation robes to fit the part. One student will also be the Chief Justice with the gavel. The first group of lawyers will begin stating their arguments to the Justices, and Justices will ask the questions they have designated to the lawyers. Each group of lawyers will have about 5-10 minutes to present their arguments, and then 1 minute to wrap up and present their final conclusion. Justices are allowed to interrupt with their questions or wait until the end to question the lawyers. Every student is expected to speak and be involved in the questioning and arguing, and I will be making a mental note of who is participating or not. The group of Justices who heard the case will then go out in the hallway, and every Justice will have 1 vote. I will keep tally of each Justice’s vote. We will then come back and I will announce the final vote from the Justices.Once we have finished that I will ask students to return their chairs. Then I will pass out the outcome of the actual Brown v. Board of Education case. As a class we will go over the outcome and influence of the Supreme Court trial in history (Appendix D).

Lesson Closure

Day 1: 1 minute

Day 2: 3 minutes, the rest of the period is dedicated to my mentor

“Now that you all know what you’re expected to do, I expect you all to bring your prepared arguments and questions to class on Tuesday or Wednesday depending on the day you come to Mrs. Todd’s classroom. This is when we will perform our trial, so I want you to be ready. See you then!”

“Now that we have finished the mock Brown v. Board of Education, we have a little more before the class is over. However, I will be handing this over to my mentor teacher. The students are then to have a chapter 28 Socratic Seminar, which will be done by my mentor teacher. After that, I will then distribute the Chapter 28 reading quiz, which students take weekly. Students will have the rest of

CCSS. RH.11-12.6, SS12.4.1, and SS12.2.1

CCSS. RH.11-12.6, SS12.4.1, and SS12.2.1

teacher the class period to take the quiz. At the end of class I will say “Thank you guys for cooperating and participating today!”

Classroom Management and Organizational Considerations: Note any concerns about room arrangement, behavioral expectations, possible problematic behaviors, materials handling, significant transitions.

For this lesson, I will need to be very aware of the classroom, because students will be moving around and talking amongst themselves a great deal.

The room will be arranged into a couple of different arrangement. The classroom is typically set up in group tables with 3-4 students at each table. The lesson will begin in this arrangement, but when we begin the trial the Justices will arrange in a line at the front of the classroom. The other students will be within their groups at the tables, and the lawyers will be at the front of the classroom presenting.

For behavior, I will expect students to be on-task and listening while other students are presenting, arguing, and questioning. I expect students to be respectful and listening even when their group isn’t presenting.

I can foresee off-task conversations during the trial. When others are presenting tends to be the ideal time for students to get off-task. To correct this, I will be circulating around the classroom, or standing by students who are especially chatty.

During the trail, I think that speaking out of turn may escalate to a possible problem. To ensure this doesn’t occur, I made it a requirement that every student must speak at least once. Also I may budge into the trial conversation to ask a question to a specific

Differentiation/Special Consideration: Describe specific strategies designed to support students with specific learning needs (varied learning styles/preferences, exceptionalities/disabilities, family situations, giftedness).

Student 1- This student is exceptionally bright. He turns all of his work on time, with extreme depth and development. This class is tough, and he has managed to keep a 100% throughout the year. He doesn’t miss any points, and is completely prepared for each day within the classroom. Students know that he is very determined, and make jokes about how intelligent he is. However, this student is very hard on himself when he feels that he isn’t performing to his ability.This student seems ideal to have within a classroom, because he does as he is told to his fullest potential. However, it is very important that I make sure he feels relaxed within the classroom. I may do this by checking on his group while they are forming their arguments, and commenting on his exceptional work. While the groups are deciding what they are going to say during the trial, students might rely on what this student says because of his abilities. However, to stop this, I will circulate to the different groups, especially this group, to make sure they aren’t relying on him too much. At the end of the trial I will comment to this student, that he did a good job, so he feels more relaxed with his abilities.

Student 2- This student seems to be popular amongst other students within the classroom. This is obvious, because they are always talking with him. The problem is, he gets others off-task by his constant talking. He doesn’t mind talking in small group activities at his table, but doesn’t

student who hasn’t spoke up much.

Another potential off-task behavior I forecast is when the Justices will collect in the hallway. I can imagine students will take this opportunity to talk amongst themselves. To counteract this, I will warn students, that I expect them to behave themselves while we are out in the hall. This should stop students from talking amongst themselves while the Justices collect in the hallway.

As far as materials, it is just some pieces of paper so that isn’t anything too concerning. I will pass out the papers myself. The Justices will also have to collect the robes for the trial, but they are to simply grab a robe when they congregate to the front of the classroom.

For transitions, I will need to make sure to keep moving as they transition from each side. I need to be aware of the commotion, and make sure that things don’t get too out of control. I will do this by keeping students’ attention, and observing to make sure they are still paying attention.

participate in whole classroom activities very much. He is very enjoyable, and easy to approach, however whenever you remind him to stop talking, he will for a couple moments and return to his conversation. This student cares about his social life more than his academic life, and his grade is affected by his chattering.This student is not of a rare form. Especially, with this age group, social popularity is extremely important to these students. For this student, when they form into their lawyer and Justice groups, I will listen to his group to make sure he is on task and not talking about nonacademic material. Also, during the Mock Trail, I may stand by this student so he is less inclined to talk with his neighbor while others are presenting their material. Finally, if the student continues to talk, I will talk with him privately about the appropriate time to talk. I will remind him to stay on task during the activity, and if he continues the behavior, I will have to ask him to leave.

Diversity/Cultural Considerations: For example, does your lesson include multiple perspectives? Does it provide a bridge between students’ home cultures and the content? If you have English language learners, what SDAIE strategies are you using?

This lesson provides two main perspectives. This particular case is broader than Linda Brown and the Board of Education; rather it was a fight for African Americans from white segregation. This represents two very important perspectives in history. However, it is dire that I mention that African Americans weren’t the only racial groups who were segregated. Other racial minorities such as Asian Americans, and Hispanics were

Enrichment Activity: What activities will you use if some/all students finish early and/or master the presented content easily? Why will you use these as enrichment activities? How do these activities: a) extend student learning? b) Reinforce ideas or skills? c) Introduce the next topic?

If students finish early during group work they will:

1.) Students can take out a silent reading book, or work on any other homework they may have. They are also allowed to read the textbook for this course to get ahead on readings until everyone is finished.

2.) They may also practice/study for their

subjugated to segregation as well.

This lesson also extends beyond segregation of public schools. This was a major step in the desegregation in employment and housing as well. This extends to family life. Even today some students experience living arrangements that may separate them from the mainstream. I will allow for students to elaborate or share on this point. Also, it brings in a cultural perspective, even though the class is rather homogenous. Students can discuss how they feel segregated according to their social economic status, race, popularity, or even cultural variations. I believe this is an ideal time to discuss cultural differences that helped construct the United States and this classroom.

There is one ELL student within my class, who grew up in France. However, he is very fluent in English, with only a minor accent. However, to ensure he is learning and guide him, I will be sure to speak clearly and in an organized fashion. I could very easy include visuals as well, because this helps everyone understand more thoroughly. An example may include, a water fountain of a “colored person” and a “white person” to display that the “separate but equal” doctrine wasn’t equal in principle, which is situated at the front of my mentor teacher’s classroom.

geography assessment which they will be preparing for the next day and taking on Friday.

3.) Student can begin studying for their Unit 7 exam which will be on the following Monday.

Rationale/Reflection: Why is this teaching model appropriate for this lesson? How does it fit with the curriculum? Indicate how specific research/theory guided your selection of specific strategies and materials to help your students develop the factual knowledge, conceptual understandings, and skills needed to meet learning objectives. Cite sources.

Cooperative learning is the ideal model for this activity. It would be impossible to carry out a

mock Supreme Court trial, with say the presentation and explanation model. Instead students are

able to recreate a trial. This activity allows for student to expand their knowledge on many items

such as: How the Supreme Court of the United States operates, Brown v. Board of Education, and

the bigger picture of the Civil Rights Movement. For academic achievement, this lesson helps

students cooperate and work together towards a common goal during their arguments and

questions. By working together it helps students recognize and accept student diversity. This

specific class is rather homogenous, however varying levels of diversity are still present, and this

lesson helps students work together to recreate a mock Supreme Court trial. Through the

recreation, student will be presented with how different groups of people, such as African

Americans, were treated in history. This understanding creates an appreciation for the different

diversities and struggles that make up United States history and today. Most importantly, this

lesson promotes social skills. Students are expected to communicate amongst each other to come

up with the best arguments and questions for their group. They are also expected to

communicate and present their information in a professional matter; this is a fundamental

foundation for professional student development. This lesson also fits with the curriculum of the

introduction into the Civil Rights Movement that marked United States history. This lesson lays a

great foundation for the struggle that African Americans went through to achieve equality and

acceptance. This lesson also suits the curriculum because it allows for students to think about the

Justices’ thought processes while determining Brown v. Board of Education. It gives them a

different perspective, by putting themselves inside of the Supreme Court mindset. This is dire for

the study of the social studies, because students need to understand the reasoning that occurred

throughout history to create modern day. This lesson also represent how to be a civic citizen of

the United States, and how the Supreme Court operates. “Cooperative learning, which goes

beyond helping students acquire academic content and skills to address important social and

human relations goals and objectives” (Arends, 360). There are also specific theories that support

this lesson. For instance, John Dewey believed in that the classroom should mirror larger society.

Dewey called for teachers to create a classroom that is characterized by democratic procedures

(Arends, 362). The Supreme Court is very important branch in the democratic process of the

United States. Their role is to interpret the Constitution. This is present in this lesson, because it

works as a laboratory for a miniature democracy. Students are to recreate a Supreme Court trial,

which is dire for their understanding of the Supreme Court. It also helps students discover their

own answers through learning democratic principles. I can’t imagine a more ideal lesson for

learning democratic principles. Also, this lesson supports experiential learning. Experiential

learning states that “experience account for much of what people learn” (Arends, 363). When

students are creating their own Supreme Court Trial, they are much more likely to remember the

information. It is hands-on and now a part of their understanding to store in their memory and

learning. This is crucial; their newly acquired information is now stored in long-term memory

because it has personal meaning to the students. Students are then able to personalize new

knowledge. For choosing materials, I chose cooperative learning and a recreation of the Brown v.

Board of Education because it fit my mentor teacher’s curriculum. Also, this sort of recreation can

help student’s utilize experiential learning, to remember the purpose of Brown v. Board of

Education and the Civil Rights Movement. This will be a case that students can draw on for the

rest of their lives and academic careers. This also an ideal lesson for assessing student’s prior

knowledge. For instance, students are to draw on prior learning of Plessy v. Ferguson and the 14th

amendment. By drawing on their prior knowledge students are to assess the nature of Brown v.

Board of Education and come up with their own conclusion. This creates an experience of

autonomy for students to become self-regulated and independent learners. This is the main goal

of education, and I can’t imagine a more fitting model for this lesson than cooperative learning.

Citations

Arends, Richard. (2012). Learning to teach. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

iAppendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)—Outcome

In the Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education, the Justices ruled a 9-0 vote to overturn the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896. The Court ruled unanimously, under the influence of the Chief Justice Earl Warren who demanded that this case was a moral matter. He persuaded the Justices to consistently vote to desegregate schools, but the Justices were vague about when school segregation would end, and decided that the steps to bring its end should be addressed in a later opinion. The Court ruled that Plessy v. Ferguson was an unconstitutional violation of the 14th amendment. The Court felt that segregated schools were “inherently unequal” where colored children felt that they were given a sense of permanent inferiority, because the “separate but equal” doctrine wasn’t truly equal. The Court also ruled that the ruling was to be carried out with “deliberate speed.” The Justices agreed that segregation was socially and constitutionally wrong, and the Court need to do something about it.

The Court’s ruling can be summed up in the words of Chief Justice Earl Warren’s majority opinion in Brown v. Board of Education:

Today, education is perhaps the most important function of state and local governments…it is the very foundation of good citizenship. In these days it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education... it is a right, which must be made available to all on equal terms… Segregation clearly gave black children a feeling of inferiority as their status in the community that may affect their heart and minds in a way unlikely to ever be undone. …We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.

As a result of the decision, Brown v. Board of Education became a solid legal basis for erasing segregation in other areas of daily life such as in employment and housing. However, resistance was strong in some areas such as the South. For instance, schools in many places remained segregated for many years after the ruling. Resistance was also strong by the states; they felt that integration was an undue interference with a state’s right to control education. White supremacists also were inspired to take actions against this ruling; this in turn however mobilized national political support for the Civil Rights Movement. Because the ruling didn’t address the steps to desegregating schools, the decision also sparked another Supreme Court ruling known as Brown II. Brown II designated all specific cases back to the district courts with deliberate speed. However, to admit children of color to public schools on a nondiscriminatory basis was more deliberate than speedy. Even 14 years after Brown v. Board of Education decision less than 20% of African American students attended integrated schools. It wasn’t until 1980 that the color line had almost disappeared. It became clear that segregation could only be eliminated gradually, and Brown was just one of the beginning steps to the fight against segregation. Brown made future developments possible, with the help of many other cases. However, Civil Rights advocates saw Brown as a great victory, but implementation took many more years and many more actions. The significance of this ruling was phenomenal; it destroyed the constitutional foundations of forms of state supported segregation in the United States. Today Brown v. Board of Education is hailed as one of the most important decisions in Supreme Court history, and was a major step for African Americans to demand the federal government to promote Civil Rights.

The Experience of an Emerging Social Studies Teacher

Erin Freeman

EDST 3000

April 15, 2014

Introduction:

Imagine, spending nearly 20 years fantasizing about your dream career, calculating every

moment until it occurs, and striving to blossom into the professional you’ve been self-creating for your

entire life. Then finally you are given the opportunity to explore this opportunity. You are able to step

foot in the classroom and practice being a Social Studies Teacher. This portrays my ambitions, and the

opportunity I was given to finally emerge into the classroom that I’ve been occupying myself with for

years. For my practicum experience, I was placed at Laramie High School. Within the classroom that I

occupied, the two classrooms I took part in included AP government and Advanced American Studies.

The AP government class was composed of 21 students who were juniors and seniors. The Advanced

American Studies class was purely sophomores. This was a very large class of 34 students, however

this class had an interesting component. It was a co-taught course by an English educator and Social

Studies educator, so it is dual credit for English and U.S. History. However, the class is split up every

day, where 17 students will go to English, and 17 to U.S. history on specified days. However, the two

classes come together and collaborate as a group on Fridays. I served 5 fun-filled, chaotic, but very

enriching weeks within these two classes. My mentor teacher suggested, however, that I work more

closely with the Advanced American Studies class. For the lesson I instructed for my requirements, we

recreated a Brown v. Board of Education mock Supreme Court Trial. This lesson created an

introduction for the students to the Civil Rights Movement, which students are diving into for the next

unit. This paper will unravel and break down my educational experience through my teacher reflections

and retrospective reflections as a developing educator.

Part I: Teaching Reflections

Teaching Reflections:

First, we will go over my personal teaching reflections during my practicum at Laramie High

School. We are going to plunge into what teaching practices were successful and not so successful

during my practicum. I felt very successful throughout my classroom journey. I believe overall, my

experience went tremendously well, I do know, however, believe that there is a lot room for

improvement. The first occurrence that I felt went really well was my planning. I planned my lesson

out to a T. Also, every time I made a presence within the classroom, I tried to mentally envision it and

plan out the steps in my head and rehearse, so I made sure I was organized and ready to go. I very

frequently freeze in front of the classroom, and this rehearsing and repeating the steps to me, really

made me feel organized and coherent within the classroom. I also felt I was extremely successful in my

professionalism. I was very punctual and showed up on time, on the dates that we scheduled out, and

dressed to impressed (even on Fridays when teachers are allowed to wear jeans). I was very proud of

my professionalism, even when it was being tested. For instance, the students tried to “hook me up”

with a paraprofessional at the school, another student was trying to add me on social media, and others

would make inappropriate comments to me. I am proud that I kept my professional lines, and was able

to deal with the situations appropriately and professionally. It was a test of my professionalism, and I

truly believe it has developed and fostered throughout my time within the classroom. I also felt

effective in my ability to keep the momentum high during my lesson. I was unaware at how well I read

students’ nonverbal cues. Whenever I felt someone loosing attention, I was stunned by my ability to

recognize the behavior and attempt to correct it. I felt like this really kept the lesson going, and the

motivation high for students. One of the students even commented to me “that was a lot more fun of a

trial than we typically do.” Which gave me a burst of confidence. However, I felt unsuccessful in areas

of my experience as well. For instance, I believe I was slight unsuccessful in emerging into my

classroom fully. It took me about two weeks to get comfortable and initiate myself into the classroom.

It was hard for me, because I felt that my content wasn’t as up to date as it could have been, and only

coming in two days a week would leave me behind on where students were. I also felt that I could have

done more; you can always do more, especially within the classroom. For example, I could have asked

to teach another lesson or to hold a study hour during my mentor teacher’s planning hour. However,

this goes to show I can improve more in my future classroom endeavors. Also, I should have worked

on growing more comfortable with my students, because I felt that I was unsuccessful at truly getting to

know who my students were. I felt that I could have done more to gain a relationship with my students,

even though I was only within the class for five weeks. I was however pleased, with the level of

relationship I was able to gain in the classroom, once I put my full heart into it. In end, I feel fairly

successful, but there is always room for improvement.

I don’t believe that there is ever a lesson that is absolutely flawless and produces pure student

achievement and learning. There is always something that educators can work and improve on; even

years of experience don’t excuse lack of teacher improvement. As an educator in the making, there are

many things I can improve on, however I have just began to form my foundation into developing into

an effective teacher. I was very lucky however, because of the block schedule at Laramie High School.

I was able to teach my lesson on a Tuesday, and then the next day on a Wednesday. This gave me some

time to ponder what I could improve on the next day, and implement into the lesson the next day. That

is the beauty of teaching, you are able to build and improve on your classroom. The second day of

teaching my lesson, instead of putting the chairs at the front of the classroom for the Justices while the

groups were collaborating, I had the student Justices bring their own chairs to the front of the room, and

pick up their own robe on the way. This cut down on time, and allowed for me to circulate to the

different groups to see if they were ready for the trial, and hear their opinions, questions, and

arguments. If I were to teach this lesson to the same group of students again I would also not rely on

my notes so much. I believe one of my biggest downfalls was when I went over the historical outcome

of Brown v. Board of Education at the end of the lesson. I tried to memorize the information on the

sheet, however the nervousness and quantity of information lead me to read off my notes. I read

students’ nonverbal cues that they weren’t as engaged as they were during the lesson. Next time, I

would have students read 2-3 sentences each and circulate around the room. Then I am not just

speaking at them, and when it is appropriate to talk about it, I could stop them and discuss it with them.

This would take more time, however, it would be much more effective. The last modification I would

make would be at the beginning of the lesson while I was introducing Brown v. Board of Education. I

was extremely nervous and apprehensive because I wanted to do the best that I could. I believe I should

have been clearer about the argument/question sheet that students created. I should have reminded

students that they were to draw on the pretext and argument readings that I attached with their packets

before they left class. I should have also mentioned that I would be grading upon their ability to draw

and form coherent arguments according to the readings. I believe more students would have understood

the assignment better, and this would have created richer arguments/questions from the students

because they would know what I was looking for. If I use this lesson within my own classroom I will

still have areas that I can improve on, but realizing aspects that I can improve on has furthered my

development into an effective educator.

For some reason, it is mortifying to see yourself instruct. To watch it on a camera is a very

difficult thing to do. This is because you have a vision of how your lesson went, and the video portrays

it in a different manner, a student view. It is very beneficial however to see what you can work on, and

the aspects you did well on in during the lesson. It was awkward to for me to see all of the things that I

can improve on in my lesson. First, I need to improve on my purpose within the classroom. I started off

the lesson, with the objectives, but I stated that it was a requirement for my class at the University for

the cooperative learning model. To continue to grow as an educator, I believe I should have simply

explained the objectives instead of reasoning to the students why I was doing what I was. If this were

my own classroom, it would be a daily routine, so I am sure that the students would be used to it at that

point. However, my mentor teacher does not do this with her students, so it was a new task for them.

Another area that I need some immense work on, is correcting student noise. There are parts of my

video that are very noisy, but when I was instructing, I don’t remember it being that distractingly loud.

However, I need to be more in tune with this and correct the student noise, because it disrupts the flow

and productivity of the classroom. Also, it seemed as if there was a lot of wasted time within the lesson.

I don’t think I noticed while I was teaching, because I was occupying myself with keeping the lesson

going. However, there are times when I could have more effectively cut down on time, which is the

most precious resource within the classroom. As a forming educator, I believe that I need to design a

routine for transitions within the classroom, to cut down on time. For example, I may give students 10

seconds to transition, and if they aren’t in their seats and listening in that time, then they will have to

present to the class the reason why they weren’t cooperating or in their seats by the designated time.

This would be a procedure we would discuss at the beginning of the year so students understood what I

expected for less disruptive classroom transitions. A characteristic I can also work on is my enthusiasm

within the classroom. On the inside I am extremely excited and enthusiastic, however because of the

nerves I come off as boring and unenthusiastic. For instance, because the students were so well oriented

with the mock trials, they already knew how to run and cooperate with the lesson. However, I was

standing to the side during the actual trial, and it seemed as if I didn’t care in the video. I was trying to

allow for a democratic experience, but I believe I could have handled it in a better way. I could have

circulated around the room, and stood by students who weren’t participating as much, or stood at the

back of the room to see everyone a little better. Finally, the last characteristic that I need to improve on

to continually grow as a teacher is to have a teacher voice. When I speaking, I speak a little louder and

at a higher tone, however it doesn’t seem authoritative. I need to develop a teacher voice, so students

understand that when I am talking, it is their responsibility to turn their attention towards me. I have a

lot of growing to do before I blossom into the teacher I want and expect myself to be. Now that I have

these aspects within my head, I can start to strive towards personal teacher improvement.

Student Work:

Objectives are goals that students are expected to achieve or learn during the lesson. For my

particular lesson my objectives were “Students will be able to examine arguments in the Brown v.

Board of Education court case, and use them to create arguments/questions of their own.” And

“Students will be able to reenact a mock trial of Brown v. Board of Education and come up with a

verdict according to the evidence during the trail.” To begin my lesson, I wrote the targeted objectives

on the board so that students knew what was expected of them during the lesson. At the beginning of

the lesson, I also verbally stated the objectives for students. I feel very confident with the level of

achievement that my students met the specified objectives. A majority of the students were able to read

the sheet of arguments and pretext reading, I provided them, to create their own arguments and

questions to generate a Brown v. Board of Education trial. A majority of students constructed their own

arguments from the materials I gave them. However some provided mediocre or vague

arguments/questions that did not draw on the readings that were obviously composed last minute. I was

pleased, however, that 90% of the students reached the benchmark and level of achievement I was

expecting.

To document student learning, I had students use their delegated positions to create five

arguments or questions depending on their positions. For instance, if a student was allotted Broad of

Education lawyers one of the arguments that was frequently drawn on was: “Racially segregated

schools have equal facilities, and if schools were to be desegregated we fear that racial tensions would

arise within the schools. Racial tensions and student safety is more important than racially integrating

schools.” Students were to come with their arguments and questions prior to the start of class. Once the

lesson began students congregated into their labeled groups and came up with the strongest arguments

and questions within their group. They then presented their arguments and questions in front of the

classroom during our recreation. At the end of the lesson, I had students submit their argument and

question sheets before they left. Then I graded their work, and the first objective, according to how

clear students constructed their arguments/questions rendering back to the readings, and how vague or

specific they were. I grades on a 15-point basis, so each argument or question was worth 3 points. I did

however have higher expectations and I graded harder because this was an AP class. For the second

objective or reenacting the trial, I mentally took note of who was speaking. This was to ensure that

every student spoke at least once, and was participating in the cooperative learning activity. I also

observed nonverbal cues from the students to ensure they comprehended the activity, the directions,

and emerged themselves into the learning activity. Students who were capable of a challenge, I asked

an extra question to, others I made sure that they merely participated in the activity. I also made

comments on the argument/question sheet referring back to student participation during the activity.

For example, one student built beautiful arguments, but rarely spoke during the trial. I wrote on her

worksheet, that I wished I had heard from her more because her arguments were so wonderful. This

feedback was to confirm that students knew what was expected of them during the trial.

Feedback is absolutely critical within the classroom. It extends further than a grade that

students receive, rather it gives students suggestions on what to work on, what they were expected to

accomplish and a confidence boost on their abilities. These were the goals I kept in mind while I was

grading the argument/question sheets of students. I was thoroughly impressed by the students’ efforts.

A majority of my students had perfect scores on their assignments. However, within my student work, I

provided two students who did wonderful on the assignment, and two others who had room to improve,

so that the spectrum of achievement within my classroom of students was highlighted. First, we will

discuss the students who scored perfect scores. The first student, drew on the readings, and constructed

coherent and distinguished arguments. Also, during the trial he participated to his fullest potential, and

became a group leader for the lawyers. I gave him feedback such as “great arguments! You are

influential with your arguments, which is what I was looking for.” Another student who did

exceptionally well, I mentioned her diligence in creating her arguments however, I commented on her

little participation during the trial. For the students, who didn’t score as well I made remarks such as

“You’re on the right track, but you need more detail and depth for a convincing argument.” I made sure

that I mentioned a positive before giving the student an area to work on. However, I was looking for

more complexity within the arguments, especially because the lawyers speak so frequently during the

trial. I wanted to give this student something to work on for the next mock trial within the class.

Another student who was a Justice, prepared vague questions that were easy to answer, and did not

draw on the readings I provided. I commented, “These are a good start, however I would like to see

more challenging questions that draw on the arguments and reading you were given.” I also made other

comments on the students’ work, but I wanted to give them some suggestions on areas to improve on. I

believe this will make the next mock trial more efficient.

Based on my evaluation of student work my next step in a follow up lesson would be to

discuss the feedback I gave the students, to the whole class. For instance, the next day I would hand

back the students’ graded worksheets. Together, I would discuss why I graded the way I did and how

students can improve on the next mock trial. I may something like “next time, I will expect you all to

extract from the readings.” This is very important, because it doesn’t give students a dead end to their

grades, gives the teacher an opportunity to discuss with the class what needs to be worked on for the

next round, and provided time for students to reflect on how they can improve. I may also warn

students that I will be grading harder the next round of mock trials, so they may want to work on their

arguments, but I will also remind them that I was impressed with their work and cooperation during the

lesson. I believe having a follow up to a lesson gives students closure, a benchmark for improvement,

and a confidence boost if they completed the task correctly.

Development within My Lesson:

Next, we are going to address the academic language and language development within my

lesson. Academic language involves discipline specific vocabulary. Academic language is very

interesting within history, because historical vocabulary is similar to an interlocking web that ties the

past to the present. It becomes hard for future learning to occur if there is no prior vocabulary to build

on the new. For instance, my lesson drew very heavily on Plessy v. Ferguson and the 14th Amendment,

which students were to have learned in earlier lessons. If they forgot these vocabulary terms, then the

mock trial would have been a fail. To ensure that students remember these two important terms I did a

little review with students over the two. I also introduced new academic language during my lesson

plan, such as Brown v. Board of Education which was the case under study, NAACP which was the

organization that brought the case forward, and the Civil Rights Movement, because this case marked

the birth of this substantial and ever changing movement. I also introduced other terms such as

desegregation and Brown II. The most important way that I introduced this new language was by tying

back to the old language so students had a foundation and it was easier for them to conceptually

organize the new information with prior information (Arends 336). I also assisted language

development within my lesson. When students submitted their work to me, I made sure they were

employing relevant terms while constructing their arguments/questions, and I also checked to see if

students were being grammatically correct and coherent in their work.

Now, we are going to explore how I addressed the many areas of development within my

practicum experience. First, academic development will be tackled. I hit academic development, first

by reviewing older material to create a foundation for new material that I was going to introduce. I also,

addressed academic development through introducing brand new content to my students. For instance,

some of them had heard of Brown v. Board of Education but they didn’t understand the complexity of

the Supreme Court case. Through recreating the trial, doing the pretext readings, and going over the

historically significant outcome of Brown v. Board of Education, the students of my class are now able

to academically understand the case. I also established academic development, by giving students a

variety of learning styles within one lesson. For instance, during the introduction and outcome portion

of my lesson, auditory learners are able to tune in. During the actual mock trail, kinesthetic learners are

involved. During the presentation of arguments and questions, linguistic learners are addressed. Finally,

while students were discussing their arguments/questions interpersonal intelligent students were

focused on (Educational Resources). I truly believe that this lesson was composed of a variety of

intelligences to reach fuller comprehension of more students. Most importantly, for academic learning I

gave students an opportunity to learn in a less formal way, which makes students feel more relaxed and

comfortable. My lesson, more than anything, addressed social development. This is because my lesson

is a cooperative learning activity and requires students to actively engage with one another to complete

the task. For example, students were required to collaborate within their groups of lawyers and justices.

This is a time for students to learn from one another, listen to others perspectives, and learn to

appreciate one another’s work and opinions. Also, during the actual mock trial portion of the lesson,

students in each designated group was required to work as a team to convince the Justices of their

arguments. They were forced to interact with one another in a cohesive, respectful, and academic

fashion. For emotional development, this lesson enriched student-to-student interaction, which seems to

create a form of friendship. Students feel accepted and that their thoughts and opinions are more openly

heard and respected. Most importantly, this lesson tackled cultural and lived experiences. Brown v.

Board of Education addresses the extreme oppression of African Americans in United States’ History.

This represents a cultural fight and courage battle for African Americans. It is important for students to

understand the extreme conditions that African Americans were faced and still are faced with in our

country. By presenting the realities and atrocities of our history, students will be able to develop an

appreciation for cultural diversity. My lesson also represented a lived experience; this is because this

case actually occurred in history. By recreating the event, and then discussing the real outcomes in

history, students are able to construct the Civil Rights Movement, and store the experiential learning in

their long-term memory (Arends 363). I believe this case is extraordinarily important to students’

understanding and comprehension of history.

Part II: Retrospective Reflections:

Student Understanding

The most important aspect that I took away from my practicum experience was my

understanding of students. I was surprised by the amount of understanding and my ability to read and

get to know students. It was heartbreaking for me to leave my students when I finished my practicum.

They have solidified my choice to become an educator. I learned how to confront different students

according to their abilities, attitudes, and personas. I learned about their lives and the different things

they enjoyed. I also discovered how to approach students. It was hard for me to deal with students who

weren’t enthusiastic and completely dedicated ready to learn. However, I learned how to approach

these students differently and give them a little enthusiasm to enjoy the content and learning. I also

learned which students needed more guidance and instruction in the classroom, and those who could be

expected to excel on their own. I also learned how to win students over a little, and gain a relationship

with them. Relating to student diversity, I learned how to differentiate my instruction to cater to these

students and the group as a whole. It almost came natural to me, to observe the different diversity that

composed the classroom, and brainstorm how I was going to approach these differences. For instance,

there was a particular student who grew up in France, and had a very strong French accent. I could tell

that he struggled with complex English words and hearing what the teacher was instructing. I

implemented this in my lesson, I tried to be very clear and use simpler language so this student could

understand the instructions I was giving. I also attended to speak a little louder so that he knew what he

had to do. Also, there were a couple of students who were racially diverse within the classroom. I was

very sensitive to race within my lesson. Brown v. Board of Education was and still is a very

controversial Supreme Court Ruling. So this lesson can be a little risky to instruct, but I made sure I

was very sensitive about the case during my lesson. Also, students who were easily prone to distraction

within the classroom, I tried to keep under control. For instance, I would spend more time at their table

during the group work, or I would sit closer to them while I was observing. This helped to keep them

more tuned in when an authority figure was in proximity.

I have dreamed of a classroom of my own for many years. The wonderful students I got to

know amazed me, and I came to love and adore each and every one of them. If this class were mine for

an entire year, there are characteristics that I would keep the same and change within the classroom.

First, I will dive into what I would keep the same. My mentor teacher did some very admirable things

within her classroom, which I would love to implement into my own classrooms in the future. For

instance, she gave students schedules for the units. It was like a syllabus of what they would be doing

each day, the homework for that day, and what days they had big projects and tests. I really liked this,

because then you don’t have to remind students of the assignments they have coming up. Also, it gives

students more responsibility to get their work done, and molds students into self-motivated learners.

Another thing I would keep the same is the weekly quizzes that my mentor teacher required. Every

week students were expected to read a chapter that they were going over in class. She would have 10

question quizzes every week, and students were allowed to use the notes they took on the chapter for

the quiz if they wanted to. I love this, because learning is prolonged if students are continually studying

rather than cramming for the big exam. I also enjoyed the quizzes, because students who put the effort

into taking notes were able to use them. This worked as an incentive for students to do well. Not all

students took up this opportunity, but those who did, had overall better grades. The final thing I would

keep within this classroom is the variety of assessment materials that my mentor teacher implements.

For instance, she did a lot of group activities that students were required to work together for a

common goal. She also used recreations, Socratic seminars (classroom discussions), formal papers,

lectures, games, and stations to switch up student learning. I loved how she varied her instruction first

off to reach a variety of learners and students strengths. Social studies is a content area that is highly

dominated by lecture, but if you adding variety to instruction, it keeps learning fresh, fun, and

interesting. I really appreciated this, and I would love to keep this going within my own classroom.

Although she did require formal assessments at the end of each unit, they were also structured

differently. They were built like the exams I have within my own history courses at the University. I

loved this! This challenges students to think at a higher level, prepares them for college (in an AP class

it is assumed that a majority of them will be attending college), and pushed for higher student

achievement. I love the level of accountability and academic performance expectations that my teacher

executed. She kept the class rigorous but doable to motivate students to extend their learning.

There are however things that I would change if this classroom were my own. First, I would

manage the classroom differently. For instance, when it came to a management system, my mentor

teacher didn’t have a consistent one. When it came to student consequence she didn’t do very much,

even for very severe actions taken by students. Within my classroom, I would handle this much

differently. I am going to implement a system to tune students into my instruction, even it is something

and menial and simple as counting to three at the front of the room. I will also have a system for

consequences. For instance, I may give students two warning and then send them to the office. I will

discuss and make sure students understand this at the beginning of the year. This will cut down on

misbehavior, and let students know I will not let them get away with inappropriate behavior. Overall, I

would like to manage my classroom more effectively. Another thing I would change if this was my

own classroom, I would change the classroom floor plan. My mentor teacher had a fairly small

classroom, so she did the best she could with her room. She had her room set up in six small group

tables. Each table seated 4 to 5 students at them. The tables reminded me of an elementary school

because they were very small and low to the floor. However, it was so hard to move about the room. It

seemed as if you were constantly hitting someone on accident as you are trying to journey around the

classroom. The floor plan also bothered me because some students had their backs turned to the front of

the room, even when she was doing a lecture. I can’t imagine that this was conducive to learning. Also,

because my mentor teacher assigned so much group activities it seemed to be conducive to her

instructing. However, I found that the tables created more problems than they did in fostering student

learning. Students found it easier to talk amongst each other when they were supposed to be giving

their attention to learning. If this were my own classroom, I would utilize individual desks. I would also

have them all facing forward in groups of two in a diagonal formation. This would allow everyone to

move around the room more fluently, for students to have visibility within the classroom, and cut down

on student distractibility. Overall, I enjoyed how my mentor teacher ran the classroom, and found only

minor improvements and styles I would employ if it were my own classroom.

Theory and Understanding:

My practicum experience was irreplaceable. I have gained so much knowledge on the

atmosphere of the classroom, and observed how interconnected teaching and learning really are. I’ve

always known how huge of an impact the teacher has on the classroom. His/her slightest actions affect

the way and how students learn within the classroom. My practicum informed me that even

unintentional actions could leave a lasting impact on students learning. For example, within my

classroom my mentor teacher allowed some students to get away with some very inappropriate things.

She tried to correct them, but they always seemed to overrule her. This then became a common theme

in the classroom, a power struggle between my mentor teacher and her unruly students. They were

learning on their agenda, and not hers, it was obvious that students weren’t learning to level they were

expected to because of their distractedness and power in the classroom. My practicum also informed

me for learning to occur takes a lot more than I originally thought it did. Teachers have a huge quantity

of behind the scenes work; I never realized the amount of effort that goes into the classroom for

teaching to be effective. For instance, grading, making copies, arranging the room, designing activities,

making lesson plans, planning for subs, creating assignments for students who were absent, planning

field trips, gauging to make sure everyone is on the same track, speaking with parents, and working

with students on your planning time are all apart of the job description. Being a teacher is a job that

never calms, however if you are to be effective within the classroom all of these measures are

necessary. A teacher’s willingness to devote themselves and their time to the classroom is what affects

a student’s learning and motivation to succeed and achieve. Even my small role within the classroom

affected the students. It is amazing how far a little effort can go especially within the walls of a school.

I am very satisfied to see myself developing into an educator; it is hands down the greatest

feeling on earth. What surprises me, is my developing theories I am using to construct my future

classroom in my head. For planning I tend to be very type A personality, however I am very open to

student thoughts and “going with the flow.” I find myself being a moderate controller. My planning is

however very far to the right and I consider myself to be in the high teacher control category in that

regard. However, when the actual lesson is taking place, I am much more democratic, and I am more of

an interactionalist. Within most aspects of the classroom, I have discovered I am an interactionalist.

This is the same for classroom management. I discovered Love and Logic, which was created by Jim

Fay and Foster W. Cline. This sets a positive classroom environment without anger. It provides

underachievers the hope and willingness to succeed, and builds a strong classroom community. It also

guides student to solve their own problems and provides quick and easy interventions

(http://www.loveandlogic.com). I love this discipline model, because I really believe it develops

students to think and act on their own. This is essential for secondary educators because we are trying

to prepare our students to enter the real arena of life. It also ties students closely with their teachers.

This is the sole reason I decided to become an educator, because I want to inspire the young, touch the

future, and enhance and uplift my students to excel. The optimism that Love and Logic uses is very

admirable. I also have extracted theories from John Dewey. He theorized about learning through doing.

This has become my goal as a social studies teacher, because I believe that history doesn’t utilize

hands-on activities very often. However, when you are reenacting an indecent, I believe it is much

more memorable and conductive to learning. Dewey also believed that the classroom should mirror the

larger society through democratic procedures (Arends 362). I admire this, because a social studies

classroom’s responsibility is to create civic responsibility within students. For differentiation I draw on

Gardner and multiple intelligences very heavily. I strive to reach every student, even if these means

switching my lessons up daily or even every few minutes to reach every student. Everyone learns

differently. I believe if I am able to reach every form of learner within my classroom, I will be very

effective. I believe this even for assessment. Nobody enjoys strict multiple-choice tests all the time,

where students merely regurgitate the information they have just crammed. Rather for assessment I

may have an essay test, a project where students can create a skit, an interview, or even a paper to reach

the variety of students within my classroom (Outline of Educational Learning Theories and Theorists).

For curriculum, I draw very much on Albert Bandura as well. I believe that formal schooling creates a

wonderful place to foster relationships. School may foster first friends, only friends, or the only social

connections that students have. I envision my future classroom to revolve around sparking social

thought and connections. I also have observed that students learn from one another, and that behavior

can be learned through observing others (Outline of Educational Learning Theories and Theorists). I

believe by creating a social community in my classroom, I will be highly effective and create a positive

and open community. Most importantly, I am constructing and combining educational theories to

molding my own future classroom. With the knowledge of these theories, I am able to pick and choose

with theories of learning that will be the most conducive to learning in my classroom.

Current Questions:

As I am forming and developing into a future educator, there are still many unanswered

questions I have. I want to grasp every concept I can to mold my own high learning potential

classroom. Some of the questions I still have about effective teaching include: How can I ensure that I

am an effective teacher? What can I do to become more comfortable within the classroom? How long

does it take to be considered an experienced teacher? It is possible to be an effective teacher to all

diversities of students? If so, how do you cater this? How do you know you are being effective? Is

effectiveness an evolving term that molds to each classroom setting? How do you measure being an

effective teacher? And what are some things I can begin doing now to ensure that I am effective when I

have a classroom of my own? Also, if I am not an effective teacher will I know? What is the best

advice to a beginning teacher about effective teaching?

Conclusion:

This paper unraveled my experience in the classroom through my teaching reflections and

developing educational views and theories. After spending a lifetime daydreaming of my future

classroom, and envisioning how I will create a learning environment, it seems as if my dreams have

become my reality. I was finally given an opportunity to spend quality time within the classroom

during my practicum experience. I served my practicum at Laramie High School. The two classes I

took part in were AP Government, and Advanced American Studies. During my enriching but very

interesting 5 weeks at Laramie High School, I flourished into an educator. I even taught my own lesson

of a mock trial of Brown v. Board of Education as an introduction to the Civil Rights Movement. When

all was said and done, the aspect that I gained the most knowledge on was my place in the world. I am

destined to be an educator, and at the front of the classroom, I am at one with the world.

References

Arends, R. (2012). Learning to Teach (9th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Educational Resources. (n.d.). PBS. Retrieved April 13, 2014, from

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/education/ed_mi_overview.html.

Outline of Educational Learning Theories and Theorists. (n.d.). Teacher's Garden. Retrieved April 10,

2014, from http://www.teachersgarden.com/professionalr esources/learningtheorists.html .