April 6th, 2018​

Mentoring Journal 

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Entry # 9: Follow up after Second Evaluated Filmed Lesson

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Meeting Gabriel – follow up 2nd evaluated/filmed lesson

 

We met on Facebook video chat to talk about how the second evaluated lesson had gone. This discussion was largely mentee led, although I had proposed that we talk about how the lesson had gone.

 

My first questions was, “How did the lesson go?"

 

Gabriel: Really well! He felt that he had improved greatly comparing to the first evaluated/filmed lesson. He felt that:

• he was more calm and collected. Much less sweating than in the first one!

• he spoke well, that his gestured were fluid and that he was much less rigid.

• his instructions were clearer

• the activities went a lot more smoothly

• he was able to do both feedback and debriefing (in the first lesson he had missed one of these, but could not remember which – and neither could I)

 

I followed up on the instructions part and asked what he felt had made his instructions clearer.

He said that it helped that his lesson plan was not in essay form this time – which he had addressed in response to feedback from the first evaluated lesson. Also, the fact he had created an instructions sheet before hand helped. I added that he had been practicing giving instructions in the lessons between the first and second evaluated lessons, so he had been working on that and now he was reaping the benefits. He agreed. He also felt that because he was calm his instructions were clearer and easier to follow. He did not feel rushed while he was giving them. I asked him if he had included ICQs (Instruction Checking Questions) in his instructions, and he said he had. The students were able to answer 3 of the ICQs correctly.

Gabriel also mentioned that he has been building a rapport with his students and that they now know what certain gestures mean. For example, when he puts his middle and forefinger close to his mouth and then moves them in an outwards gesture this signals “talk”. So he included this in the instructions and this also helped with clarity.

 

My second question was, "What he would do differently?"

Gabriel: answered that I might think this funny or strange, but “nothing!” he wouldn’t change anything.

I said that was great and I was really happy that he felt his lesson had gone so well.

Gabriel then added that he had thought of something, and that next time he would like to communicate better with his teacher assistants – to discuss (in more detail – because he had given them a break down of what he wanted them to do to help him) the parts of the lesson where he needed assistance prior to the lesson.

I asked him what he thought the person who will evaluate him might have to say – what constructive feedback he might receive. He was not sure.

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See the PDF document for the full journal entry.