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Formal Teacher Observations: Student Teaching Video
Jessica Quap
Grand Canyon University
EAD-530 - Improving Teacher Performance and Self-efficacy
Dr. Steve Debee
May 4, 2021
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Formal Teacher Observations: Student Teaching Video
Robert Marzano said, “An evaluation system that fosters teacher learning will differ from
one whose aim is to measure teacher competence” (2012). With each observation I have had
through my 16 years, I have had the opportunity to see the experience as a learning tool improve
my effectiveness in the classroom, which would in turn create authentic learning and growth
experience for my students. Even when refined, the experience should focus on growth and not
on measuring ability. When evaluating the video of Dr. Mistofo, my focus is on the instructional
portion of his lesson as a way to coach him toward being the best teacher he can be.
Format of Evaluation Tool
The evaluation tool being used is the NIET TAP Rubric for Instruction. The evaluation
tool is broken down into 4 major categories: instruction, planning, environment and
professionalism. The rubric is supported though a weekly Cluster meeting of mixed content
teachers lead by a Master Teacher who focuses on campus prioritized instructional strategies that
support the rubric’s instructional category. The instructional category is broken down into
performance indicators of standards and objectives, motivating students, presenting instructional
content, lesson structure and pacing, activities and materials, questioning, academic feedback,
grouping students, teacher content knowledge, teacher knowledge of students, thinking and
problem solving. Performance indicators are rated 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 for each indicator. 1 being
significantly below expectations and 5 being significantly above expectation. The instruction
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indicator counts for 75% of the total evaluation along with planning at 15%, Environment at 5%
and an administrator professionalism survey at 5%.
Explanation of Video and Why
I have chosen to evaluate using the math video from Dr. Mistofo because, I feel I am
more familiar with the high school environment, as I teach high school English. I am able to
relate to the manner in which he teaches to a student who is nearing the end of their secondary
schooling experience. I also would have a hard time evaluating strategies used in an elementary
setting such repetition because I have been out of practice with younger students for years. I also
chose this video because it was more instructional based, in my eyes, than the other.
Score Explanation
After viewing and scripting the lesson, I have given the following scores with the
following explanations. I have pulled each indicator descriptor with an explanation in the table
below.
Indicator Score Reasoning
Standards and Objectives 3 objectives shared at
beginning of lesson
Motivating Students 3 -teacher sometimes organizes
content so that it is personally
meaningful to students
through group share out,
student at the board proving
answer, engaging in clearly
communicating success
criteria for lesson
Presenting Instructional 4 -visuals of shading are
Content viewable to whole class and
some completed by students
for view of all and check,
concise communication of
criteria for success, logically
4
sequenced steps to complete
problems, illustration of
solution present for all that
assist the learning process
Lesson Structure and Pacing 4 brisk lesson from start to
finish, lesson structure is
coherent, pacing is brisk
without leaving any students
struggling, check in with
students incorporated within
all steps of lesson, no
instructional time lost,
complexity of steps
scaffolded for student success
Activities and Material 3 -activity supports the lesson
goals, activity is challenging
and represents appropriate
scaffolding for student
success, sustains students
attention throughout by
incorporating student
volunteers and sharpening of
answers for others to
check,lesson elicits a variety
of thinking, provides
opportunity for
student-to-student interaction
( group work, student
volunteer)
Questioning 4 -teacher questions are varied
on all levels, questions are
purposeful and coherent, high
frequency of questions 20+,
questions and appropriately
sequenced for student
achievement
Academic Feedback 2 -feedback is brief and
general, feedback given
during guided and individual
practice, feedback from
students is present
Grouping Students 3 -grouping is varied
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throughout lesson( whole
group, group and individual),
all students participate
throughout, group
composition is varied,
grouping facilitates
student-to-student interaction
Teacher Content Knowledge 4 -teacher displays accurate
content knowledge, teacher
incorporates subject-specific
instructional strategies by
having students work through
steps of shading to find an
answer to the equation,
teacher highlights
misconceptions and shortcuts
for students to scaffold for
advanced learners
Thinking 3 -students complete analytical
thinking to solve problem,
students analyze and evaluate
in each problem, students
explain answer to teacher for
group instruction
Problem Solving 4 -teacher provides opportunity
for students to teach and
reinforce three or more
problem-solving types
(abstraction, categorization,
drawing conclusions based on
solution, justifying solutions
based on shading of
quadrants, predicting
outcomes
Average Score 3.36 Proficient
Positive Feedback with Evidence
During the summative conference, positive feedback would be given in the areas of
presenting instructional content for visuals given when teaching students how to identify a
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solution to the equations. Teacher did an outstanding job of taking students through the steps of
solving without causing any confusion in students. All students were observed being successful
when given different circumstances for each problem (what happens if the numbers are
negative/positive?), steps were scaffolded from how to chart a slope of an equation to the
complexity of determining when a solution is not possible. Positive feedback would also be
given in the area of lesson structure and pacing because lesson was lesson from start to finish,
lesson structure was coherent, pacing was brisk without leaving any students struggling, check in
with students incorporated within all steps of lesson, no instructional time lost, and complexity of
steps scaffolded for student success. Teacher is effective in the area of instruction within this
lesson.
Constructive Feedback with Evidence
Constructive feedback would be given for the indicator of academic feedback. Teacher
feedback to students lacked specificity and mostly reflected feedback of student accuracy of
response. Teacher did not successfully circulate room within group or independent practice to
give individual feedback to guide instruction. Feedback was mostly given in short answers (okay,
right). Students did not participate in giving feedback to each other. At several points during the
lesson teacher asks for students to share and does not give other feedback other than okay and
gives answer to students or what another class said. My coaching would be to acknowledge
student feedback and incorporate it into steps in order to validate their understanding of the step.
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