I found that I witnessed a lot more of what could be described as lesson clarity while volunteering in the after school art club. The art teacher reviews what was done the previous time they met and what needs to be finished of those projects, and what they will be starting during this club meeting. She often has me help with demonstrations of the projects that the students will be working on, and for some of the younger students, she and I help with their specific projects to make sure everything goes smoothly for a good final project. She also has a lot of examples made in her classes in previous years so the students have something to aim toward.
On a side note, I really enjoyed the P.E. class I was helping in this week. We got a girl to overcome her fear of being made fun of and at least try the rock wall. It was great when her friends were cheering her on. :)
I can see how lesson clarity is different in a P.E. classroom. I was glad to read that the teacher you were observing actually demonstrated the new stretch. I remember being in P.E. and when the teacher wanted me to do something without showing me I was always confused. But when it was demonstrated it was much easier to learn. When it comes to helping out in a P.E. and Art environment, which do you enjoy teaching in more? Which is easier to get the message of what is expected from them to the students?
ReplyDeleteI like art more just because I get more of a chance to interact with students, but I think lesson clarity might be easier in a PE setting because it's like "run, jumping jacks, sit ups" and kids know exactly what's expected from them where as art it's a little more free range so not even the teacher knows exactly how things will turn out.
ReplyDeleteI think it is really cool that you got to be a part of helping someone get over a fear and try something new. I think that is one of the greatest gifts of teaching; getting the opportunity to help kids grow and overcome obstacles. Great Job and keep up the hard work!
ReplyDeleteP.E. is way different then any other class when it comes to lesson clarity. It is true that sometimes it is hard to check for understanding after a P.E. lesson. During my P.E. experience as a student, my teacher always check at the end of a lesson about how different activities turned out and how they could be improved. I think this could be useful in the P.E. classroom that you are observing so there is some kind of recap for understanding.