Effective Teaching Strategies for Engaging Third-Grade Students

Abstract

Course name Instructor’s name Assignment due date Teaching Reflection and Observation I observed a classroom of third grade students at Sherman School of Excellence where I had the opportunity to assess some of the practices of lesson implementation. At the beginning of the year, the teacher used various strategies to get to know the students. She used individual interactions including observations to determine the behavior and academic development of the learners. Additionally, the teacher used question and answer sessions where she learnt the strengths and weaknesses of the learners. There were informal student introductions where the students indicated something they felt was unique about themselves to the rest of the students. I observed lessons where the teacher set clear goals for the children and supervised individual and group activities. The focus of one of the lesson I observed was the elements of a story where the teacher introduced setting and characters with an example. The themes of the story, “The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown were family, friendship, and technology which the teacher explained to the students. The teacher articulated the goals of the lesson prior to having the students read the story and identify the core elements. During the lesson, students were given the opportunity to form small groups and discuss the components of the story and offer examples. The core teaching practices during the observation period included engaging the learners in meaningful experiences and demonstrating how the lessons could apply in real life. The teacher asked the learners to identify instances in their home and classroom environment where lessons could apply. Students presented examples of family relationships that apply to their lessons to demonstrate that they understood what was taught. Moreover, the teacher fostered independence among the learners by encouraging the students to make decisions on how...