Ian Rolon-- Running Comments for observation on March 6, 2015.11:30 AM in CH223Started right at 11:30 and took attendance.Had questions on the board Guided questions he put on the board

What could the nightmare be? Why won’t Connor share it? What is the timeline of the novel so far? What do you think may happen? Why? Is the monster good or evil?

Nice beginning. Asks everyone how they are.I sent you something last night to print out. If you didn’t come forward and get it. About of third of the class took papers.You mention that there a lot of absences.“Today we are going to discuss it. If you have it take it out and show me”. Some didn't have books. What did you do for them for the first part? Ok, so you gave some of it to them.“Who read all five chapters?”Asks probing questions. “What else did you get from it?” You expand on their answers. One says it was cruel and you ask “Why cruel? ““Why is the age number important?” He was 13. You let them answer in Spanish for meaning questions. “So nightmares are a big part of the novel. Connor doesn’t want to share it. What does that mean for Connor?” You relate the question to them personally. “Do you share some things with some people and keep others quiet?”“So what kind of character is Connor?” ResponsibleYou write on the board. Tells them to look at the two papers they have with the character trait chart. They start giving character traits for Connor(Characteristic and Action is on the board) Ok, move to the second paper. You begin to read instructions for the second page. Tell them to write the four descriptions of the characterYour students mostly read. The one student that didn’t read was a little embarrassed, but you dealt with it well. Interesting that you asked them if they liked the story.“Ok I’m going to give you ten minutes to fill out the first part. “Students begin to work individually on the first sheet that has the characteristics and the actions. Students are working quietly. The student who hadn’t read is looking into space, he doesn’t have the copies you gave to everyone else.You are moving around the room talking quietly with each student and also you are answering questions. After they had written part of the exercise he stops them and tells them that they should do this exercise with each of the characters and keep it in their folders.11:58 Ok, so for the second part of the class you divide them into groups to answer the questions that are on the board. ‘You have about ten minutes’. Students move into their groups slowly, they seem like they are a little sleepy or something. Having a hard time following instructions. Chair moving is very noisy.

You gave each group (very large groups, by the way) one question. Why didn’t you ask them to answer each one? Q4 is a Yes/no question which doesn’t leave for as much interpretation as others

Question about the first part: where were you going with that? They worked for ten minutes and then you told them to store it away in their folders. What was the plan for that? Will you go back to it? Maybe you should have told them what was going to happen with it. We do a lot with exercises then we sometimes just archive them. If you state that the doc is important and that you will get back to it, it will be more meaningful for them. I think you did mention that this was a good exercise to do with all the characters. But why? What reason have you given them for investing their time in that paperwork activity?12:05 students seem to be quite engaged in the activity. They are all talking and sharing their ideas.12:07 ok guys start finishing upStudents are still discussing12:09 which groups wants to go first? Ok let’s go by question Group 1when a student gave an example from the text, you told him it was good use of text to support, ( you are thinking about them writing about it later with support)tells them its important to sometimes reread to find information they may not seen on a first read.(tells them what you think is important)It’s interesting how with one student you consistently speak to him in English and he consistently speaks back to you in Spanish. Pretty much everyone else was good in English or tried to speak in English.Good conversation at the end with the groups. You were positive!“You have homework over the weekend. 2 things. Finish up the two papers. Start a timeline of the novel. Remember the two writing assignments on how you were at ten and 18. What happened in between?” (That was three things I think. I’m glad you mentioned the worksheets because I had been wondering about them. See my comment above)Students linger and talk to him after class. You erase the board