In this section we have discussed several teaching behaviors that are related to the establishment of an interactive classroom. In this inquiry activity you will prepare a brief lesson, teach it to a group of peers, view a video of the lesson during a reflective teaching conference, and then reteach the lesson incorporating changes suggested by your reflective teaching coach.
Materials
Procedures
1. Prepare a five minute science lesson on a science topic of your choice. Prepare the lesson in such a way that you focus on the teaching skills listed in Figure 1. Please note that in five minutes you will not be able to teach a "complete" lesson.
2. Meet with your observer-coach (a peer) prior to the lesson to explain your objectives and the skills you plan to focus on.
3. Teach the lesson to four to six peers. The lesson should be video taped.
4. The observer-coach should use the Microteaching Evaluation Form (Figure 2) and use the results in a reflective teaching conference.
5. The observer-coach should conduct a reflective teaching conference immediately following the five minute lesson during which the video should be viewed, and suggestions on how the lesson might be changed for the reteaching session.
6. Reteach the lesson to another group of peers. Following the lesson, view the video with your coach and evaluate the effectiveness of the changes that you tried to incorporate into the second lesson.
Minds On Strategies
1. How successful were you in integrating the skills into the five minute lessons?
2. Use the microteaching format to practice other critical and creative thinking teaching strategies. Your five minute lessons can focus on the following:
• Using advance organizers in science teaching.
• Using low and high inquiry questions in science lessons.
• Using examples to help students understand science concepts.