Here are my notes on your lesson which I observed. I don't believe we ever received the entire 12 lesson unit plan from you.
Regards,
Shuchi
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Lesson observed on Tuesday, 5.9.06 Block F, 1 hour by Shuchi Grover
Teacher: A.V. Koshy
Std 11 AICE
Literature
The topic was a poem "The Spirit Is Too Blunt An Instrument" by Anne Stevenson
Setting:
5 students (3 girls G1, G2, G3 & 2 boys B1 & B2) sitting in a semicircle in front of the blackboard in the Tech Hub, with Koshy in the space in between.
Specific Observation Notes:
- Koshy introduces the lesson by writing "Carol Ann Tomlinson" on the board and saying that the aim of his lesson was to teach in a way that different kids would be able to understand the poem and that it would become "fuzzy --> clear" G1 responded "You've lost me already." and Koshy smiled and dropped that thread.
- Koshy gave a brief introduction to the poem saying that it was from the "Sceince" Poetry genre.
- The students by turn then read about 4 lines of the poem each.
- Then he asked the kids to split into 2 groups; B1 & B2 in one and the 3G's in another with a short explanation from Koshy that he was leveraging "Multiple intelliegences" and verbal/ling and spatial/visual capabilities of the students. The boys were asked to look up meanings of various words on the internet and list out adjectives, see how the words were being used in the poem. The girls were asked to use the internet to pull up images of the various parts of the human body that were being talked about in the poem. Both groups were to make presentations after 20 mins.
- The kids got to work.
- After 20 mins they made their presentations along with all-class discussions about their views. The discussions were awesome!
- The class was not too impressed with the poem and questioned the poet's objectives in writing such a poem.
- Koshy asked in the end if the poem had become fuzzy--? clear and one of the kids said that it was fuzzier then before which made Koshy smile. He clarified to the student that perhaps the intentions of the poet or the subtext of the poem may be fuzzy, but he believed that they all comprehended the poem at least. I agree with this assessment of his.
Analysis:
- I did not see any reason for the teacher to explain things like Differentiated Instruction and MI to kids. It is part of the teacher's strategy and not part of the lesson. Koshy stressed that he wanted the students to know.
- Koshy explained in his lesson plan as well as to me in person that this was a very bright class and that they were all very bright kids. I felt that perhaps differentiated instruction was then not a necessary strategy at all!
- That said, I think the lesson was very well thought out and executed. I found myself enjoying the lesson thoroughly
- The tie-ups with DI were evident and well-executed
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