Kieran CO #3 & 4

 Kieran CO #3 & 4

Date/Time: Friday, February 28, 2025

Topic/Skill: Composition (Advanced)

Teacher Presentation: I observed Mr. Flemming's Composition class on Friday, February 28, from 10:50am to 12:30pm. First, Mr. Flemming presented the topic and plan for the day and showed students where to see feedback on their previous assignment.

Students were given an assignment to read a long piece of roughly academic level writing and then select some words or phrases that they would like to use in the future. Next, students reviewed feedback from a previous assignment and asked clarifying questions.

Afterwards, Mr. Flemming went through the structure of the class, including assignments, attendance, policies, and common problems students have with composition class.

After a short break, the second half of class began. The new topic was “Why write a research paper?” Students chose from four research questions to answer. Mr. Flemming showed the students some examples of potential research topics and described the parameters of their research paper assignment. Briefly, Mr. Flemming and his students discussed the differences between a research paper and an academic research journal article.

Finally, students had about twenty minutes to brainstorm ideas for their research papers, with the opportunity to receive feedback on them in the future.

Classroom Management: Mr. Flemming asked lots of open-ended questions, to get students engaged and gain information about their thoughts and concerns. A common question was “Does anyone want more information about this?”

Mr. Flemming encouraged students to ask questions, speak openly, and “steal” words or phrases from writing that they liked.

Materials: Canvas, whiteboard, laptops

Student Participation: Students worked independently on their computers for much of the class period. Occasionally, the students asked one another for help with a computer problem or question about the assignment.

Students asked Mr. Flemming many questions about his writings and word use in general. He would explain how he used the word, and other potential uses for it. They also spent time brainstorming ideas and submitting their work to receive feedback in the future.

Feedback Provided: Students received feedback through written corrections to their assignments submitted on Canvas. This class is very focused on writing, particularly regarding college topics or scenarios.

Lesson(s) on teaching you learned: I learned about how to present information to students with an advanced level of English, including complex topics like research papers and academic articles. I liked how Mr. Flemming checked in with his students frequently, to see if they understood what he was discussing.