Teacher presence
Paul was fully available and immersed in his teaching throughout the observation — moving around tables and consistently engaging at student level.
Student engagement
Students were highly attentive and on-task during the lesson.
Activity: Ashby Chart
Students completed a gamified Ashby Chart activity during this lesson, earning points based on how accurately they placed materials on the plot.
Try the Ashby Chart activity →Follow-up activity
An improved follow-up was later developed to further consolidate the same challenging material.
Try the follow-up →
Classroom culture
Classroom routines were apparent through student actions — a settled, purposeful working environment was evident from the outset.
Vocabulary & instruction
Key vocabulary displayed on slides effectively reinforced material ahead of the research activity, supporting comprehension and focus.
I hadn't revisited Chelsea's observation since we met to discuss it in October, and was pleased to find some of the same notes Martine made months later. Her primary suggestion was to consider what notes students should be taking — a straightforward prompt, but a useful one. MYP is so project-focused that I'd somewhat overlooked the general habit of note-taking early into DP, and this was a welcome reminder to address that.
Following the observation I encouraged much more active note-taking from students, and allowed them choice in method as long as they had something to show for it.
Martine's observation notes were deeply affirming — she noticed things I haven't given specific thought to in a long time, or perhaps ever. Walking around tables and making an effort to be at student level is maybe the only "active" part of the observation I consciously think about. The rest of it is just who I am, and I'm glad that translates well into teaching.
I had started creating web activities for students a week or so before her visit and have produced several since. During this lesson students completed the gamified Ashby Chart activity linked above — points were awarded based on how accurately they placed materials on the plot. This activity, and the improved follow-up, are both attempts to make a few genuinely challenging topics more approachable and memorable.