good job

I had my formal evaluation yesterday. It was a creative lesson, one that I found on the internet but tweaked a bit. Here's basically what I asked the students (obviously there was more to it, but I'm stripping it to its bare bones):

1) Is love a positive or negative thing? Is hate a positive or negative thing?
2) If you love to love, then you ________? (love or hate)
If you hate to hate, then you________?
If you love to hate, then you ________?
If you love to hate, then you ________?
3) Using this analogy, and knowing love= (+) and hate = (-), what are the rules for multiplying integers?

Pretty cool eh? I thought so anyway, and the students actually got it...the problem was that many still need to work on their multiplication facts, so even though they knew -8 x -8 was a positive number, some didn't know it was a + 64. But so are the challenges of teaching...

I watched the video last night, and I must say, and I knew this even while I was teaching, I WAS NOT MYSELF. I was much too aware of my evaluator, and I tried to follow the lesson plan too closely to make sure I didn't leave anything out. I believe I overplanned. I shouldn't sacrifice my own personality just to fit a prescribed format, and that is not the point of a lesson plan anyway. I will try to think of it as I always had before, as an outline of my lesson, not as a script.

Let me discuss some specific weaknesses:
1) Looked down too much at the lesson plan (or held onto it for that matter, even "pointing" with it). This made me look unsure of myself. However, I don't usually do this, but it was an added action directly correlated to knowing I needed to say the words "The objective is..."
2) Turned back to class when writing on the board.
3) I wasn't decisive or confident enough. (As I was watching the video, I wanted to say "Stand up taller! Project that voice more! Get those bangs out of your face!)
4) Gave unclear directions (when doing examples and problems on the board).
5) Said "good job" for every praise. Need to find other words, and say the students names more often in the praise...and when possible, be specific.
6) I should have given time for students to volunteer answers before calling on them...and then time again to answer after I call on them (thanks to Dr. Sullivan for this advice ;)
7) Should have walked around class a bit more, especially to those in back (I should have taken more time in how the desks were arranged, but I was a bit rushed right before Dr. Sullivan got there because I was helping a student on a problem).

And a few strengths:
1) Related well to students...I smiled, used hand gestures, made good eye contact.
2) In other words, I had a positive attitude, woo woo. (can this be counted as a #2? I'm stretching it huh...)
3) I did check for understanding, and I reinforced my lesson by coming back to the analogy if students made mistakes or had questions. Although, I could have improved this as well.
4) Reviewed past rules within lesson (for ex: 0 times any number, even 10 apples, is what?)
5) I found the good in the students' answers, in order to not embarrass them in front of their peers, and to encourage them that they can do this (such as telling one student that "Yes, you are right that it's a positive integer, but you just didn't multiply correctly.")

I really think what bothers me the most is I know I could have done better. It was a fun lesson, but I was so wrapped up in doing the lesson so-called "right" that I wasn't as energetic, engaging, or involved with the students as I could and should have been. Yet, I've seen and heard (from Dr. Sullivan) what I did well and what needs improvement. I definitely think the evaluation was worthwhile...even if it's horrible having to watch yourself on video saying "good job" 100 times.