Jessi Towne

EDUG 550
Tutoring Reflection #8
November 15, 2015

Appendix H

Tutoring Reflection
Name: Jessi Towne Lesson: Opinion Writing Date: November 15, 2015
Listen to your recording and reflect on your tutoring session by addressing
the following areas. Pay specific attention to the dialogue that you have with
the tutees and what insight you can gain from that. Write a short
paragraph for each section.
1. Identify and analyze strengths of the lesson, include reflections
about written and oral comments from the Coach and/or
professional peer and insights gained after listening to your
recording. [TPE 1A, 10] One of my biggest strengths is connecting with
my tutees and engaging them in the lesson content. I really liked that I was
able to introduce them to poetry. I thought they were really liking and
engaged in what I was teaching and reading them. Both Julian and Kendy
liked the poems I was reading to them, and were easily making the
connections between the literal writing of the words on the page and the
metaphors and symbols used in the writing of Shel Silverstein. I was really
impressed with how my students made the connection that the ship was
sinking because it did not have a bottom because of the way that the text
was worded. I had to read it again to them more slowly, but they were able
to make the text connection. One of the strengths is that Julian finished his
rough draft without too much complaining and he was able to complete the
entire written paragraph in the time allotted. Usually, Julian hates writing and
is one of the slower ones to finish and procrastinates. I was really proud to
see him focusing and finishing his work.
2. Identify and analyze problematic aspects of the lesson include
comments from the Coach, and/or professional peer and insights
gained after listening to your recording. [TPE 2,3] One of the biggest
problematic things of my tutoring sessions is both of my tutees like to talk
and can be disruptive and zone out if the lesson is not engaging them at the
moment. Julian likes to zone out and not even look at me while I am
teaching. This is just really disruptive to me because I have to stop the
lesson and tell him to pay attention to me while I am teaching. Both Kendy
and Julian have the propensity to really quickly jump down rabbit trails from
a topic that was discussed and we can get off topic really quickly. Another
problematic aspect was that when I told Julian and Kendy we were playing a
game for our word study, they were really disappointed and did not sound
enthralled. Another problematic situation that happened last week was
during the writing time, one of my tutees, Kendy started crying for no
apparent reason. It may have been because she did not want to write or she
did not know what to write. I asked her what was wrong and why she was
crying, but she did not know or did not want to tell me. But, she was able to
start her writing process with the opinionated writing.

3. Describe possible changes to lesson if implemented a second

time. [TPE 9,10] One of the things I would change if I could re-do the
lesson again would be to have the input of my tutees about what they
wanted to do for a word study for the next week. I want to make sure that I
am doing stuff that they enjoy and find interesting so that I can engage them
in the lesson content. Because when I told them about the game we were
playing for word study, Julian looks at me and says, Really? Another game?
He did not even say that much, but he said a lot. I could tell by his face that
he was uninterested in the game I was about to introduce to them. I also
should have incorporated the use of whiteboards a little more so that they
had the opportunity to use them. They really learn a lot when they are able
to use the whiteboards, and they always get excited when they are allowed
to use their whiteboards. Another thing I would do to change my lesson is to
allow them to write whatever they wanted with their opinion instead of
forcing them to use a question from a book we read. I know they are not
really excited about the opinionated writing because it is not about
something they really like or are interested in, so they are not giving the
writing their full focus.
4. Discuss insights about tutees. Discuss and analyze tutees work,
describe tutees behavior/attitudes, etc. How did you differentiate
your instruction/materials to meet the different needs of your
tutees? What will you work on next session based on your analysis
of this session? [TPEs 4,5,7] Kendy was a little more on the emotional
side, because she started crying in the beginning of our writing time. It was
pretty difficult to handle because I was trying to figure out what to do and
what was wrong with her, but at the same time I was trying to get her to
focus and start writing. Julian surprised me with how focused he was in his
writing. He was going fast because he wanted to get everything done more
quickly, which he did. He was not spelling or using correct grammar, but
since this was only the rough draft, I told him that it did not matter. I know
that Kendy is more advanced in her reading and writing than is Julian. I had
her working on the betterment of her writing. I was trying to have Julian and
Kendy skip lines when they were writing their rough drafts, but they were
constantly asking me why and what the purpose of skipping lines was for,
and I told them, but to no avail. They both stopped skipping lines because
they forgot. I dont think this is something that they are used to doing. I only
had them skip lines in writing their rough drafts because it was easier for me
to correct and it would be easier for them to read to be able to make the
necessary changes to their drafts. Based on my analysis of this session, both
Kendy and Julian need to work on their writing skills. Neither of them like to
write, and it is a struggle for them to even write one paragraph. I will try to
work on getting them to write more using details and facts from the book
instead of just trying to get away with writing the bare minimum I require.

5. Discuss progress made toward becoming an exemplary teacher.

Refer to the RICA Competencies, TPEs, learning theories, etc. There
is progress being made toward becoming an exemplary teacher. It just takes
a while. They are baby steps. One of the things that I know that I do well is
encourage and motivate my students to always do their best. This goes right
along with TPE 4.13, Candidates motivate students and encourage student
effort. I always want my students to know that the effort that they put into it
is what they will get out of it. If they are not doing their best job in trying to
write a well-thought out essay, they will not reach the peak of their learning
experience if they do not strive to reach the top. Julian has a tough time
believing in himself. He struggles with self-image. Whenever I ask them to do
something, Julian is always the first one to be negative and say that he is
unable to do something. Even if it is something that he had accomplished
before. Especially when it comes to writing. He is just hesitant and does not
want anything to do with writing. I am able to get him to write a really short
paragraph, but that is about it. He does the bare minimum of what I require
of him, and is quick to the draw, because he thinks that he quicker he gets it
done will be better. He is just blowing through the assignment trying to get it
done as fast as he can, so he has a tough time actually understanding what
he is doing and why he is doing what he is doing.