Reflective Teaching Lesson: AEE 412 Lab #1

For our first teaching lab this semester we had to conduct a Reflective Teaching Lesson, or RTL, with our students (our peers) on a random topics. These topics ranged from being skill specific to being abstract concepts, and my lesson topic was the Bowline Knot. I had to teach my students (my peers) how to tie the Bowline knot and their end of class assessment was to tie the knot and I would inspect their knot to see if they had done it correctly. I had never used this knot before preparing for this class so I had to learn how to tie it before I could teach them, and also find an interesting way to teach them since it is a fairly straightforward task to complete.

I started my lesson off by using Lassie as an interest approach, telling my students that when they entered the classroom they had fallen into a well and had called Lassie to bring help. I was their help and had brought rope to pull them out, but that they needed to tie the Bowline knot into their rope  in order to make it safe to pull them out. I showed the students a picture of the knot and its steps on a powerpoint at the front of the class and tied the know with them at the front of the class. I followed up by showing a video of tieing the knots, which I narrated because we did not have audio in our classroom, and then taught my students a story about a rabbit which described how to tie the knot step-by-step. After working with the students to tie the knot several times I told them to tie it one more time without my help, and once they felt ready I would assess their knots and determine if I could pull them out of the well; and everyone passed the test.

Overall, I think the lesson went well even though I had just learned the knot and was nervous, but I don't believe I appeared nervous according to the video recording (which makes me more relaxed for the future, especially since I am teaching several courses that I have very little background and/or experience in). Even though the lesson did go well I can always improve any lesson so below are the many positives and negatives I have about my Reflective Teaching Lesson:

Positives:

• Used the story about Lassie and the well for my interest approach
• Students seemed to enjoy it and find it realistic
• Students felt it was very clear that the goal was to tie a knot
• Students liked that multiple teaching techniques were utilized
• Picture diagrams, video tutorial, hands-on demonstration, and a story 
• Students appreciated the patience and individual attention
• Students appreciated the enthusiasm and positivity
• Students appreciated the hands-on topic and approach

Negatives:

• I did not account for technology difficulties
• No audio (though I was able to narrate video)
• What if the video/internet had not worked?
• I need to be clearer with direction, talk louder and clearer
• When watching the video playback I felt that I needed to talk clearer, have all my words/sentences thought out before I spoke (nerves get to me quickly)
• To avoid this, maybe script out the lesson to counteract nerves?
• Have extra string in case of knots
• Had some extra string but if every student had needed more I would not have had enough
• Have plan for if students get the concept faster 
• Need a challenge step so the lesson doesn't go stale
• But requires me to learn more challenging knots (material)
• Account for student placement in class and ability to see teacher
• Hard for Deanna to follow along at times since she was in back of room
• Try using a larger rope that is easier for students to see
• Maybe demonstrate in a better location in classroom, maybe to side of students