Reflection of Lesson
Problem of Practice: Checking for Student Understanding
During this lesson, students were very engaged with the material. They were interested in reading the excerpt from The Jungle and were more than willing to share their thoughts and opinions. They diligently wrote down notes, answered questions, and wrote down their ideas during the Free-Write activity. From my perspective, the students understood the material and had no problem applying the material to modern-day examples of muckraking.
However, when I reviewed the material the following day in class, I was surprised that many students could not explain to me what muckraking was or what impact it had on the Progressive Era. Even though the students could answer my questions and tie the material to modern-day examples, they were still unsure about what muckraking was and why it was important. So, how does a teacher know if her students really "get" the material?
Looking back, I recognize a few points in the lesson where I could have more effectively checked for student understanding. While introducing the concept, for example, I should have During the Free-Write activity, for example, I could have had students respond to a more direct question, such as "What is muckraking and how did it impact the Progressive Era?". Then, once I was certain that all students understood the concept, I could have taken the conversation to the next level and had them apply the material to modern media. As a teacher, it is very important to always put yourself in the shoes of your students. Even though a concept like muckraking seems clear and obvious, it might be more challenging for a ninth-grade student.