Evaluation for Practicum

Under the USA Yoga Alliance requirements, trainee teachers have to devote 30 hours to Yoga Philosophy, Ethics & Lifestyle and 25 hours to Teaching Methodology. http://www.yogaalliance.com/PDF/untitled/YA_200hrStandards.pdf

Here's Tony Wong and Joanna Kraft's Evaluation based on the class they taught 17 twelve year old students on Yoga Technology/Food Technology (introducing yoga lifestyle through food):

Observations

Very good starter with the ‘under stool’ game, always good to have a different start that focuses the students at the beginning.

When giving out a handout, such as the questionnaire it is better to explain a little about why, what for, rather than give it out and let them find out by reading it.

The tasting session was a good way to break up the tasks and engaged the students in an enjoyable activity. This is true of the overall plan, which has lots of activity and different tasks/elements, always good for pace.

Board skills are important, particularly the writing, which must be clear and easy to read from the back. Both of you could improve this.

Oratory skills were very good with Joanne, and reasonable with Tony. Projection of the voice could be improved in Tony’s case, which comes with confidence and practice. Slowing down and sounding the words in a more lucid way would help. This is important for any class whether school or an adult audience.

If the layout of a room does not suit then don’t be afraid to change it i.e. the back bench were sometime a bit out of the discussion, so they could be moved to squeeze in a bit at the front during discussions and return for written tasks.

Watch out for students chatting over you-----not normally a problem with adults, but with child audiences they need reminding now and again and if not checked the situation deteriorates.

Pauses between parts of the lesson are noticeable, try for a smooth transition between one section and another.

When we spoke about groups, they immediately started talking (about the subject, which is good), but again you were trying to speak to them and the noise was rising. So, although you do not want to curtail their enthusiasm there is a need to maintain control. So getting them to listen to you and then have time to chat about the work is fine. A noiseless classroom is terribly boring, students should be heard and allowed to communicate with each other about the work, but in a controlled way.

The plate activity was another interesting task, which worked well. Tasks that involve the students doing are the best and keep them engaged and probably learning more than when the teacher talks at the class. The more of this you can put into a lesson the better.

Generally a very good effort and successful lesson, considering this was your first with school children in a formal setting. Please don’t read the above comments as negative, but something to consider and help improve your practice as a teacher in whatever setting. Indeed teaching children is a way of improving technique at all levels, because we cannot rely on the natural tolerance and politeness of adults---------a lesson many University lecturers would do well to learn.

PS from me: It is an independent evaluation from someone who is very experienced in training teachers on a Bachelor of Education course in the UK, so I am very pleased! Erin, Su....you next. You have to do the same group twice (one week theory, the second week practice) so you can either do 2 or 4 sessions at the school. Joanna and Tony, you might want to consider repeating the whole process with another group to perfect your already very good class!