Contextual Factors Chart

Source of Factor Community Urban, suburban, or rural; socio-economic; census data on families Contextual and Environmental Factors Merrywood Elementary School is a suburban environment. Online it states that 32.57% of the county that attend Merrywood Elementary resides in the urban community.

District Enrollment, percent free and reduced lunch; graduation rate; ethnic breakdown; percent with IEP; percent ELL; per pupil expenditure.

The entire district houses eight elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools. The total enrollment into District 50 is 9,178 students. There is a rate of 53% on Free and Reduced lunch. The graduation rate for high school is 74.1. The school is broken down by race. The district is 43% Caucasian, 40% African American, 9% Hispanic, 1% Asian, and 2% other. There are 12.2% of students that are enrolled in an AP/IB programs which are for more gifted.. At 16.3% are students that are served in gifted and talented programs and the district is serving 12% with disabilities all with IEPs. I could not find the exact percent for ELL nor the per pupil expenditure. I did however find the $8370 is the amount spent per pupil. Merrywoood Elementary School is for grades Kindergarden through the fifth grade, and has an overall school report at the good status. It houses 582 students and is a Title I school. Out of 582 students there are 343 total students on free and reduced lunch or 58%. Acheivement schores are as followed; The PASS test was at 5-10% lower than schools in the area like Merrywood in all subject areas including science and social studies. In the 2012-2013 the statistics show that the ethnic breakdown was a follows, 51% Causisian, 34% African American, 8% Hispanic, 1% Asian, and 6% other. 12% of students in the school have an IEP. The average teaching experience is around a total of 16 years. The school has received mulitple awards. It has kept the Palmetto Silver Flag award for 4 years. It has also received the SC Red Carpet Award and an Honorable Mention as SC Distuinguished Title I School in closing the Acheivement Gap. The student/teacher ratio is at 16:1.

School Enrollment, percent free and reduced lunch; achievement scores; ethnic breakdown; percent with IEP; percent ELL; recognitions; teacher/student ratio

Classroom Demographics Ethnicity, language needs, gender, identified special needs including gifted, physical needs, and cultural characteristics

The classroom contains 24 students with a certified teacher and one shadow. The class ethnicity numbers are broken down by 13 Caucasian students, 9 African American students, and 2 Hispanic students. There are 12 females and 12 male students in the class. The average age in the class is 8. 2 of the students have IEPs and also there are 2 ESOL students. The 2 special needs students are one with autism, and another student with hearing loss and speech impediments. The second IEP student requires the teacher to accommodate by wearing a microphone in the classroom at all times. One student who has continued to follow behind is now being put into the SIT process, and receiving special attention. There are 5 RTI students, one of which is an ESOL student. Three students this year have been selected for the gifted and talented program for the third grade. Both ESOL students speak fluent English and are very eager to continue learning. The DRA levels of the class vary from as low as 10 to as high as a QRI 38. There are 3 students on Tier2 and two students on Tier2B. Three of my students go to Speech therapy twice a week.

Knowledge of Students Learning styles, prior learning/experiences, academic proficiencies, behavioral differences, and areas of interest

By looking at students MAP scores from the beginning and middle of the year can tell you about where a student is academically. Also there DRA levels should be increasing as well. Most of the students in my clinical classroom increase in all areas of math and reading from when first tested in the fall to being retested in the winter. All the DRA levels have increased and 19 of 24f are on or above a level twenty which is at grade level at this point of the year. The classroom learns best by introducing a new topic by finding a corresponding song. This is very interactive and I find them singing this song while working silently. This is an audio and sometimes visual learning style. In my first week of being in the classroom I had the class complete an all about me chart. First, I did the activity in front of them so they could learn about my interest and model my expectations. The activity consisted of them telling me their age, family members, fun facts, favorite color, things they enjoy, a self portrait, and last something they want me to assistance then in while I am in the classroom. This gave me insight to what they enjoy and gave me things I can incorporate to further learning. If they have something they cannot understand I have used this activity to find things that interest them and relate it to that topic in some way.