Jennie Poole

Education 302
Professor Sjoerdsma
February 5, 2014
Personal Ethnography

Learners

Number of students in a class was 17 from first grade to fifth grade and there were two classes
per grade and there were a total of 34 students.

Gender ratio in classroom there was no ratios there was all girls.

Cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds: there was middle and upper class mostly Caucasian
and there were every few minorities that had come and gone throughout the years in my grade.

Primary language: English
Level of English proficiency: high since all American and no international or many minorities.

Range of abilities- no advanced classes so all on same learning ability.

Special need- no people with special needs

Unique qualities: all-girls school in a suburban area

Age range in classroom: each grade level had the normal age for that grade so in kindergarten
there were five and six year olds and so on.

How would you describe the relationship of learners to teachers?
Most students loved the teachers because the teachers cared for the students and treated us well,
but once in a while there would be a teacher that was not good and would be mean (especially if
sassed).

How would you describe the relationship of learners to the administrators?
We would never see the principal unless we were in trouble, or if someone was family friends
with them and would stop by and say hi and chat. Basically the administrators had no
relationships with the students.

School

Type of school: An all-girls, private secular school, and it was a college prep school in grades 6-
12 and started in Pre nursery. In New Jersey in the suburbs.

Grade level and or subject configuration: Grades of whole school was Pre nursery- 12
th
grade but
the primary (elementary) school was pre nursery to fifth grade.

Tracking and or grouping of students: N/A

Textbooks, curriculum, standards:
Kindergarten- I remember math being everyday math, and according to our school website, the
curriculum for kindergartners help them develop self-confidence, self-awareness, independence,
and social skills along with the academic skills.
First grade- I remember math was everyday math as well, and the curriculum standards builds
on the kindergarten and the school website says, Grade 1 builds on skills gained in
Kindergarten. Each child continues to progress at her own speed in small- and large-group
instruction. The girls begin their studies of science and art with specialists from those fields.
Second grade- curriculum standards on the website is that there is more knowledge gained and
in social studies the theme of world and culture and science classes increase and continue to
work on math and language arts.
Third grade- students start to think more abstractly and connecting to their past. There is more
complex language, math and social studies and continue science classes. Native Americans is a
big theme that is threaded throughout the class.
Fourth grade-continues to build abstract thinking, and given more opportunities to discuss
cooperation and integrity and self-esteem.
Fifth grade- looks in the past and the future. There is learning of responsibility, self-sufficiency
and conscientious work habits. The students become independent and assertive learners.
There is a foundation started for middle school and they explore computer programing and other
things. (the last thing is new since I have been there)

Physical environment
Classrooms- I remember that the classrooms had desk that were moveable and we were
always put into groups and then there were cubbies in the classroom for our backpacks
and other things and there were white boards in the front of the classroom, a teachers
desk in the room and there was an area for reading or benches by windows.

School- Our primary school building had a parking lot in front of it and we had to walk to
the cafeteria. Which now has our school store attached to it but before that was in the
main middle school building before the school went through construction changes in my
middle and high school years. There was a playground which was outside an older
building where middle school art was. Also on campus was a big lawn and then there is
the high school attached to the middle school and there was a gymnasium we had to walk
to and past the high school and middle school. We also had to walk to get to the school
theater for performances because we had a big room with a dance floor and a stage for
acting and dance classes for the middle school. There was also another playground for the
kindergarteners. I was overwhelmed by the school and all the buildings when I was in
primary school.

Classroom/hallway rules and routines:
Classroom rules was always to respect people and follow the golden rule and also respect
peoples things. We also could not run in the classroom or the hall ways. When we were in the
hallways we had to be quiet and we were always in lines to travel from place to place.

Philosophy Educations
purpose
Preferred
curriculum
Nature of
learner
Role of the
teacher
Role of the
student
View of
the world
Inspire
leadership,
and gain
respect to
herself and
the
community.
To provide
a rigorous
education
to young
women and
strengthen
their
learning.
Text books
and lecture
style with
projects and
other
miscellaneous
things and
test.
To learn
and do the
best they
can and
become a
better
person and
view the
community
different.
To teach
and help
the
students
get the best
education
they can
To learn
and get the
best
education
that they
can get
To help the
community
but also
that
women can
do things
men can do
to and that
women are
equal.

What evidence do you have that the philosophy reflected in the curriculum and instruction?
http://www.kentplace.org/about/mission

How do the physical surroundings support or not support the philosophy and the curriculum?
I think it does support the philosophy and the curriculum because we use our land for the science
program and we do experiments and it helps the learning of the students and the curriculum.

Images

Describe the school exterior(s)
The outside of the primary school has brick building but it also has wood and it has a
parking lot in front of the building so that guests can come and stop by the office before
they enter the school. I do not remember much of the exterior of the school.
Describe the neighborhood(s)
The school is in a suburban area and one side of the road leads to houses and another
school down the road. Another road leads to down town and that is by our turf fields and
it is easily seen from a car driving by. The other two sides lead to houses and one of them
leads to our parking lot where students and faculty park. The neighborhood it is in is not
excited but it is by houses which I dont know why in a suburban area surprises me a
little.
Local Community
Describe the community in which the school(s) was (were) located?
It is in a community with houses in a town in the suburbs.

Was (were) the school(s) neighborhood-based or did students travel from other areas of the city?
Students came from other towns as well and I know some who would travel on a school bus for
40 minutes or more and our school owned those busses.

If the school(s) was (were) broader, describe the region(s).
There are no regions the school is in one town and the students came from that town or traveled
from the surrounding towns.


What evidence of these aspects do you have from your elementary school experience, either
positive or negative?

A press for learning and social justice
Learning is the top priority
The fact that it was a college prep school and it was hard to get into, and only accepted
limited students, the school was all about learning and not much about anything else.
Everyone succeeding is the norm
I think people succeeded because it was a good school and most students who
transferred was for different reasons because they were sent there for education but
other reasons are why they left. (like friend issues that got out of hand)
Multicultural, college going identities are fostered
I would say we did have a lot of different cultures and it was mostly Caucasians at the
school that when they did have different identities they tried to keep them even though it
did not always work.

Access to learning opportunities and resources
Adequate resources eg library, books, science labs, space and equipment to climb and play
We had all of these resources which I feel was good throughout the years because also
elementary children need to get energy out by playground equipment and the learning has
to do with books. We had very adequate resources for my learning and at my school.
High quality teaching
Usually teachers have been there for years. I would not say in math or science we have
high quality teaching, and our school knows that the math and science area was the
weakness of our school. I did not think that the teachers were amazing but I did do well
in certain classes but I would say because I was motivated to learn, and it was not always
because of the teacher.
Enough high-quality teachers with conditions for teaching, eg class size, books, av equipment,
hands on materials, copy machine, computer, telephone
We had a lot of the equipment but I feel as if our teachers were not high quality. I think
that it didnt feel high quality but I do not remember much about my teachers from
elementary school.
A rich balanced curriculum
We definitely had a balanced curriculum and we would have themes throughout years
like countries, states, Native Americans, and I thought that we had a good amount of
balance with language art classes, science, and math and others.
Extra help when needed
We would have to go see the teachers and sometimes there was a reading help group but
not a lot of extra help.
Equitable learning time
We had a good amount of time to learn. Our day was 8:15-3:15 and our periods were
usually 40 minutes long. We usually took our time on some things, so there was usually
enough time to finish everything.

Access to Caring relationships and practices
Every student is known
Yes also because our classes were only 17 people but also the whole school was just
under 200 people.
Safe zones-confronting racism, homophobia
We never talked about issues like this in primary school.
Care in a violent culture
We were not in a violent area but when something happened out of the blue, there was
care and everyone cared for each other.
Care in fearful culture- fear about natural disasters, terrorism, or other global events
We did not have a lot of natural disasters, but when September 11, 2001 happened, the
school did care for the families who were impacted and when the girls missed school,
they knew what to do and knew that it was a very hard time for people.
Care in the face of a broken social contract-post-Katrina
I was not in elementary school during Katrina, but the school did care if someone died of
cancer in a family or let us bond as a school if someone in our community was hurt or
something had happened that was big.
Professionalism, collaboration, inquiry and Activism
Teachers as participants and professionals
Teachers had gone to conferences for the school and teaching and had done more to
prepare for every year or for certain things to happen.
Teachers as partners in teaching and learning
I have not seen many teachers partner up or learn but I know that they show things to
each other but other than that I do not know much about this and if it happened in my
school.
Faculties as inquiring communities
Teachers were sometimes odd but they always fit in and found a way to help students
learn and be part of the faculty.
Creating a culture of critical inquiry
The teachers have definitely helped students search for knowledge and learn and I know
that some teachers enjoy that aha moment when the student understands and they
create a space in their room where they want the students to learn and figure things out.

Parents and neighbor hoods

What evidence of these types of engagement do you have from your school experiences, either
positive or negative?
Parents supporting the school agenda
I dont know if parents supported the agenda, I dont even know how much information was
given to the parents.

Schools meeting families needs-comer schools 21
st
century learning initiative promise
neighborhoods, teachers reaching out
I know that the school had come to a familys aid when their house burnt down, but otherwise I
do not know how the teachers reach out and learn about the world and the neighborhoods.

Bridging the cultures of schools and families-learning from communities, bridging
students multiple worlds, bridging through community liaisons
I do not know how the culture and families bridge the learning of the community and if the
school affects it or not. I know that the students can make a difference but do not know if that
has been happening.

Partnering with families and comminutes in educational activism
I do not know if the school is partnering with families because it is a private school that accepts
or declines people and I do not know if the school does much educational activism.


Why would you or would you to recommend your elementary school(s) as a model(s)?
I honestly do not think I would recommend my elementary school as a model school
because I feel as if it is completely different and is not the one to go by and I think there
is more that could be done to become a better model.

What is the most striking part of your elementary school experience?
I would say the fact that because my first grade teacher took away free time was sad and
striking and I didnt like the teacher but I still enjoy the activities. Also the higher the
level of education I went to, the more enjoyed it until the middle school years.