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Packet
_____Madison Smith____
Professor: _____Leytham_____
CSN Course:
_______Edu 203_____
Professors email:
_patrick.leytham@csn.edu_
Introduce yourself. Since this is your first visit, ask the teacher where he/she would like you to sit
while you complete your observation hours for this CSN Introduction to Education class. Show the
teacher this Field Observation Activities Packet, your Field Observation Time Log and
Cooperating Teachers Field Observation Student Evaluation pages. Let the teacher know
that you will be asking him/her to verify your hours of attendance each time you visit, and grading
you after the observation hours are complete.
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*Observation 2: Please describe the student make-up of the class, including gender, ethnicity,
ELL, students with physical challenges, and any other apparent attributes that are important to
note.
There are seven girls and eleven boys in the classroom; three of which are English
Language Learners. There are no students with obvious physical challenges.
*Observation 3: What are the posted class rules in the room? (Exactly as written)
The voice levels are 0 no voice, 1 talk with one, 2 small group, 3 classroom, and 4
playground.
She uses the CHAMPS rule which is
Conversation: quietly discussing what it is they need to be doing to be on task
Help: asking for help if need be
Activity: are they doing the activity? Is it done correctly? In a timely manner?
Movement: Are they where they need to be?
Participation: How often do they participate?
*Observation 4: Does the teacher enforce the rules? Are rewards or consequences being
used for compliance or noncompliance?
She has table points if a group is quite or on task then she will take points away for
those who are loud, disruptive, and not getting their work done.
ASSIGNMENT TWO (Classroom Layout): Use graph paper or drawing software to create an
accurate overhead view, labeled drawing, of your assigned classroom before answering the
questions below.
CSN Education Department, Las Vegas, Nevada 2013
Computers
Activities
Teachers desk
Books
Computer
s
Reading
table
Classroom Layout Question 1: Describe the workflow of the room. Is the space used
efficiently?
For the most part really like the layout of the classroom. The kids are set up in groups of
four which would make it easier for group work, there is enough space for the kids to spread
out on the floor and read, and the reading table is out of the way, but in a place she can
observe the other students who are not seated at the table at that time.
Classroom Layout Question 2: In your opinion, how can the physical arrangement of the
room be improved?
*Instruction Question 4: Does the teacher incorporate the sensory modalities (learning
styles)? If so, give examples.
She definitely uses all of the learning styles. She has picture on the walls of different
words and how to say them, what different sounds letters can make. Then she has cd players
for students to listen to a story, which they can also read along with because she has the book
sitting next to the player, and answer questions from that story. Then she has a lot of hands on
material, for instance she had the students make a leprechaun that went with a story and she
had an activity to go along with it, unfortunately I was not there for the activity part.
*Instruction Question 5: Do the students seem engaged in the lesson(s) that are being
presented? Please explain.
For the most part the students are very engaged in what they are doing, aside from a
few students she has to remind them to be quite or to stop something they should not be doing.
For instance one day the class went to another first grade class, next door, to listen to those
students presentations about historical things in the United States. They were so engrossed
with what the students were telling them. They would ask questions and get excited to watch
the videos the other students had prepared, this was the only time the teachers never really
had to discipline a student in any way.
*Instruction Question 6: Are there any students isolated from the rest of the class for any
reason? Why?
I have not noticed any students being isolated from the class for any reason so far.
There will be times when she has one student come work with her alone at the reading table,
but that can be because they missed a day, they didnt finish, or because they are a bit behind
with their reading progress.
Instruction Question 7: Is instructional time managed efficiently? Please explain
I think her instruction time is managed very efficiently, even when students are being
disruptive. She was administering a test once, and this was right before lunch on a Friday, so
the students were a little riled up, and she had to stop several times because students were not
listening or misbehaving. However, she managed to finish the test with some spare time left.
*Instruction Question 9: List ways that the teacher attempts any attention getting
commands? (Ex: Countdown, Light flicker, Heads on Desk) How effective are they?
Like I said in the previous question she rings the bell and it is effective. She also will say,
hocus pocus and the students will then say, everybody focus and she typically says this
when the majority of the students are getting out of control, out of focus from the current task,
or are too loud. Most of the time it is effective, but sometimes they will calm down and get back
to work, however, other times she will have to say hocus pocus a few times or take their table
points away if it gets too bad.
*Instruction Question 10: What specific behavior issues does the teacher have to deal with?
How does the teacher deal with these behavior issues? Be specific.
I am really impressed at how well behaved her students are, however there is one
student in particular that just will not anything he is told. One student she held back because
he was not doing his assignments and when he did he did not try and would receive Fs. Now
he is doing the same things again and she is not sure what to do because she knows that he
does this because he has family issues at home. She continues to work with him because he is
very smart, and was doing really well at the beginning of the school year, and she hopes to put
that hope and excitement of learning back into him that he had at the beginning of the year.
*Instruction Question 11: Are there any policies or procedures in place that help or hinder
instructional time? If so, explain them and how they help or hinder use of instructional time.
As far as I have seen there are no specific policies or procedures that she has to go by
that can either help or hinder the instructional time.
ASSIGNMENT FOUR (Culture): Using the information provided below, carefully observe and
evaluate the culture of the school where you are assigned to observe. Remember you are
evaluating the school for its educational culture, place of learning, sense of safety, invitation for
learning, promotion of self-actualization, development of values and socialization.
Physical Characteristics: Look at the physical areas of the school to determine atmosphere,
comfort, and feelings the school creates for students in the educational setting.
1. Consider the school property: building, grounds, fencing, equipment, landscaping, trees,
parking lot, crosswalks, gates, signs and symbols.
The school is surrounded by a one way road, which makes the school a lot safer, and is
less likely to have accidents. There were a lot of cross walks with blinking signs telling
me that it is a crosswalk. The building has a fence surrounding the school, but it does
have a park adjoining it where P.E. will sometime utilize. The school has a dessert
landscape with the typical amount of trees one would see in that type of setting. The
parking lot was empty, but the road had a lot of cars parked along the sides, which I
found interesting.
2. Next, study the interior of the school: halls, floor coverings, lighting, doors, windows,
hall colors and decorations and entrance security.
The majority of the school is blocked off and locked until you check in. As I walked in
there was a collage of frames with the teachers grouped within their individual grade.
There was a showcase of trophies, awards, and certificates. The office was decorated
with artwork the students made for the office employees. The school was light well, but I
CSN Education Department, Las Vegas, Nevada 2013
*1. Look for teacher(s) expectations for learning and success, interactions with students, and
his/her personality.
She runs her classroom how real life works for every actions there is a positive or
negative consequence. She always has three positive for one negative, so if a student fails at
one thing she always shows them three positive things they succeed in and help them to push
through that difficult subject. She is very easy going and she did not have to stop too many
times to fix a behavioral issue (some days were better than others).
*2. Evaluate the level of student participation in the class. Who participates? Who does not?
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*3. Evaluate the interactions between teachers and students, rapport, cohesiveness,
distribution of power, tone, frequency and reinforcements.
The students definitely know that the teachers are in charge. There is always some type of
behavioral management going on some days are better than others. Ms. Matananes tone is
sweet, yet authoritative, and this is a women that the students can respect and look up to. The
students are really her priority and she shows that when interacting with them.
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*Interview Question 12: What procedures or strategies do you use to maximize instructional
time?
She uses good management, CHAMPS (which is defined in assignment one, observation
three), and she always has 3 positives for every 1 negative.
*Interview Question 13: What positive reinforcement programs have you had success with?
The entire school does leader of the week/month. She will have an immediate consequence
whether it is good or bad. If they do something wrong she may choose where they go for free
time or lose it altogether. If they do something good, like read a whole book by themselves, she
will let them read it in front of the class.
*Interview Question 14: What behavioral consequences seem most effective with this age
group?
She finds that the most effective consequence for them is when they lose their ability to choose
what they want to do.
Interview Question 15: How are specialist teachers involved in the instructional planning
process?
They are not involved with hers.
Interview Question 16: How often are you evaluated, and what measurement tool(s) is used
by the administration for determining your own performance?
Every month they have a jot report where the see if she is on task, the kids are on task, and if
she always has a positive for a negative.
Interview Question 17: What consequences are there if your evaluation is not favorable?
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Interview Question 18: What types of support do you receive instructionally, financially or
professionally from the school, parent organization or school district to enhance instruction?
She has no finial help other than what the school provides, they do get a little more since they
are now a title one school. There are many grants available and the district sponsors a lot a
training exercises. She is lucky to have the freedom where if she needs something for her
classroom she will just go and buy it herself.
Interview Question 19: What surprised you most about teaching as a profession?
She was surprised at how many people that became teachers out of convenience rather than
to helping or even liking the students.
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A) Ask permission from your cooperating teacher to accompany the students and
observe one or more of the specialist classes (Art, Music, Library, Humanities, PE) they
attend, or a different middle/high school subject the same students attend within your
cooperating teachers grade level team.
1. Do the students participate or behave differently in these classes in comparison to
their regular academic/cooperating teachers class?
The students seem more hyper and energized, given that it is PE, which is
understandable. They have a hard time staying at a level 0 voice.
2. Does any student seem to have a particular talent? Describe.
Unfortunately I went when they were practicing field day and it was more rule based and
having a few kids run through the activity, so I did not get to see any particular talents.
3. What is the curriculum like in comparison to the regular education (cooperating
teachers) class?
They went over what was going to happen on field day, discussed the rules, and ran
through the activity.
4. Describe the specialist teachers instructional style.
He was pretty strict, but I am sure that is for safety measures. He also seemed to be
very impatient and got angry with the students often for talking.
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your professionalism at all times. Do not write a students name down when you are writing observation notes.
Maintain the students right to privacy by referring to a student as Student #1, Student #2 etc.
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