Karla Santana

ECE 251
19 October 2016
Observation: Caring Classroom

School:
Teacher:

Aggie Roberts
Mrs. Kovalovich

Telephone: 702-799-1320
Age/Grade: 3-5 Preschool

Teacher Characteristics:
1. In general, how unconditional is the teacher in her acceptance of the
children's individual differences? Support with observation.

The teacher treats each student as if they are same by setting the same
expectation for each child even though they each possess a different area of need.
When the students are asked to clean up, a timer goes off and she will remind them
again only once that it is time to clean up. They are expected to listen the first time
regardless of age or area of need.

2. How accepting is the teacher of children who present challenging behaviors?

How does she communicate this acceptance or lack of acceptance to the child?
Support with observation.

When the teacher is presented with challenging behaviors she clearly

demonstrates acceptance by supporting the childs needs through conversation and/or
redirection. She implements strategies appropriate to the behavior. A student was
having a tantrum doing my observation, she waited a minute or so before she got down
on the floor and said I know youre upset, but we have to wait for our turn. Everyone
else waited for their turn She was able to redirect the behavior by gaining the students
attention on their level.
3. How consistent in the teacher re: the enforcement of classroom rules? Support with
observation.

The teacher sets high expectations for the students in the classroom and
provides positive behavior supports for the students when they demonstrate appropriate
classroom behaviors and support classroom rules. Positive praise and personal
recognition are used often by telling the students You did a fantastic job lining up!,
Thank you for having calm hands I like how you walk in the classroom to be safe

Bonding
1. What kind of bonding rituals does the teacher use? Support with observation.

The teachers uses lots of verbal positive praise for the students accompanied
with hand gestures: kiss your brain (kisses hand to head), silent cheer (raises hands
and cheers silent), fist bump, gimme 5, gimme 10.

2. What other ways of bonding does the teacher utilize? Support with observation.

Another bonding experience I witnessed was whenever one of the students also
got an answer right the teacher will get extremely excited and shouted out you did it
and jumps up and down with the student.

Schedule & Routines

Provide a copy of the classroom schedule. Write an evaluation of the schedule
utilizing the information from the reading and handouts.

9:00-9:15 Arrival/Outside/Breakfast
9:15-9:30 Morning Circle
9:30-10:30 Centers
10:30-11:00 Outside
11:00-11:15 Snack
11:15-11:30 Closing/Pack up/Dismissal

I believe there are no problems in this schedule, according to the handouts Routines in
1st grade and Elements of a Daily Schedule. There are plenty of opportunities for
children to eat during the time that is spent in the classroom as well as time spent
outside to get the children wiggles out

2. How did the teacher teach the children the various aspects of the routine such
as teacher signals, student signals, responding to fire drills etc?

When I spoke with Mrs, Kovalovich, she explained that she taught the children
aspects of the routine in a few steps: first she modeled the action herself, then the next

day she would have a student model it for the class. She would then have the whole
class practice it together. Mrs. Kovalovich told me that she really worked hard with the
students at the beginning of the school year, and also went deliberately slow to give
each student a chance to understand. I was able to witness how each student was
pretty well aware of the routines, and at this point in the school year most of them did
not need to be reminded to be able to follow.

3. Write two observations of transitions that occurred. How appropriate were

they? In what ways could they have been improved?

While students were arriving in the morning, students got to explore the new
classroom setup she had for that week. Teacher said a chant to let students know it's
time for the morning circle meeting.
(Teacher: Come to the carpet), (students: use your walking feet)
Come to the carpet, moving to the beat
Come to the carpet, careful not to shout
And don't forget that when you sit to have a quiet mouth
Another transition I saw during my observation was during centers teacher had a
special clap to let students know it's time to move to a different center. Once the Mrs.
Kovaloch did the special clap the students stopped what they were doing and clapped
the same clap back. These transitions were appropriate for preschoolers the students
only had to wait a few seconds before moving on, and seemed familiar with the routines
of the transition they seem to anticipate being able to chant back their verse of the chant
as well as clapping back.

Rules
1. Write the classroom rules that are posted.

Listening Bodies ( I will listen and follow direction)

Raised Hands (I will raise my hand to share ideas)
Quiet Mouths (I will use soft voices )
Walking Feet (I will walk in school to be safe)
Helping hands (I will use my hands for helping and not hurting)

2. Describe all the rules you heard verbalized or implied in the classroom which were
not posted.

Leave the toy at the dramatic play center it doesnt belong in the reading center
Be quiet when other students are speaking (not just teachers)
Wash your hands after the bathroom
Dont take things from your friends if theyre not done using them
On your bottom while going down the slide

3. Evaluate the use of rules in the classroom. Include ways the use of rules could be
improved
The posted rules are appropriate for this age group. They all concern respect or
safety, which is necessary in a preschool. The implied or extra rules trended to be more
on the policing (as it would be called in Rethinking the Rules) side rather than allowing
children the freedom to govern themselves. These rules could be improved by
condensing them into something simpler and allowing the students to apply it to more
situations than just that specific instance. For example quiet during this activity clean
up space could be condensed to be respectful of the space, friends and teachers. To
condense and make broad a rule allows students to interpret it on their own and gives

them greater measure of control. In Rethinking the Rules they pointed out that as
teachers let go and gave more control to the children, the children learned that the
adults thought of them as capable (p.39)