Contextual Factors Template

Total Number of Students in the School: __450____

School Socio-Economic Make-Up (i.e., % free and reduced lunches): ____%82__

Class Class Class Class Class

1 2 3 4 5
Grade Level/Subject Taught K/M K/M K/M 1/M 1/M
Number of Students in Classroom

Contextual Information: Class Class Class Class Class Student Learning Adaptations:
(List the number of students 1 2 3 4 5 (Describe at least one example of a
identified in each class you strategy to provide equitable
teach and identify the class in opportunities, accommodations, or
which you are teaching your modifications you attempted for
unit) any student identified within each
contextual characteristic)
F: 15 F: 12 F:10 F: 8 F: 6 Within each class we did not have
Gender M: 9 M:14 M: 9 M: 13 M: 16 an equal number of female and
Number of Females: male students. In my classes I
Number of Males: would ensure that an equal
amount of each gender was
selected to be my helper or the
leader of the activity.
C/W: 19 C/W: 20 C/W: C/W: 17 C/W: In class activities we would sing
Ethnic/Cultural Make-Up AA:2 AA: 4 15 AA: 1 15 songs in different languages from
Caucasian/White: H/L:2 H/L: 0 AA: 4 H/L: 3 AA: 5 various cultural backgrounds.
African American/ Black: A/PI: 0 A/PI: 1 H/L: 0 A/PI: H/L: 2 Previewing the song I would give
Hispanic/Latino: AI/AN: 1 AI/AN: 1 A/PI: 0 AI/AN: A/PI: the students an overview of
Asian/Pacific Islander: AI/AN:0 1 AI/AN: where the song originated from
American Indian/Alaskan and what they lyrics translate to.
Native:
ELL: 0 ELL: 0 ELL: 0 ELL: 0 ELL: 0 There were no ELL learners
Language Proficiency present in my classroom.
Number of English
Language Learners (ELL):
Below: 4 Below: 2 Below: Below: 1 Below: Within each individual class it was
Academic Performance Above: 2 Above: 1 1 Above: 2 1 balanced between students who
Students Performing Above: Above: were below and above grade
Below Grade Level: 3 2 level, however one class
Student Performing contained a significantly larger
Above Grade Level: amount of students who were
performing above or below as a
whole. This class had a
peraeducator within the class. To
include the students who were
both above and below grade level,
I would create modifications for
each activity. For example if we
were doing a hand drum activity
where we learned rhythms I
would create 3 different rhythms
(an easy, intermediate, and
difficult) that the students could
choose from to fit their ability
needs.
Within the classroom I am aware
Students with Special Needs LD: 1 ADD: 1 ID: 1 LD: 1 of the students who have special
Learning Disability:
 C&I BLOCK II PORTFOLIO 2
Emotional/Behavioral E/BI: 1 Gifted: 1 Gifted: Gifted: needs. Some students may need
Impairment: Autism: 2 1 more one on one explanation, or a
Attention Deficit Disorder 2 specialized activity. Typically
(ADD): after I am done giving the full
Developmental Disability: class instruction I gravitate
Intellectual Disability: towards the students who need
Speech/Language extra help and check in with them.
Impairment: Sometimes they need further
Autism Spectrum: explanation or aid on the activity.
Gifted:
Blind/Visual Impairment
(VI):
Deaf /Hearing Impairment
(HI):
Physical Disability:
Other Health Impairment:
Military Connected Students All All All All All This school was located on a
Military Connected Students military base. To qualify for this
school one or both parents must
be in the military.

Student Characteristics:
Describe the developmental characteristics of students in your classroom.
(Cognitive, Physical, Emotional, Social).
Of the kindergarten classes at my school I have chosen the class that has the largest amount of students with
special needs. This provided a challenge for how I was to manage my class as well as develop a curriculum
with activities that included and reached students of all levels. The class as a whole was physically and
emotionally at the same level as the other kindergarten classes but socially and cognitively the students
would struggle to grasp the concept of the activities and interact with the other students in the class.
Cognitively if I had an activity planned where they were allowed to work on their own I had to guide each
individual student more than I would in the other kindergarten classes. The students also needed more re-
direction because they would become off task more quickly than the other classes. The students also
struggled to understand that not each student would get a turn and would have a hard time sharing materials
during the activities.

Highlight the prior knowledge and interests of students in your classroom.

Since the students I am observing are only in Kindergarten the only prior knowledge they had before I
came into the classroom was their first semester in school. Prior to their second semester their music teacher
uses excerpts from the Orff and Kodaly methods. The musical concepts they focused on included, steady
beat, low versus high sounds, whisper, speaking, calling, singing voice, matching pitch, and musical patterns.

The students are interested in a lot of various Disney movies as well as colors, animals, patterns, opposites,
flowers, candy and toys. The students in the kindergarten classroom are discovering more and more each day
as their interests broaden and expand. Each day they have something new to tell me about what they learned
in the classroom or what they read in a book at home.

Describe the implications these characteristics have on planning and instruction.

(e.g. What instructional strategies will you use to meet the unique learning needs of all your students?)
 C&I BLOCK II PORTFOLIO 3

With this kindergarten class I have found instructional strategies that keep the students focused and engaged.
When I plan their lessons I think of what strategy is first going to capture their attention and interest them in
the lesson, I think of strategies that will include most (if not all) of the students individually. When a student
is individually included it makes the other students focus and stay engaged in the lesson as they wait for their
turn. With this class of Kindergartner’s to keep them engaged throughout the lesson I find a story that will
make sense with the activities we are going to do for the day. For example when we learned the song Engine
Engine #9 between I would narrate a story between activities about two girls who liked and didn’t like
certain trains. With other kindergarten classes they do not need a story line to stay focused throughout the
lesson and can transition to activities easier. I also like to use puppets throughout the lesson. The puppets
“talk” to me and I tell the students what the puppet is telling them to do, or what behavior they see and what
behavior they expect. The students will listen to the puppet because they know if they are following the
puppets expectations they might be able to hold the puppet later.
Another important strategy is pointing out and rewarding the good behavior rather than reprimanding the bad
behavior. Pointing out the good behavior and reviewing expectations is something I have to do much more
thoroughly with this class than with others. If I see a student is doing a great job following instruction I will
let them hold our puppet friend as we continue our activity until the puppet goes to another friend that is
behaving well. As the other students who are not following directions see other students holding the puppet
they begin to follow instructions because they want to hold the puppet friend.
Another instructional strategy I use is student modeling. Before we do an activity and after I explain my
instructions I will ask for a helper who thinks they can model for the class what we’re about to do. Using a
student model allows other students to see a peer being rewarded for showing off the correct actions and it
makes the other students want to perform the correct actions as well. With the other classes I do not have to
have several students model, I can have one student model and the students will see and understand what the
expectations of the next activity are.

Environmental Factors:
Describe district, school, and classroom environmental factors impacting the quality of education for all
of your students.
Geary County schools USD 475 is composed of 14 elementary schools, two middle schools and one high
school. These schools serve mainly military families as they are located on the military base of Fort Riley
and in the surrounding towns of Junction City, Milford, and Grandview Plaza. The common goal of Geary
County, “Learning for all, Whatever it takes” is clearly demonstrated within each school and across the
district as a whole. With the constant shifting and demands of military life some students join our school
district only to leave a few months later. No matter how long a student is a part of USD 475 there are
educational policies and strategies put into place to ensure that no student falls through the cracks
educationally and socially.

Describe community and family environmental factors impacting the quality of education for all of your
students.
The students of this elementary mostly walk to school since they live right across the street in a military
housing area. All of the students in this elementary have either one or both parents in the military and must
cope with their parent(s) being gone on deployment or in the field for training for an extended amount of
time. Due to this, the school frequently holds events that allow the parents to participate outside of school
hours with their child. One event held was the annual barn dance where students are invited to bring their
entire families and join in an evening of line dances. The school also uses Facebook live to record concerts
 C&I BLOCK II PORTFOLIO 4
and events for parents that are on deployments or in field training. The community is very strong, supportive,
and committed to the education and safety of each student.

Describe the implications these factors have on planning and instruction.

(What instructional strategies will you use to address the unique environmental factors impacting each
student?)
Due to the demands of military life the students within the school itself are constantly changing. Within one
month in a class of twenty students, three students might move and two might come in. When planning
instruction I found it beneficial to frequently revisit the basic concepts of our units. For example if we
were working on eighth note rhythms I would prompt the class at the beginning of a lesson with a few
questions. These questions would serve as a quick peer review for the students coming into the new
class without having to single the student out and directly teach them the content.

Focus Students Information

Provide information about the two focus students you selected from the class in which you will be teaching your unit
that you feel would benefit from modified instruction. You MUST choose one student with exceptionalities or
an English Language Learner as one of your focus students. Complete the chart below referring to these
students only as Student A and Student B. Do not use proper names.

Describe this student using
information from the
Contextual Information and
Student Learning Adaptations
Student Student A is a black
A female. In her IEP it is
listed that she has Autism
and has a peraeducator
with her at all times. She
receives aid with
homework and tests and is
also guided by the
Why did you select What did you find out
this student? about this student?
Address characteristics
from the Contextual
Information and Student
Learning Adaptations
I selected student Cognitive: This student is
A because she below grade level and
receives aid as well as
has an amazing special accommodations on
voice and is able any class work. Her tests are
to match pitch modified to meet her needs
and sing the and are graded as a
melody line with completion grade.
the choir. She
Based on this
information what are
the implications for
this student’s
instruction?
Since student A is
below grade level
on every
developmental
aspect it is
imperative that the
teacher continue to
include this student

peraeducator during class
activities.
Describe this student using
information from the
Contextual Information and
Student Learning Adaptations
Student Student B is a white male.
B He struggles with
emotional outbursts and
self-harm. If he is corrected
or singled out in class by
the teacher (whether in a
positive or negative way)
he reacts with a growl and
begins to scratch himself
violently.
C&I BLOCK II PORTFOLIO 5
has a great Emotional: The student is in all activities.
enthusiasm for emotionally below grade This student has a
level. However, she rarely
choir and enjoys becomes upset and almost
natural ear for
being in the always has a smile on her pitch and can learn
class. face. the music by rote.
To support this I
Physical: The student is have offered and
physically below grade level
and walks with a limp. The
given extra one on
student also rarely uses her one time outside of
right arm. class to work with
the student.
Social: The student is
socially below grade level.
The student rarely interacts
with her peers except to say
“hi” and “bye”.
Why did you select What did you find out Based on this
this student? about this student? information what are
Address characteristics the implications for
from the Contextual this student’s
Information and Student instruction?
Learning Adaptations
I selected this Cognitive: The student is at This student
student because I grade level cognitively. required one on
saw a lot of one attention
progress within Emotional: The student is before, during and
him throughout below level emotionally. The after class. Before
my time at the student continually reacted class I would greet the
school. He was a in ways that were violent and student and assess the
abnormal. student’s mood. I
student that would ask them how
needed to know they were doing and if
that someone Physical: The student was at they were going to
was on his side grade level physically. have a good day in
and understood music. Throughout the
class if they became
him. Social: Due to the students disruptive and started
abnormal behaviors and showing abnormal
reactions the student was behaviors I would take
socially behind with his the student aside and
peers. talk with them and
calm them down.
C&I BLOCK II PORTFOLIO 6