Classroom Community

 

Layout:
I chose this specific image because environment and interaction is everything, especially with young students. My first impression when I look upon the class was amazed. She had the tables shaped just like these in the photo, spread out in a way where there was enough space that she could walk around each table checking up the students. She also left space in the center so that she did not have to stand in front of them lecturing but instead be at eye level with them so they felt comfortable and engaged. She had evenly had a number of boys and girls at a table and said she would switch their sets often so that the students could all feel comfortable with each other.
She used numbers and colors for each student which connected to their cubby, folders, tablet and areas in which the placed their newly done projects. It felt very clean and not cluttered.
The layout of the class really can determine the success of the students. I truly believe the teacher set them up for success because of how well she managed her paperwork and supplies and how she allowed them to independently take charge of their personal belongings and responsibilities. It was very important to her to make sure they relayed on themselves and each other because it allowed them to become social, independent, confident, and learn organizational skills for future purposes.

Teacher's Strategies:
As I observed the classroom, I noticed that the teacher had specific strategies that I admired. Strategies she used include visual, auditory, involvement, and repetition.
Throughout the day she had a specific routine the students toke part in. Such as morning classwork they automatically began with to start their day. They all knew where to get the sheets and where to begin. She walked around making sure they were on task but allowed the students to work in groups to help one another. As soon as they were done or close to finishing she told them to raise their pens so she could acknowledge them quietly so that the other students could continue.
She then reviewed the work they had done by projecting the image of the sheet they were working on so that they could fallow along as they went through the homework. She again engaged them into the lesson by asking them to read out loud the question, answer and then question them how the answer was gathered.
She repeated these same strategies with the students to ensure they worked independently, signaled that they finished, repeated the other students, then she brought up a visual for the students to fallow along, reviewed what they did, questioned them, and repeated.

Teacher's Knowledge and attitude:
I first walked into the classroom nervous, anxious, and afraid I would not feel comfortable. Even though I knew I was older then all the children in the class, it was still intimidating to know I would not know anyone, I felt like the new kid in class. But it only toke 30 seconds before I had a very warm welcome and acknowledgement by both the teacher and the students. I was asked to automatically engage with the students by helping with homework, answering their questions, filling, and being the teacher.
She taught the students to greet anyone who came in, open the door, help one another, not interrupt, and over all respect each other. It is normal for young students to act up, poke fun, or get upset, but these students did so well by not encouraging each other to do bad and disturb the learning environment. What was most fascinating to me is that the students who finished early would walk around like the teacher and help others who had fallen behind, had a hard time understand certain English words, and made sure everyone was working together. Even with restroom breaks, PE, recess, she made sure to place responsibilities on the students to hold the door open, be the line leader, bathroom watcher, and be her eyes incase anyone was acting up.
She acknowledged each and everyone's involvement and ability to comprehend. What I mean by this is that she treated everyone the same in front of the others, no matter there strength or weaknesses. She toke things step by step with the class room so that no one felt on the spot or lost. Then if the students needed extra help that when she would walk around and explain anything that was not understood.

Reflection:
I now realize that discrimination is learned as they get older and that young generations can be taught acceptance and understanding if they are treated that was and have an example. In the class room i observed there were all sorts of different types of backgrounds, ethnicities, beliefs, and morals within each child. But they all did not see that difference, they all collaborated well together and established close relationships with not only their peers and teacher but with me as well. For the ELLs it was hard for me to distinguish who they were because the classroom as a whole was very social and open to one another. I really admire this because this helps build the social culture portion of an individual that really shapes who they will become. I will definitely reconsider the way I approach people. I learned that everyone comes from all sorts of different environments and have different expectations and beliefs. I want to be able to teach my future students the importance of acceptance and communication that everyone has strengths and weaknesses and that is okay.

3rd Grade Class

To be given the opportunity to interact with students who are not only so kind a friendly but also enjoy the company of others is truly extraordinary. For the first time in my life I did not feel like I was working or waiting for the hours to go by. Time was non existent, and I felt so comfortable as if I belong. This was my first time shadowing a class room and to be shocked on how beautiful it feels to be in a classroom environment from a different perspective, was just mind blowing. My time came to an end to have with the children and I did not want to leave. I have never felt more appreciated.

Classroom Description:

I was given the opportunity to engage with 3rd graders in a Title 1 elementary school with a population of ELL students.
The classroom profile consists of:

Number of students: 26
Gender: 14 girls and 12 boys

Language:
2 students who spoke Spanish
1 student spoke another language I wasn't able to identify

Language proficiency and ability:
Many of the students I was able to interact with were mainly mainstreamed and their were a few that were Either ELL or R-FEP. I would identify the students according to the WIDA as:

• 1st student male who spoke Spanish I believe was just a beginner in Oral, Writing, Reading, and Developing in Listening. As I worked with him, he eagerly listened to the questions I asked. Such as, what was his favorite games, and he did not understand. So I drew a picture of a child playing video games and he pointed and said " I like Mario game". He began to draw a picture similar to mine and I noticed that when he wrote his sentence that went with his image he spelled the words out how he spoke such a " Video game" was written as "Vidijo Gam".
• 2nd student who spoke Spanish was Expanding due to her quick understanding of my explanations. I would consider her Bridging in listening, and oral, and expanding in writing and reading. She was able to pick up on what I was teaching and teach it back to the other students. For example I was teaching them how to count coins and transfer them into bills. She understood quickly how each  coin had a different value and was able to add them together in her mind at a fast rate. But when it came to writing down something such as what the teacher was posting on the board, she toke a while trying to spell out the words.
• 3rd student with language I was unable to identify I believe was Expanding because he was able seemed fairly balanced in all areas but was taken out of class with help with reading. So reading I believe was still developing. He at first seemed to me as a mainstream student because he was very interactive with the other students and could explain things very well. But when it came to reading a question of the homework, he had a hard time reading it at a fast pace and did not pronounce the works correctly at times.

Other Relevant information :
I really enjoyed the visual and oral methods the teacher used. It was amazing how they are very up to date with modern technology such as the reading from a tablet instead of a book. and how the teacher created the daily calendar step by step with the students. The classroom was very well organized through colors and numbers.
The layout of the classroom was my favorite because their were groups instead of rows and she switched their seats often to allow them to all work together and interact.
Everything was set on a time frame. Students were given a lot of independent work and were relayed on to get the job done and move on to the next. They all helped one another keep on track and not goof off.

I was surprised by the warm welcoming and encouraging personalities I met as I took my first steps into the classroom.This image is very dear to me because it expresses the beauty of diversity and connections of younger generations. I originally wanted to become a high school teacher because I had recently graduated and I felt like I had a close connection with older students. But through this experience I realized my passion was in smaller children. There mind set is on a different scale then ours and their ability to learn things at an incredible pass is so inspirational to me. What really got to me the most was their care and friendliness to not just me but to other students. There was no judgment on skin color, looks, abilities, etc. They just all worked together and helped one another to make sure they did well. I truly felt like I was not working and the fact that they were able to teach me too just shows how brave and considerate young students are.