CSN Education Department, Field Observation Activities

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Greetings Future Educator, [Grab

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One of the most rewarding aspects of EDU 201, EDU 202 and EDU 203 is the opportunity you
will have to actually observe students at the grade level you are interested in eventually
teaching. These CSN courses require all students to complete a 10 hour "Field Observation" in
one of the 13 Performance Zones of the Clark County School District. Once your placement is
processed, you will receive details regarding your specific assigned school from your CSN
instructor. You will then contact the school and meet with your cooperating teacher. Both you
and your cooperating teacher will design a mutually agreeable schedule to complete your
required contact hours. Within this packet, you will find the required experience assignments
and field documents that you must complete in order to pass this class.
Name:

_Alexandria Beyler____

Professor: _Sandra Gregorio____

CSN Course:

_Edu 201______________

Professors email:

_sandra.gregorio@csn.edu

CCSD School: _Gibson Elementary Cooperating Teacher: _Sandra Horton_________

Save this completed packet for your Education Capstone Course, (EDU 299) and pay
particular attention to items marked with an (* asterisk) as these will be especially helpful in
completing your Classroom Management, Diversity, and Differentiated Instruction presentation
in EDU 299. Your CSN instructor will let you know whether you will be handwriting directly in
this packet, in a separate reflective log, or word processing responses to the following
requirements and assignments.
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BEFORE ARRIVING ON THE FIRST DAY...

1. Contact your assigned school by telephone and ask the office manager, or other
contact person, for the best day/time to come and meet your assigned cooperating teacher. School
phone numbers, locations and other information can be found on the CCSD web site at
http://ccsd.net/schools/
2. Preplan an on-time arrival, and make sure that all interaction with CCSD employees and students is
respectful, courteous, and professional. You are a guest in their school, and a representative of this
CSN class and institution. The school is allowing you to visit to further your understanding of the
profession. It is imperative that your actions reflect a willingness to learn, and are reflective of a future
professional educator.
3. The first half of your field observation/experience will be centered around learning about the school
you were assigned, and focusing on the general and unique characteristics of its culture. You will be
looking at, and reflecting upon things that are going on in the classroom at the grade level or subject
that you were assigned. You are simply observing during this time. Your cooperating teacher will give
you guidance on how, and if, your experience can be expanded beyond these observations when
he/she feels comfortable with your professionalism and skills.

UPON ARRIVAL THE FIRST DAY

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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ASSIGNMENT ONE (Observations): After arrival, take a seat in a nonintrusive location to

begin your classroom observations. Complete the questions below:
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Observation 1: What are your first impressions of the classroom/school environment? Warm?
Friendly? Organized etc? Describe the physical environment in detail.
The environment is very friendly. All, the children seem to get along very well. When the
teacher instructs them to do something, it is done in a timely manner and all students follow
directions. The walls are very busy with a lot of useful information. There are bulletin boards
for science, social studies, reading, writing, and math. They are small and have posted
what looks like a class activity for each as well as small instructions about things they are
learning about. The whiteboard is clearly marked with the daily schedule with details of
what they will specifically be learning about in each block. A "CHAMPS" area of the board
promotes the children to be good students in every area. The 'specials' are also marked as
well. There is a clothesline up higher with clips for hanging student work. Each student has
a chair cover with the pocket on the back full of books.

*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.
Out of the 27 students that were there when I observed, there is only a fraction of diversity.
There are more girls than boys, with there being 16 girls and only 11 boys. As far as I can
tell, much of the class is Caucasian. There are 14 Caucasian students, 5 African American,
3 Asian, and 5 Hispanic children. No other apparent attributes are present.

*Observation 3: What are the posted class rules in the room? (exactly as written)
"Gibson Rules:
I am kind, safe,
responsible,
& respectful!"

*Observation 4: Does the teacher enforce the rules? Are rewards or consequences being

used for compliance or noncompliance?

The teacher does enforce the rules. Usually all it takes is a quick warning that a student is
acting out and the student realizes that they need to straighten up. Rewards and
consequences are doled out in points in an online program called Class Dojo. All parents
are signed up to receive notifications from the program at the beginning of
the year. It is an online behavioral management application. The teacher can send
messages to parents. When the teacher gives points to the students, the parents are
notified. The teacher takes points if the students are misbehaving, not paying attention, or
talking. The points are given publicly on the smart board. Each week a dojo master is
named, depending on who has the most points. If there is more than one student that has
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the highest amount, they are all awarded. They get to pick a special prize. This award
drives the children to work harder.

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.

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See Hard Copy

Portfolio for This
Information

Classroom Layout Question 1: Describe the workflow of the room. Is the space used
efficiently?
The space is used very efficiently, but is a bit confusing at first; being that so many
materials are used in the classroom.
Classroom Layout Question 2: In your opinion, how can the physical arrangement of the
room be improved?
I do not believe it would be improved that much, because the materials do not have
anywhere else to go.
Classroom Layout Question 3: In your opinion, are there any concerns regarding safety
during a normal school day or during the possibility of fire, shelter in place, or lock-down?
I do not believe that there are any concerns regarding safety, because the students
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understand the procedure to put their things away on the backpack rack or in their
desks.
ASSIGNMENT THREE (Instruction): Observe any instructional time in your assigned
classroom, and record your observations when presented with the questions below:
Instruction Question 1: What is the posted daily schedule for different subjects or periods?
The posted daily schedule is as follows: 8-8:30-Teir II / Daily 5 8:30-8:40-WTW or
C.A.F.E. 8:40-8:50-Word Work 8:50-9-Language 9-9:20-Daily 5 9:20-9:55-Writing Block
9:55-10:15-Reading Block (10:15-10 is not listed, but it seems to be a TBD block.
Whatever needs to get done is done in this time. Before lunch.) 11:10-11:20-10 Minute
Number Talk (Before Specials) 12:20-1:20-Math 1:20-1:55-Science and Social Studies
(Then, from 1:55-2:11 they review and pack up)
Instruction Question 2: Is instruction done in small groups, centers, whole groups, individual?
Instruction is done in all different forms. Ms. Horton uses small groups for her tierII
Intervention, and much of other instruction is done in a large groups. There has also
been instruction on reading individually. The children read a passage and received
pointers on what they can improve.
Instruction Question 3: How would you describe your cooperating teachers teaching style?
She teaches with compassion and firmness. she acknowledges students who may
struggle and try to help them. She is no nonsense, yet does not seem to need to dish
out consequences very often. l assume that her style was recognized by the students
early on, so now a simple "l am disappointed," puts them back on task quickly.

*Instruction Question 4: Does the teacher incorporate the sensory modalities (learning

styles)? If so, give examples.

The teacher does incorporate the sensory modalities into her lesson. She makes sure to
try to appeal to everyone. She uses many visuals in
black and white as well as color. She tries to explain using logic and reason as well as
examples that they may have encountered in their lives. The students seem very
engaged in the lesson.

*Instruction Question 5: Do the students seem engaged in the lesson(s) that are being
presented? Please explain.
The students seem very engaged in the lesson. They participate with little to no
outbursts. And, they seem to be able to understand what content is being presented to
them. They answer questions and keep eye contact for the most part. At first, it seemed
like they were not paying attention, because they were very squirmy in their seats, but it
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is apparent that they were paying attention even as they shifted in their seats and fiddled
with their pencils.

*Instruction Question 6: Are there any students isolated from the rest of the class for any

reason? Why?
There are no students isolated from the group. The resource student has a desk at a
group with the rest of the class.
Instruction Question 7: Is instructional time managed efficiently? Please explain
The time is managed quite efficiently. Ms. Horton prioritizes what needs to be taught.
She decided that the science was harder to understand, so she decided to cut out extra
practice with addition to allocate to science. She seems to do this so many times a day
to maximize instruction effectiveness.
Instruction Question 8: How does the cooperating teacher handle transitions from one
subject or period to another, and are these transitions effective?
When they must make a transition that will take more than a few seconds, she has the
children sing songs that all the children know. This gives them a certain amount of time
to transition. They all know the words and the length of the song, so they can gauge how
long they have left, to ensure they don't waste time. When short transitions are made,
she may open the dojo to show them that she is watching and she will award points or
issue a warning if they are not transitioning effectively.

*Instruction Question 9: List ways that the teacher attempts any attention getting

commands? (Ex: Countdown, Light flicker, Heads on Desk) How effective are they?
Ms. Horton uses a fancy spiral metal rod that works as a sort of tuning fork. When she
uses it, the students understand that they must give her their full attention. She also
raises her hand to tell them to "give her five." In this instance the students know to quiet
themselves and to focus on her. They seem to be quite effective within a few seconds.

*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.
The teacher has to deal with lots of talking. It doesn't necessarily slow instruction all that
much. The teacher gives them a warning when the same student is talking still; the
teacher then opens the class dojo on the smart board. When the dojo opens, it makes a
small ring noise, and the student know to straighten up their act, because the parent
notifications are a click away. If the children continue talking or being disruptive, the
teacher simply touches their name on the board and selects a message. The parents
are then immediately notified of their children's behavior so they can receive
reinforcement on the behaviors they need to work on.
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*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.
I did not observe any procedures hindered that helped or hindered 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 creates a very inviting atmosphere. It is essentially attached to a park, and
so walking from the park to the school, is a calming experience. It is very well kept and
looks neat and clean. It is in a nice neighborhood in Green Valley, and reflects the
structure of the surrounding area.
2. Next, study the interior of the school: halls, floor coverings, lighting, doors, windows, hall
colors and decorations and entrance security.
The entrance of the school is only accessible if the office staff buzz you in. The button
activated lock ensures that no person can enter the school unless they sign in. When
signing in, the computer requires you to take a photo of yourself to be printed on your
name badge. Once signed in and inside the school, there is something different about
the school that is noticeable immediately. All the walls are made of concrete. This is
because the school is built into a hill, so the playground is actually on the roof. There are
many bulletin boards in the halls. They all support the Seven Healthy Learning Habits.
These habits are a guide on how schoolwork should be done. Each of the habits is
brightly colored with a cute little mascot performing the habit.
Culture of the School: Read, listen and observe to determine the climate, values, and
atmosphere within the school.
1. Identify the schools mission statement, motto, and mascot.
The mission statement is Our mission is to educate our future leaders through inspiring
life-long learning by emphasizing and promoting the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
and to create a caring community of contributing citizens within a nurturing learning
environment where all students are encouraged to do their best, to appreciate the
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uniqueness of others and to have a positive vision of the future. With the help of the
community, dedicated educators and a relevant curriculum that fosters active
participation and inquiry, all students will socially, emotionally and academically prosper
as life-long learners in our changing global society. Their mascots are the goldminers!
2. Analyze staff and visitor interactions in the main office. Note student and faculty interactions
in other areas of the school.
The staff seems very friendly to everyone they meet. The parents are very involved and
they are always coming into the school to volunteer. It seems that they have no problem
with it, because it is the norm.
3. Look at the formal practices: school day schedule; ages of students; calendar of events; size
of school; grouping of students.
The students dont interact with other grades, unless they are at lunch, and even then,
only the next grade up is present. Overall the students are very happy with the school.
4. Observe student to student interactions, inside and outside the building. Observe where
students gather to socialize lunchroom, halls, playground, etc.
At lunch, the students separate into their respective friends groups, but can only go
within the supervised are. They are very fun loving and active, not a student at recess is
just standing.
5. Explain how the school is organized - by grades, departments or not. Are
hallways/classroom labeled?
The classrooms are organized to an extent,with grade levels near each other. Each of
the hallways is labeled like a street.
6. Examine school traditions, achievements and awards; community recognition or community
partners; extracurricular activities/clubs and athletics. Look for and document sources of
community pride and sense of identity through ceremonies, assemblies, trophies, and artifacts.
In the entrance area, by the office before entering the actual school, there is a trophy
case. In this case are various awards for sports and academics. Pictures of students
holding their certificates are framed inside.
C. Culture of the Classroom: Each classroom has its own culture and way of life.

*1. Look for teacher(s) expectations for learning and success, interactions with students, and
his/her personality.
Ms. Horton expects the children to pay attention and try. Having taught them up to this
point, she can see when they are not giving any effort or if they genuinely do not
understand something. She just wants to see them succeed, but they can only do that if
they try, and if they are trying, how can they be punished if the success is not obtained?
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*2. Evaluate the level of student participation in the class. Who participates? Who does not?

Many of the children participate. Many times, when they participate, it means that they
will receive points on class dojo. There are a small few who seem to be so shy that they
refrain from participating, even with the reward.

*3. Evaluate the interactions between teachers and students, rapport, cohesiveness,
distribution of power, tone, frequency and reinforcements.
The teacher seems generally calm with the students. She is calm, yet firm. She uses
inflection in her voice to get the children excited about the material. It seems like she
has established the environment as being a classroom that she is the president of. All
the children understand that. None of them seem to question it, but one boy. This boy
likes to instigate. He talks and prods and annoys. He tries to test the waters, but in the
end is sent into the hall for a cooldown.
ASSIGNMENT FIVE (Cooperating Teacher Interview): Complete the questions below by
interviewing your cooperating teacher during a convenient time. Include any school documents
that your cooperating teacher will allow you to photocopy for your packet.
Interview Question 1: What was the primary reason you became a teacher?
She had a teacher in high school who taught government. His influence made her want
to become a high school teacher, but in her second year of college changed her mind.
Her mother had a son, and since she was so much older, she was able to see him learn
and grow. She decided that she really liked to see children figure things out. She loved
to see their faces when they actually grasped a concept, so she switched to elementary
education.
Interview Question 2: What is the main challenge(s) you face as a teacher?
The main challenges she faces are differentiating instruction for all the learning levels in
her class and behavior.
Interview Question 3: What is the best part(s) of being a teacher?
Her favorite part of being a teacher is seeing the Aha moment when a student
understands something. She says it is very empowering and a little scary at the same
time to think that she is the one who made that moment possible.
Interview Question 4: How do you determine where students sit in class?
Since she finds small teams the best for cooperative learning, her class is arranged this
way. Behavior mainly determines seating.
Interview Question 5: How do you determine the members of any flexible groups?

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She determines this as needed. She gets a general idea from assessment, so that the
class can be distributed by learning levels.
Interview Question 6: Beyond standardized testing, what assessments do you use regularly?
She uses programs such as Words Their Way and Discovery Ed Pros. These
assessments are mainly taken on the iPads or computers in the classroom, so quick
results can be produced.
Interview Question 7: What requirements are placed on you for reporting progress to
parents?
Two times a month, the entire school must send progress reports home. On infinite
campus, the parents can receive reports of progress anytime.
Interview Question 8: How often do you interact with a students parents in person?
Three times a week. They enjoy volunteering often.
Interview Question 9: What type of discussions do you typically have with parents?
Discussions are mostly in regards to behavior, but academics and social behavior are
also discussed sometimes.
Interview Question 10: How much grading do you complete on a daily/weekly basis?
Since she believes that practice should not be graded, she does about five hours of
grading a week.
Interview Question 11: How long does it take to prepare lessons for the day/week?
She plans cooperatively with the same grade level teacher next door and they stay quite
late every day. She says about four to five hours a day is spent on lesson planning.

*Interview Question 12: What procedures or strategies do you use to maximize instructional
time?

She utilizes timers and attention getters.

*Interview Question 13: What positive reinforcement programs have you had success with?
She has had much success with class dojo and a thing she called the grab bag. When
the students do something that is worthy of it, they are able to pull a square out of an
envelope. The color of the square determines the prize. Most of the squares are the
color for which they receive a piece of candy.

*Interview Question 14: What behavioral consequences seem most effective with this age
group?
In her experience, phone calls home are the most effective.

*Interview Question 15: How are specialist teachers involved in the instructional planning
process?
Specialists are able to provide intervention on open prep periods.
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*Interview Question 16: How often are you evaluated, and what measurement tool(s) is used
by the administration for determining your own performance?
Nevada Educators Performance Framework is brand new, and that is the standard by
which she is evaluated. She was not sure how often she was evaluated, because she
tends to not try to think of that. She says that she tries to be ready for evaluation every
day.

*Interview Question 17: What consequences are there if your evaluation is not favorable?

There is a chance for them to put her back on probationary. It would take a lot of proof to
fire any teacher.

*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?
The school provides a lot of professional development, but in the realms of financial
help, very little is given.

*Interview Question 19: What surprised you most about teaching as a profession?

What surprises her most about teaching is how hard it is. She says that it isnt getting
any easier. In the end, though, she loves it more than anything.

ASSIGNMENT SIX (Classroom Interactions):

Teacher Exchange Directed to Boys vs. Teacher Exchange Directed to Girls.
Record tally marks for a 20 minute period when direct instruction is taking place. When
interaction is between the teacher and any male student, add a tally mark. Do the same when
teacher interaction is between the teacher and any female student. Record your tally marks in
chart form, and then summarize your findings in one paragraph.

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*Summarize your Classroom Interactions data from above:

_____Ms. Horton interacted with both genders equally. It seems a bit disproportionate because
there are more girls than boys. She asked them before the story they read which pre-written__
(Which I believe they wrote together the day before) questions they were most curious about._
Then, as they read the story, she would ask, Can anyone see the answer to the question (this
student) was curious about? The children would answer. Then, after the story, they all______
discussed their questions and answered them in a controlled environment, as to not go off____
task. She then asked them what they thought of the book and the different ideas it presented_
to them. They then worked together to answer all the questions on the list. There was no_____
discrimination, just a class working together.________________________________________

ASSIGNMENT SEVEN (Administrator Interview): The prewritten student created

questions are mandatory for credit, and the Principal/Assistant Principal/Dean interview
is optional but strongly encouraged ONLY IF IT CAN BE ARRANGED. After composing
your own five open-ended questions, do your best to arrange a 15 minute interview with the
Principal/Assistant Principal/Dean or other administrative personnel so you can get answers to
the five prewritten questions you came up with. This could be the most valuable part of your
experience if you can shed light upon what administrators are looking for, from their future
applicants. (example Open Ended question: What are the most important qualities you look for
in a newly hired teacher?)

CSN Student Created Open Ended Question # 1 for Administrator:

What are your responsibilities as an administrator?_____________________________
______________________________________________________________________
CSN Student Created Open Ended Question # 2 for Administrator:
What do you feel is most rewarding about your career?___________________________
______________________________________________________________________
CSN Student Created Open Ended Question # 3 for Administrator:
What is the most difficult thing?_____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
CSN Student Created Open Ended Question # 4 for Administrator:
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Do you have any students who have made a lasting impression on you?_____________
______________________________________________________________________
CSN Student Created Open Ended Question # 5 for Administrator:
How do you decide which new teachers to fill positions at your school?______________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Was Not Able To Obtain An Interview______________

Interviewed school administrators name/title:

ASSIGNMENT EIGHT (Specialist Classroom Observations): Remember some schools do not

have these programs, so this assignment will be optional for some. Specialist classroom visits are strongly
encouraged ONLY IF THEY CAN BE ARRANGED. Make sure you get permission from your cooperating
teacher, as well as the lead teacher in the specialist, GATE/AP, or special education room.

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?
2. Does any student seem to have a particular talent? Describe.
3. What is the curriculum like in comparison to the regular education(cooperating
teachers) class?
4. Describe the specialist teachers instructional style.
5. What different strategies do you notice this teacher using that are successful?
6. What are the challenges the specialist teacher has to deal with?
7. How are student needs being met?
The curriculum is very different. It is more organized, because of the specialized
subject. Because they focus on something that the children consider very fun, the
children are more focused on what's being taught. It's much more specialized, so not
many transitions are made. The specialized teacher's instructional style is very
informational and she conducts the class with firm rules and instructions to be followed.
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The students seem very interested in what the teacher has to say. The teacher uses
what she calls the Danger list once your name is on that list, you have a warning and
are not eligible to receive a prize at the end of class. The specialist teacher has to deal
with similar behavior in the classroom, as well as the students not turning in their library
books.
B) Ask your cooperating teacher if you may observe part of the time in the GATE (Gifted
and Talented classroom, or another classroom that is considered Advanced Placement)
Remember some schools do not have these programs, so this assignment for some will be optional. Specialist classroom
visits are strongly encouraged IF THEY CAN BE ARRANGED.

1. Do you notice any social and academic differences between the kids in this class and
in the regular education classes?
2. What is the curriculum like in comparison to the regular education class?
3. Describe the GATE/AP teachers instructional style.
4. Would you rather be in this class or the regular education class? Why?
5. How are student needs being met?
I was not able to go to this classroom. The GATE teacher was absent.
C) Ask your teacher for permission to visit the rooms of any specialized programs at the
school: Special Education, SEC (Severely Emotionally Challenged), Autism room,
Deaf/Hard of Hearing rooms, etc. Remember some schools do not have these programs, so this assignment
for some will be optional. Specialist classroom visits are strongly encouraged IF THEY CAN BE ARRANGED. Maintain

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.

1. Do you notice any social and academic differences between the kids in this class and
in the regular education classes?
2. What is the curriculum like in comparison to the regular education class?
3. Describe the SPED teachers instructional style.
4. What are the challenges these students possess?
5. How are student needs being met?
I was not able to go to this classroom.
ASSIGNMENT NINE (Observing a student): Discretely observe one student in your
assigned regular classroom during an extended period of direct instruction. Summarize what
the student did during the observation, making sure to document ALL behavior. Detail what
was going on in the environment, and what you observed the student doing while the lesson
was being given.
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1. Please summarize the setting, the lesson that was given, if the student was on task and
engaged in the lesson, and what you uncovered about putting yourself in a lesson from the
students point of view.
The lesson was an introduction to biographies. They will be starting biograpy book____
projects at home. At the start of the lesson, the students had five different short biography____
books to choose from. This student seemed like she was very excited about this. She got____
through the first book quickly and then went immediately to get another from the piles at the__
front. While she read, her fingers were on her lips, like she was thinking. The students were__
then tasked with writing about what they learned from the book. They were to write one fact.__
Her first fact seemed to be almost automatic. She quickly wrote the first fact, then she paused_
and just sort of stopped. When they were done, Ms. Horton told them to write another fact. The
student remained paused, in a trance, shaking her pencil so her eraser hit her neck. I think she
may have been trying to recall information from the text. When she finally finished another____
sentence after much thinking or possible zoning out, she began to talk by lipping out words___
exaggeratedly to a girl at the adjacent desk group. She continued this for a while, because Ms.
Horton was helping a student across the classroom.__________________________________
After lunch, the children were finishing the science lesson from the day before. She was
very focused on eating her cheesestick. The lesson was about bones in the body. Each group_
was given a rudimentary picture of the bones in each section of the body, and they were to ___
count them and write what number they found in a small graphic organizer. She helped her___
group a little bit, but was much more focused on her snack and chatting with the girl next to___
her.________________________________________________________________________

ASSIGNMENT TEN (Summary):

Thoroughly summarize and reflect upon your entire 10 hour Field Observation Placement.
This experience was very eye opening. I knew I wanted to be an elementary school___
teacher, but I never realized how much I would love it. I also didnt realize it would be so much
work. I was able to get a lot of pointers from my cooperating teacher. I had a great time______
spending the hours with the kids. I tried to spread out my observation, because I am not_____
working and wanted to get the most out of my experience. It was perfect. Every time I would__
come in, the students would come up to me and ask if I would come to recess with them,_____
because they wanted to play jump rope with me._____________________________________
I also got to see another side of the profession when we had a soft lockdown. After it___
was all over, we found out that someone smelled gas, so they didnt let any of the children____
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CSN Education Department, Field Observation Activities

Packet
outside, but I still dont understand why they called it a soft lockdown. The children and I were_
headed out to recess. Ms. Horton sent us ahead with the library teacher, because she was___
taking some students who got in trouble during the fire drill to the office for bookwork instead of
recess. There was an announcement, but since we were in the stairwell, it just echoed and we
couldnt hear it. When we went outside, the PE teacher told us we needed to get inside______
immediately. We retreated to the music teachers portable. The students were very afraid and_
the library teacher, music teacher and I had no idea what was happening. It was a learning___
experience having to recall the location of every student who had either taken the lunch basket
or gotten into trouble. We all just hunkered down in the portable, consoling the students and__
playing games so they would forget the loss of their recess.____________________________
I believe this experience has done nothing but give me the utmost appreciation for the_
profession I want to enter, and has solidified my aspirations to become a teacher.__________
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Before final grading for EDU 201, EDU 202, EDU 203 courses can occur, the CSN student
must submit their completed Field Observation Activities Packet to their CSN Instructor for
grading, AND turn in their validated Field Observation Time Log and Field Observation
Student Evaluation sheets. The CCSD cooperating teacher must also email the students
CSN Instructor before the final exam date. The instructors email can be found on the first
page of this packet. (pass/fail for the student)
Remember to save this completed packet in digital form, or as a hard copy for your
Education Capstone Course, (EDU 299)

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