Field Experience Assignment #1

1a. In the middle school I observed, the teachers usually stand outside the door during hall
passing to greet students and make sure the students are behaving appropriately. The teacher I
observed had morning duty in the quad to help maintain an adult presence.

1b. In the school I observed the hallways are one way and students are excepted to walk to
class and not run. The students are expected to get to class on time and are only allowed to use
lockers before school, during lunch, and after school.

1c. The specialists in the middle school I observed include the speech therapist, special
education (CC teachers), and counselors. The therapist has an office and she pulls out students
who need help with their speech. The CC teachers coordinate with the regular teachers to make
accommodations for special education students and to monitor their progress. They also have
their own classroom where they teach special education classes. The counselors have offices and
help with students schedules and counsel those who are troubled.

2a. The office sends a call slip with the students name to classroom, and the teacher gives it
to the student. The student then packs his/her belongings and reports to the front office where the
parent signed him/her out.

2b. When the fire alarm goes off, students quickly head out the door to their fire drill location
and line up in boy/girl lines. The teacher leaves last, locking the door, and meets his/her class
outside and then proceeds to take roll. The teacher holds up a green sign if all are accounted for
and a red sign if a student is missing. When all is clear, the students head back into the
classroom.

2c. An announcement is made on the intercom that there is a shelter in place drill. The
students stay inside the classroom and work on their assignment. The teacher locks the outside
hallway door, the classroom door, and places masking tape in the window to simulate sealing all
openings. The teacher emails the office stating that all students are present or reports if any
student is missing. Once an announcement is made, the shelter in place drill has ended.

2d. Yes, teachers have a first aid kit with band-aids, surgical gloves, and alcohol wipes in the
classroom. The universal precautions are to use gloves and never touch or handle any blood.
2e. The procedures for a hard lock down is interesting because students must quietly lie flat
with their hands behind their head.

3a. There are intramural basketball games, cheerleaders, board game club, STATUS club
(drug awareness club), student counsel, and homework club.

3b. BJs restaurant and Sammys Pizza does fundraisers to raise money for Cadwallader
cheerleaders. Canes and Smoothie King also provide lunches to the school in partnership with
the cafeteria.

3c. Parents comes to parent teacher conferences, visit classrooms, and participate in school
wide meetings to give input on school procedures such as dress code. Parents regularly check on
their childs grades through Infinite Campus and checks students agendas.

Field Experience Assignment #2

1a. Date, school location and grade level, subject/course

October 7th, 2016, Cadwallader Middle School, 7th grade English

1e. From your perspective, what would you do to improve the classrooms physical layout?
Would you add anything? Would you eliminate anything?
No, I enjoyed the classroom arrangement. I liked how all the students had a partner and
could see each other and the board easily. I also like how from the teachers perspective, its
easy to see all the students from this arrangement and make sure theyre on task.

2. Now analyze your drawing. To what extent does this classroom reflect the following five
keys to good room arrangement?

a. Use a room arrangement consistent with our instructional goals and activities.
Yes, the room arrangement allowed for partner work and easy moment into small groups
of four or even larger groups of six. It also helps with class discussions because all the
students are facing each other and can see each other as they speak.

b. Keep high traffic areas free of congestion.

Because the class sizes are so large, this arrangement helps to give extra space between
sections and around the doorway. It is nice because the teacher can easily walk around to
help students.

c. Be sure students are easily seen by the teacher.

The teacher can easily see all of the students from either the front or the back of the
classroom.

d. Keep frequently used teaching materials and student supplies readily accessible.
All of the textbooks can be reached easily from the shelves and the workbaskets for each
period are labeled and easy to get to. The wardrobe in the front easily holds construction
paper, scissors, colored pencils, and other supplies useful for projects.

e. Be certain students can easily see instructional presentations and displays.

All students are facing in a way that allows them to see the front board as well as to see
each other during discussions or presentations.

3. What are any strengths and/or weaknesses of this arrangement? Would rearrangements
make this classroom a more effective learning environment?
The strengths are it allows easy movement into group work and gives plenty of space
between sections for students and teacher to get around. The weaknesses of this
arrangement is it makes talking during independent time easier because theres a partner
right next to the students and during tests and quizzes it can be easier for students to copy
off one another. I prefer this arrangement due to the advantages outweighing the
disadvantages. I would probably rearrange the desks each quarter to try something new.

4. OBSERVING STUDENTS IN THE CLASS:

a. How many and what age and gender are the students in the class?
The class I observed had 28 students with 16 boys and 12 girls.

b. Are there students who appear to be isolates? What behavior(s) let you to believe this?
Not in this class, all the students seemed very social and friendly.

c. Which students appear to raise their hand often?

The most talkative students tended to raise their hands the most or to blurt out and have to
be reminded to raise their hand first. The boys asked more questions and the girls tended
to speak up only when they were called on.

d. How is the behavior of those students who sit in back of the room?
The students who sat in the back of the room were the quiet ones with the best behavior.

e. Which students appear to receive the most praise?

The students who participated in class discussions and who volunteered to help out in the
classroom and also the students who helped cleaned up after class.

f. Which students seem to be ignored?

The quietest students who do not participate and tend to sit toward the back corners,
particularly the quiet girls were ignored.

Summarize what you have found about the students in this class. Who are they and what is
it like to live in this school?
I found out that developmental students in the afternoon of a 2-hour block are quite loud
and boisterous. They love to participate, ask questions, and are excited to learn but they
have trouble staying focused, being quiet, and staying on task. The morning classes,
especially the accelerated, are much quieter and more focused with the behavior being
much better. Overall, the behavior and climate at Cadwallader is very good and it is a fun
place to be. The students are respectful and stop misbehaving when directed at least for the
time being.