Spencer Cofer

EDU 202

Professor Christensen

15 November 2017

Field Observation Assignment

1.) What are your first impressions of the classroom environment? IS it warm, inviting,

organized, etc.? Describe the physical environment in detail.

First impressions of the classroom very fun going, very warm, and open class. Open to

questions, open to discussion, very organized obviously raised hands no shouting

students are very attentive students. Mr. Rowland demands attention from students in the

way he talks and grabs students’ attention.

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.

Mixed genders and ethnicity in the class, very even in regards to gender seems to be even

amount of male and female students. Ethnicity whys predominately white but also a

couple African American students as well as more Hispanic students and only a couple

Asian students. I have not seen any students with physical challenges in the class yet.

3.) Are their posted class rules? If rules are posted write them exactly as they appear.

There are not any posted class rules he just demands respect from them and that they

respect one another.

4.) Does the teacher enforce these posted rules? What rewards or consequences are

used for compliance or noncompliance?

 He enforces these rules with the manner with the way he teaches and demands respect out

of all the students and he demands they respect one another. The only consequence would

be disappointing him as a teacher and then sent to the office to be dealt with because he

won’t waist his time on it.

Assignment #2 (Classroom Layout)

1.) Describe the workflow on the room. Is the space used efficiently?

The space of the classroom is used very well kids are meant to be able to be involved.

Rowland puts himself in the center of the class to be the center of the discussion and

teach the students and make sure they really learn the lesson. Space is used much

different than classes I have been in but it seems to make the students be more

attentive.

2.) In your opinion, how can the physical arrangement of the room be improved?

The only way I can see the physical arrangement of the room being better is make all

the students sit closer and be more attentive, but other than that the students seem to

really enjoy the setup and it makes them want to learn.

Assignment #3 (Instruction)

1.) What is the posted daily/weekly schedule for different subjects or periods?

The posted daily/weekly schedule for the subjects are posted on the white board by

Monday-Friday and how the week will go. It breaks it down into subjects like notes that

needed to be read and the questions on the sheets that he handed out and when they are

due and what specific topics should be in the answer.

2.) Is instruction delivered in small groups, centers, whole groups, individuality?

 The instruction is taught in many ways. Mainly it is delivered and taught in whole groups

like a big class discussion. Many of the time they will start in small discussions and

discuss in groups and come up with group ideas. Than they break it into a whole group

discussion and Rowland involves himself and makes everyone become involved in the

discussions of topics. Also he has a Co-Op class which mixes in students with IEPs with

regular students and he teaches that class the same way and has an extra teacher that

helps students with IEP and make sure they are getting work done.

3.) Describe your cooperating teachers teaching style.

Mr. Rowlands teaching style is very different from teachers I have seen or had. He is very

loud and active with his students he makes them pay attention with his voice and the way

he holds the room. He tries to tie in his personal life experiences with the instruction he is

giving to show them how to use it in life and how it can help them grow as a person and

bettering them as people.

4.) How does the teacher incorporate sensory modalities?

Well the first class is mainly a new lecture class so everything is from the students

listening to him talk about the notes in the book and the topics they are learning. In his

other classes however the students have been watching videos and seeing visuals of

historical events happening to help them see how it was back then. He uses many

different learning styles in class and it seems to keep the class balanced and help

everyone try to learn the material.

5.) Do the students seems engaged in the lessons presented?

 Yes, all the students seem engaged and the teacher tries to demand that they be engaged

with the way he teaches he is very vocal and observative and he tries to make sure each

students is not just paying attention to the class but participating in the classroom.

6.) Are there any students isolated from the class?

No, none of the students were isolated from the class. This could possibly happen if one

was acting up but that never occurred while I was observing.

7.) How does the teacher handle transitions from subject to subject or activity to

activity? Are the transitions efficient?

Mr. Rowland handles the transitions very smoothly usually if they are reading in a book

and they are done with that chapter he will than continue to the next but tying in how that

chapter first will lead to this next part of history. It is very smooth and does not confuse

the students as they know exactly what to do next.

8.) List ways the teacher uses “attention getting” commands, word phrases, signals, etc.

Are they effective?

I was actually surprised about this part of Mr. Rowlands teaching. He is a very strong and

vocal man and whenever he needs the classrooms attention he becomes quiet. He knows

and the class knows if he is not talking something is up. If the class becomes to rowdy he

will stand silently and wait and I think that shows a lot of respect from the students.

9.) What specific behavior issues does the teacher have to deal with? How does the

teacher handle the behavior issues?

For the entire time that I observed the class there was no apparent behavioral issues in the

class. Mr. Rowland is very respected aas a teacher and I believe all behavioral issues
 become taken care of by him at the beginning of the year and it shows at the end because

the class is handled very well.

10.) Are there any policies or procedures that help or hinder instructional time?

Please explain them and how they help or hinder time.

The only example of instructional time being hindered or helped because of procedure

was during a shelter in place drill which took time out of the instruction and hindered it

but for no more than about 2 minutes at most. It makes the teacher close the classroom

door and put tape on the window to let them know they have tape to seal off openings to

protect class.

Assignment #4 (Culture)

Physical Characteristics

1.) Consider the school property: building, grounds, fencing, equipment,

landscaping, trees, parking lot, crosswalks, gates, signs and symbols. Describe in

detail.

The school is older and built like all older CCSD high schools a wide open corridor

with tables for lunch and a lunch room with glass window to look outside. Than two

levels of flooring each with its own sides that all have 4 hallways on each side.

Fencing only wraps mainly around the soccer fields, basketball courts, baseball fields

and football fields, parking lot is very big out-front with hundreds of spots and a

parking area for teachers and extra staff parking in the back of the school. There are

three main crosswalks one across a major road and one that runs along a smaller road

into a neighborhood. Many school speed limit signs and parking lot speed limit signs

are posted as well as staff parking signs and students parking signs.
2.) Next study the interior of the school: halls, floor coverings, lighting, doors,

windows, hall colors and decorating and entrance security.

The halls are very wide, wide enough to probably align 5 people shoulder to shoulder

across. The floor outside is concrete inside in some halls have tile flooring with blue

and green to match school colors and some of the flooring is carpet the same carpet

that every high school has that blue and purple kind. Lighting runs up and down the

halls and even outside lamps in case of late night games or banquets. There are two

doors for every hall way push to open doors and they mainly stay open during the

school day. Windows are very small and not all glass mainly all of them have metal

running in a cross shape between them. All the halls are white and decorated by either

painting of murals or posters about school activities or maybe students work from that

class or sports posters of school. There is no real entrance security except for a dean

watching each entrance every morning and then hall monitors watching in between

classes.

Culture of the School

1.) Explain the schools mission statement, motto, and mascot

Could never find a clear cut missions statement. The motto is “Commitment to

Excellence” which means to be committed to be excellent not only in school but

in the way the school is ran from education to sports and clubs to everything the

schools does. The mascot of Green Valley is a gator.

2.) Analyze the staff and visitor interactions in the main office. Note student and

faculty interactions in other areas of the school.

 The school’s visitor office is the very first thing you see from the main entrance

and the front desk staff are very nice and helpful all you do is tell them what you

are there for and they have a student take you if you need help to where you are

going. The faculty and visitor interactions are very pleasant and same goes for the

interactions between students and faculty unless that students are causing a

disturbance which I did not see while I was observing.

3.) Observe the student to student interactions, inside and outside of the

building. Observe where students gather to socialize- lunchroom, halls,

common areas, etc.

Most of the student to student interactions I encountered were friendly and joking.

Lots of playful pushing and joking with one another during class and outside of

class as well. Students before school would meet in the parking lot by cars to

socialize or in common areas out front of school rarely did I see students interact

or gather in halls to talk.

4.) Explain how the school is organized- office, library, halls/classroom, signs.

The school is organized like I said like most CCSD high schools the main office

is on the lower level directly in front of the main entrance of the school. The

library is on the upper level and is laid out as a library and computer center. There

are 4 main halls in total two on each level of flooring and then 4 separate halls on

the sides of these 4 main halls. The only signs posted are for the numbers of the

classrooms as well as the main offices and what those offices are whether it be

deans or counselors or nurses.

Culture of the Classroom

1.) Look for teacher expectations for learning and success.

Mr. Rowland expects the students to be active in learning and participating in

the lesson at hand. He believes success comes from trying and wanting to

learn not just by doing it because you have to but because you want to do it.

2.) Evaluate the level of student participation in the class. Who participates?

Who does not?

In Mr. Rowlands it seems that most students who are into the lesson

participate and those who are not into the lesson do not or those who did not

complete the previous reading for that lesson do not participate. However Mr.

. Rowland will insist they at least try to give an educated guess to the question

or comment on what has been said.

3.) Evaluate the interactions between the teacher and students, rapport,

cohesiveness, distribution of power, teacher personality.

The teacher and student’s interactions are very friend like but that of a

friendly boss. They know exactly who is in charge of the classroom and who

is to be respected at all times. Mr. Rowland demands respect but also makes it

known that they are respected in his eyes as well. His personality makes him

very approachable for questions and very fun to talk and learn from.

Assignment #5 (Cooperating Teacher Interview)

1.) What was the primary reason you became a teacher?

To help influence kids not only to learn government and history but to

influence them to learn how to live life and enjoy it and how to overcome

adversity and help them grow into adults.

2.) What are the main challenges you faced as a teacher?

Being to fun. I was always Mr. Nice guy and students would take

advantage of me. I had to learn how to draw the line with certain things.

3.) What is the best part of being a teacher?

Interacting with the students. I enjoy talking and debating and picking my

students minds every day I get new opinions on topics that I have never

heard in my 40 some years.

4.) How do you determine where students sit in class?

Usually I start by allowing students to choose where they want and see

how it works. By then I can spy out the loud group and try to disperse

them around the class and make sure they are there to learn not socialize.

5.) How do you select members of any flexible groups?

I do not really have any flexible groups I do teach a Co-Ed class which is

mixture of regular level students and special needs students who can

comprehend well and handle regular classroom settings but I treat them all

the same no groups.

6.) How often do you interact with parents in person? What are the main

reasons for interactions with parents?

I rarely interact with parents in person unless it is outside of school at a

school game. The main reason I would have to interact with parents

because of school is because of disturbances or disrespect or possibly

grades and how to help.

7.) How much grading do you complete on a daily/weekly basis?

 I try to do at least an hour of grading every day depending on what

assignments were due that day and or the previous week.

8.) How long does it take to prepare lessons for the day/week?

This as well maybe takes me about an hour a day because I usually have

the whole years lessons mapped out and if I stay on track it is just about

writing it on the board than getting ready for class that day.

9.) What procedures or strategies do you use to maximize instructional time?

I do not believe I use any strategies or procedures to maximize instruction

time. I have been teaching the same class and have had mainly the same

lesson plan for so many years that I know exactly what to do to make sure

I stay on schedule and use all the instruction time to help teach my

students.

10.) What positive reinforcements you used successfully? What

behavioral consequences seem most effective with this age group?

For me the positive reinforcement I love to use are high fives. A student

knows they did something really good in my class if they received a high

five from me. But always words of encouragement to even try again fit

they answered something incorrectly works as well. The form of

punishment I seem to use the most is talking one on one with the student

and finding out what I need to do as a teacher to make sure they act right

in my class.

11.) How are specialist teachers involved in your instructional planning

process?
 Well I teach a Co-Ed class so I work with a specialist teacher In that class

and my whole class schedule is based on whether or not those kids are

coming in to class that day or not because some days they have other

activities to attend.

12.) How often are you evaluated, and what measurement tool is used

by the administration for determining your teaching performance?

I do not want to get my superior in trouble but I will be truthful I do not

get evaluated as much as I should because I have been teaching the same

class for so long. But I do get evaluated at least once a year by a dean and

the evaluation is based off of how they see students react and listen to me

and how I follow my lesson plan that they usually have the lay out for.

13.) What consequences are there if your evaluation is not favorable?

Well first and foremost I could be fired if my evaluation is very bad. I

could be docked pay as well if evaluations are not good.

14.) What surprised you most about teaching as a profession?

How much and how fast I fell in love with it. I always knew I wanted to

impact younger people’s lives but I had no idea that by doing so I would

impact me and my families lives even more and that was the most

surprising to me.

Assignment #6 (Observing a Student)

The student I am observing I know is going to be valedictorian and is very

studious. The lesson is a debate about privilege in America. The student is

very vocal about his opinion about privilege and race. He has varying
opinions about the topic and is very well educated. He is very emotional

and will nod yes or no with anything he agrees that is said by the teacher

and anything he disagrees about what the teacher is saying. Very loud and

confident when answering questions or rebuttals is the student. The

student is definitely a listener he picks up everything the teacher says and

examines it before responding but whenever there is something to observe

the student does not pay much attention to it. A very well taught student

and very smart.

Assignment #7 (Summary)

This teaching observation could have been one of the most influential

experiences of my life in regards to my career path. As I learnt from one

of my favorite teachers and one who told me that maybe a career in

teaching was right for me. I learned so much about the culture of a school

and the culture of a classroom and how to hold a strong presence in your

classroom as a teacher. I never realized how much fun you could truly

have while teaching a class and Mr. Rowland showed me and kind of

taught me how to do so. I also learned how to be a nice teacher but where

to draw the line in talking to Mr. Rowland. This observation has better

prepared me to be ready and learn the challenges that I will face a teacher

whether it be having to interact and deal with students who are causing

problems or just learning how to interact with staff on a professional level.

I think the specific ideas about teaching that I will remember to include in

my class are to demand respect as Mr. Rowland does with his classes and
students. He is well respected for doing good work and being a good

teacher and I believe that is the biggest take away that I need to be a good

person to be a good teacher.