Reflection On Classroom Environment

This movie, The Classroom, which was very interesting to watch, discusses all that goes on in the school system, the good and the bad. But it also shows how things at home can affect the way the student acts during the school day. This movie definitely makes you look at students that act out differently, instead of punishing them maybe we should all look deeper into the issue and find a way for the student to thrive and use school as an outlet.

My time spent in the Clinical setting, so far, has been extremely inciteful as to how to become a better educator in a classroom setting. Through the data I collected I was able to connect Borich’s Seven Variables of learning to the students. By being in the clinical setting for nearly two months, I have been exposed to new ways of thinking when it comes to structuring a classroom and instructing a classroom. Within this reflection you will find out how I would better plan an effective lesson for the pupils in my future classroom. You will also discover what I will do about certain issues in the classroom and how I will address/fix them.

Before class even began, there I was, making predictions about how this group of students were going to act during class – it was clear from the beginning that they knew how they were to present themselves in that class. As the students came into the classroom, the teacher greeted them all individually, fist bumping some, inquiring about the personal lives of others. It was a very pleasant environment; the students were courteous to their teacher and upon getting to their seats immediately opened up their books to where they left off last class and started setting up their Chromebooks for their reading journals. The teacher then inspired this demeanor in other students by telling students who were trickling in at the last minute to follow the example of their classmates who already had everything out and ready to go. In addition to verbal responses to and reminders of positive behavior, she reinforced this behavior in her students through posters around the room that detail the behavior she and they should expect to see in the classroom.

From the begin of the meeting, I would need to meet in a conference area. Rather than the workplace which many could see as a position of train, I would discover a gathering room or utilize the educator's classroom to have the meeting. When we got settled, I would take a gander at the lesson designs the instructor intended to use for the perception. When I took a gander at the lesson designs, I would pose a few inquiries of the educator. The principal inquiries would spin around why the educator picked the lesson target that he picked. The educator would then clarify why the objectives were picked and how the assisted and upgraded the educational programs being instructed. Promote dialog would talk about who the destinations would be imparted and how much time would be spent educating and acing those targets general. The second inquiry would rotate around how the instructor planned the lesson. Contingent upon where in the year the lesson was. I might want to recognize what kind of foundation data would be required and how the understudies did acing that material. The instructor could likewise clarify if they pondered any challenges that the understudies may have. On the off chance that the instructor has thought of a few, how have they adjusted to represent those battles so that the understudies could comprehend less demanding. I would likewise get some information about how the instructor would make the lesson pertinent to the understudies in their present or future lives

This semester I observed Mrs. Sizemore at Walter Williams High School. She teaches two math 3 inclusion classes and one math 3 honors class. I learned a lot from watching Mrs. Sizemore teach, assisting the students with math worksheets, explaining problems on the board to the class, and talking with Mrs. Sizemore during breaks. The following three class articles, “Tracking from Theory to Practice,” “Trust in Schools,” and “The School and the Community” are all applicable to the experiences I had.

One concept we discussed during class was the demographics of the school not aligning with the demographics of the teachers. A main point we talked about was how a lot of younger grades were taught mostly by white, female teachers. This negatively impacts students of color and their feelings surrounding school and forces an invisible tax on teachers of color working at underrepresented schools. In the school I did my field experience in, Chelsea Heights Elementary school, I noticed this point very clearly. Of all the staff I interacted with who taught at the school, five of them appeared to be white women, one was a woman of color, and two were white men. It was also interesting to note that the woman of color was a paraprofessional, and only interacted with one student at the end of the day. Both of the male teachers were specialist teachers, and taught physical education and science, which are stereotypically male subjects. In the group of homeroom teachers the class I observed interacted with, all three teachers were white and female. Compared to my field experience class, where over half of the students were students of color, this staff ratio was clearly disproportionate to the actual student population. By observing this information, I was able to actually visualize what we talked about in class, and see the population difference between teachers and students.

one. Ms. Cochran starts with having all students stretch and prepare for their activity. For the most part her activities involve working collaboratively in groups. The students are allowed to interact differently with one another compared to the classroom. Students are free to yell at the top of their lungs and run around without being punished. The students seem to interact more with each other in this class. I think overall this class requires and needs student to be interactive in order to be successful.

On the right hand side Ms. Reel had a bulletin board with the quote, “Change your words – change your mindset” with examples on how to put a positive spin on negative sentences. (Picture on the left). On another bulletin board Ms. Reel had positive posters and phrases to remind the children to stay positive. (Picture on the right)

Sitting here, I find myself reflecting on the events that occurred in my second year as a classroom teacher. A year that came and went too quickly. A year where emotionally and mentally I was being pushed to the limit. A year where my patience was tested daily by the students that formed the community that was my classroom. A mix that was new, due to the redistricting that our school had put in place for the upcoming school year. A year in which I found my first student of many that I know will always stay in my heart. A student I will always wonder about: Where is he? How is he doing? Has he continued to succeed like I know he can? Has he stayed out of trouble?

For my practicum, I was placed in a sixth grade English and History classroom. Working with two classes of Fargo middle school students proved to be a great learning experience for me. Prior to my first day with them, I had been questioning whether or not I’d truly like to proceed with earning a degree in education; however, now I am certain I do. One of the most valuable lessons I learned through observation and working one-on-one with students, was that everything in the classroom is subject to change, from the physical learning environment to the timeline of the topics covered.

The teacher that I have selected for my interview, is one that I have previously used for an assignment in this class. Mrs. Shore teaches freshman Biology, and is a coworker of mine at the ninth grade academy in which I am employed. Mrs. Shore’s classroom management style is one that is very similar to what I had discussed in my reports over the length of this class. She uses a fun, energetic environment, while at the same time clearly depicting expectations about student behavior. She explained to me that she believes talking with students and gaining an understanding about what type of environment works best for them, and then molding numerous styles together. When discussing discipline issues, she notified me that her most difficult challenge is deciding when to punish a student. Mrs. Shore explained that it is vital to be invested in students and know when grace needs to be given, and when discipline actions need to be taken because students can be adversely affected by their home lives and many other factors. She continued to explain that multiple factors should be taken into account before deciding if a student truly deserves to be punished. Another thing that I enjoy about Mrs. Shore is her classroom environment. When walking into Mrs. Shores classroom students are not greeted with desk, but rather a variety of table styles and around the tables students will find large rolling desk chairs. The setup of Mrs. Shores class is what stood out to me the most. Her tables and chairs provide a sense of comfort while also allowing students to learn in an environment different from the traditional school setting. Mrs. Shore explained that she tries to provide a sense of safety and fun to her students.

At Rolling Green, many areas are used for gym classes now. The temperature recently just rose to the mid-60s. Before the temperature rose, students would participate outside on the schools tennis court, around the baseball diamond, and sometimes the old soccer field. Now, students are participating in the small gym towards the middle of the school building. This helps make it easier for students who didn't dress for the cold weather stay warm. As well as not fully protecting students, but avoiding possibility for children to get sick due to extreme climate change. In this reflection, I will give a brief description of the physical arrangements in the physical education classroom inside. I will then give a description of routines and procedures. Next, I will talk about one of the instructors grouping strategies and activities that stuck out to me the most. Finally, I will speak about one change I would make, and why I would make that change.

I enjoyed working on the PBL and thought it was a great experience. As we are about to go off to college, this really displayed to us that we have voices to speak up about things we want to change in the community around us. To have this opportunity and be hands on with a problem and research our idea of a perfect solution, was pretty cool. At the beginning of this process, it was hard to find a problem that was both strong and I was passionate about. When Mrs. Moone suggested an outdoor classroom, it was a perfect solution, but was hard to find the problem with our school and why we needed an outdoor classroom. Soon enough, it was a perfect way to describe different types of learners and why this type of teaching would be perfect for all four types of learners. Working in a group setting was another challenge to face.

There are several revolutions in the classroom including: technology, flexible seating in bigger classroom settings, student lead discussions, group based testing, team lead for grades with meetings, and frequent hands on project based learning. I think a lot of these modern classroom changes have been implemented in the district. Not in every school but in most. I know in my school we have all of the above and I can see how these changes have helped in the learning process.

As I connect back to my ontological commitment of transferring knowledge for the sake of building a foundation that can carry students through to graduation, I focus on how I can determine why I believe the classroom environment is critical to me. Perhaps it goes back to my positionality, where I truly believe that everyone has a right to learn and grow and that knowledge is the key to success in anything. As a lifelong learner, when I encountered difficulties transferring knowledge to students, I worked to develop intricate ways of teaching complicated material. In some instances, it meant changing the environment altogether, which is perhaps the reason I am a strong proponent for active learning classrooms.