Contextual Factors!

Brian Ross

Ash Creek Elementary School Contextual Factors!

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Community and School District! ! Ash Creek Elementary School is located in Monmouth, Oregon, but serves

families living in Independence, Oregon as well. Of Monmouths 11,279 residents, 81.1 percent are White and 10.8 percent are Hispanic. The remaining 8.1 percent of the population is comprised of small percentages of mixed-race, Asian, African American, and Native American people. Similarly, almost 95 percent of Independences 10,307 residents are White or Hispanic. However, at 31.9 percent, the Hispanic population is signicantly higher in Independence than it is in Monmouth (US Census).! ! The mean age of Monmouths residents is several years younger than that of

Independence. This is due in large part to the fact that Monmouth is home to Western Oregon University. It is also for this reason that 90 percent of Monmouths residents hold high school diplomas or higher, as compared to 78.6 percent in Independence. Interestingly though, the percentage of people living below the poverty line in both towns is approximately 23 percent (US Census). ! ! The K-12 students living in Monmouth and Independence are served by Central

School District. The district is made up of three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. There are approximately 134 teachers educating the 2,900 students enrolled amongst the ve schools (Central School District 13J).! ! The communities of Monmouth and Independence have a great relationship with

Central School District. Collaborations with Western Oregon University, high parental involvement, and the passing of multiple bonds to support the district are all evidence of

Contextual Factors!

Brian Ross

this positive relationship. As a result, there is a tremendous sense of community that spills from the towns citizenry into the classrooms, and visa versa. This makes teaching in the district an enjoyable experience.! ! Another major dynamic that inuences the classrooms found within Central

School District is the heavy inuence of both agriculture and higher education (Western Oregon University) in the community. As a result of these two major industries, teachers nd that they need to meet the needs of children living as migrant farm workers as well as those born to university professors. These needs can be drastically different, which poses a challenge to even the most experienced of teachers.! ! !

School and Staff! ! Ash Creek Elementary School was originally built in 2002 as an intermediate

school, housing fth and sixth grades only. It transitioned into a K-5 school before the 2008-2009 school year. Six years after the transition, the school is now home to about 490 K-5 students. There are 21 teachers, nine classied employees (assistants, ofce administrators, custodians), and one administrator dedicated to the education of these 490 students (Central School District 13J).! ! Ash Creek Elementary is a Title 1 school. Forty-seven percent of the students at

Ash Creek are White. Another 47 percent are Hispanic/Latino, and the remaining six percent are either multi-racial, Pacic Islander, African American, Asian, or Native American. During the 2012-13 school year, 36 percent of the student body was designated as English Language Learners, 65 percent were economically

Contextual Factors!

Brian Ross

disadvantaged, and eight percent had disabilities. There are ve languages spoken at Ash Creek (Oregon Report Card).! ! According to the Oregon Report Card for the 2012-13 school year, Ash Creek

Elementary School students are performing at the upper end of Level 3, which is slightly below the state average. Compared to schools with similar demographics, however, the school is classied as About Average (Oregon Report Card).! ! This performance is further broken down by key student groups as well as

subject areas (reading, mathematics, and science). Interestingly, every single key student group has similar results for each subject area. They are the strongest in mathematics, scoring an average of 3.6 percent below the states average. At an average of 8.2 percent below the state average, reading is every subgroups second best subject. Similarly, each of the student subgroups are the weakest at science, falling, on average, 20.5 percent below the state average. While these numbers are disappointing, it is encouraging that there is equality in the education provided to each subgroup (Oregon Report Card).! ! The school itself is divided into three pods. Each pod is organized by grade

level and consists of individual classrooms and a common area. This promotes collaboration between teachers and students of like grade levels. Additionally, collaboration across grade levels is also encouraged at Ash Creek Elementary. For example, the entire school gathers for a Meet-and-Greet assembly every Monday and Friday morning. During the assemblies, students (and teachers) participate in dance exercises, listen to a motivational talk from the principal, get updated on upcoming

Contextual Factors!

Brian Ross

events, and celebrate any awards that have been earned by students. This practice goes a long way towards building positive community throughout the school.! ! Another distinguishing characteristic of Ash Creek Elementary School is its early

release Mondays. Every week, students are dismissed almost an hour early on Monday. This allows time for teachers to meet in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). While the level of engagement varies by PLC, the dedication of such time sends the clear message that the school is dedicated to improving the education it provides to its students.! ! There is clearly a sense of camaraderie surrounding the staff of Ash Creek

Elementary School. They hold a potluck every month, work together as Buddy Classrooms, and collaborate openly. While most of the teachers are fairly well established in their careers, there is a small population of new teachers as well. It is evident that the experienced teachers have taken the newer ones under their wings. The community at Ash Creek is overwhelmingly positive as a result of these things, which has a positive impact on the teaching and learning that occurs there.!

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Classroom Learning Environment and Students! ! I am partially responsible for the education of thirty-two fth graders. Of these

thirty-two individuals, ve are English Language Learners (ELL), three are on Individualized Education Plans (IEP), two are designated as Talented and Gifted (TAG), with another falling under the Potential to Perform label, and one is on a 504 Plan. Although my remaining twenty students have not been identied under any of these categories, their language and academic skills are just as diverse. The result is a

Contextual Factors!

Brian Ross

classroom full of thirty-two individuals who all have a unique set of needs. Ironically, that is what makes them the same as practically every other group of students in America.! ! To meet the diverse needs of my students, it is critical for me to consider several

things. First, I must make sure that my lessons content is accessible by each student. While this applies to everybody, it is particularly important for my ELLs. Since I have students at varying levels of English acquisition (intermediate to advanced), as well as varying levels of academic abilities in their native languages, I must use multiple methods when presenting material. For example, when giving instruction about graphing on a coordinate plane, I might provide written, verbal, kinesthetic, and photographic information/demonstrations. I must also provide opportunities for students to practice collaboratively, individually, repeatedly, and through the output of varied products.! ! Another major characteristic of my classroom is the gap between my TAG

students and my students on academic IEPs. The fact that this gap is actually a continuum upon which the rest of my students fall adds to the challenge of meeting each individuals needs. This requires differentiating the academic rigor of assignments, as well as the time required to complete them. It is important to remember that for my TAG students this differentiation means different, not more. As such, I need to create multiple assignments for each skill/concept being taught, keeping in mind that each assignment must meet the standard that is being targeted. For example, in keeping with the graphing illustration from above, this might mean that TAG students are required to graph in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane, at-level students graph only in the positive, positive quadrant, and students on IEPs ll in several missing positive, positive

Contextual Factors!

Brian Ross

coordinates to complete a picture. While each of these assignments requires a different level of comprehension and ability, they all work toward meeting Common Core State Standard 5.G.1.! ! The classroom in which I will be working to meet these individual needs is

conducive to learning. There is plenty of natural light, ample space, effective technology (SMART Board, projector, document camera, and access to a class set of laptops), storage space, an adjacent common area, and a calming view out the bank of windows. In addition, the room is decorated with lots of realia and artifacts that are meaningful to the students. These factors certainly create a physical environment that enables learning to take place. However, it is the classroom community that really supports student learning.! ! This class is in the second year of a two-year loop, meaning that almost

everybody had the same teacher, classroom, fellow students, and routines last year in fourth grade. They know each other, the room, the teacher, and the routines very well. As a result, many of the common relational, logistical, and behavioral issues have been addressed for a year and a half, as opposed to just a few months. This has a tremendous impact on the attitudes and comfort levels of both teacher and students, which allows more time and energy to be devoted to teaching and learning.!

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Personal Context! ! Ash Creek Elementary School is a natural t for me for a multitude of reasons.

First, I grew up in the community and only live a short distance from the school. As a result, I am highly invested in the well-being of the school and the students that it

Contextual Factors!

Brian Ross

serves. Similarly, there are people working at Ash Creek Elementary that were highly invested in my future when I was an elementary student. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to thank those people for their support and strive to do my best to offer that same level of encouragement and commitment to my current students.! ! Another reason that I can readily relate with the staff and students of Ash Creek

Elementary School is that I am comfortable on both sides of the higher education/ agriculture dichotomy. Since I place a high value on education, as made evident by pursuing a masters degree in teaching, I have a lot in common with those who live in the university setting. Also, having spent seven years working in the surrounding agricultural industry, I can relate with the lifestyle of farmers and farm workers. This is extremely helpful in being able to relate with students and parents alike.! ! The nal, and most powerful reason that I nd it so easy to connect with each of

my students is that we grew up in the same unique place. I know what it is like to live here at their age. I know what it is like to attend school in this district. I also know some of the joys and struggles that come with growing up in Monmouth. Although there are twenty years between my students experiences and my own, there is still a bond that we share from having such similar experiences; it is proving to be a strong one.! ! ! " !

Contextual Factors!

Brian Ross

References!

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Central School District 13J. (2013). Budget summary 2013-14.! ! Retrieved from! http://www.central.k12.or.us/DesktopModules/Bring2mind/DMX/Download.aspx? TabId=65&DMXModule=1213&Command=Core_Download&language=enUS&EntryId=25&PortalId=0! Oregon Department of Education. (2013). Oregon Report Card: Ash Creek Elementary! ! School. Available from www.ode.state.or.us/go/SchoolRC! United States Census Bureau. (2012). 2008-2012 American community survey.! ! Independence information retrieved from! http://factnder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml? pid=DEC_10_DP_DPDP1! United States Census Bureau. (2012). 2008-2012 American community survey.! ! Monmouth information retrieved from! http://factnder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml? pid=ACS_12_5YR_DP05! !