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Nastasha Green Education 329 Contextual Factors Classroom Factors As I walked down the hall to the second grade classroom, I saw how decorated and colorful the walls were. When I got to the door way of the classroom, the door was decorated, and beside it was a list of all the students in the class. The wall next to the door displayed some group work that the students completed on the story Toad and Frog. As I entered the classroom, there was a table that had all of the teachers materials and work for the students to complete. Behind that table was the teachers desk that has her computer on it, which she uses to display homework and other assignments she has for the students. Next to her computer is the overhead projector. She uses the overhead projector to show pictures, handouts and to do guided reading. Beside her desk is the Smartboard. The Smartboard is on every morning and usually shows the morning news, and the students math homework from the day before. The teacher is able to write and show her work on the Smartboard so that the students can follow along. To the left of the Smartboard is the white board. The white board displays the date, the agenda for the day, and the students morning warm up. The warm up is made up of three to five math problems based on what the students have learned. The teacher also uses the white board to write down the names of the students that misbehave. In the front of the white board is a colorful carpet. This carpet is used to review spelling words and for reading. The students have assigned seats on the carpet based on their row color. The row color is determined by the desk. To the left of the white board, is a U shaped table with five seats. This table is for guided and one on one reading time.

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In the back of the classroom is a restroom, a sink with a water fountain, and a table with four computers. These computers are used for free time and have educational games for the students to play. The games cover math and reading subjects and the children love it. The teacher gives each child about ten minutes or until everyone is done working. Next to the computers is a file cabinet that holds the students extra supplies, crafts, and materials they may use. On the wall near the door is where the students hang their book bags and jackets. Above this area are different tubes filled with books. These books are separated by reading level, and genre. The desk are placed throughout the classroom in a wide V shape. On each side of the classroom there are two single desk, then a row of three desk. In the back of the classroom, there are two sets of two desks. In the center, there are two rows that have a group of three desks and four desk. The desk on the outside are specifically assigned to students who have ADHD. Being away from a big group of people allows the student to concentrate on the task, and allows the teacher to help with distracting others. The male students are placed on the outside of the rows, and the girls are seated in the middle. The students are spread out from their friends so that they will not cause disruptions. The teacher and parent involvement is very visible. The teacher knows what students have ADHD because of the relationship between her and the parents. She stays in contact with the parents through email, phone calls, and letters home. If any of the students misbehave, she contacts that parents as soon as she has free time. If the student receives a bad grade on an assignment, the teacher sends home suggestions, related work, or she tells the parents what the student did to fix the work.

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Student Characteristics This class consist of 26 students ranging from 7 to 8 years old. There are 12 boys, and 14 girls. There are 3 Hispanics, 7 Caucasians, and 16 African-American students. Out of 26 students, 2 bring their lunch from home, 1 pays for reduced lunch, and the remaining students receive free lunch. After discussing the students with my teacher, I have learned that the children come from middle and lower class homes. There is 1 student who actually takes medication for ADHD, but 3 other students show signs of having this disorder. The overall academic level for the classroom is just above average by one to two points. However, some students still struggle in different areas. When I first entered the classroom, I was able to work with three students that are below their reading level. There were all reading a book that would be read in the middle of first grade, but they were still having trouble. The teacher informed me that these students were held back in Kindergarten and need help developing words. Two of the students were placed on the intervention list, and are pulled out of class every morning to go receive extra help. The other child is still being observed because he is a new student; the teacher has to evaluate him a little more. The students are very happy in the classroom, but they get distracted very easily. When they work together, they build off of one another. From the time I have spent in the classroom, I believe the students best area would be math. I reviewed the classes mid-year analysis chart (information that reviews the students progress in math and reading) and the class received an 87 (B), and had a +17 growth. I also graded math work and most 95% of the students made a 100. The few that did not score this, made minor mistakes such as not following directions and it was easily fixed. Reading would be a subject that would need the most attention. I would break this subject down and place students in smaller groups. Having the students in smaller groups

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allows me to work with the students, and figure out what reading level they are on. Although all of the students are not below grade level, they all would benefit from reading more. I have learned from reading pedagogy and childrens literature that being able to read and comprehend information is essential for life. Knowing my students learning styles and ability to understand, will help me develop the appropriate lessons that keep their attention, as well as help students develop. Instructional Implications It is very important to understand the needs of the students and how the classroom is mapped out. Knowing the characteristics of the classrooms allows the teacher to be productive with the use of technology, and materials that can be used to make the lesson interesting. The classroom set up is what sets the tone for the class. If the class is disorganized, then the students will not pay attention because there is no structure. In order for the students to comprehend the material being taught, the lesson must be on their level. For the students who struggle with reading, the teacher needs to make sure they understand what is going on. Accommodations made for these students can consists of small group readings, guided readings, flow charts, and letter sounds that will help them develop their form of reading. The students also need one on one or extra time to read, so that they can get as much practice as possible. For the students with ADD/ADHD, I would keep them in the outer rows but use interactive lesson plans. I want the students to participate so they do not become bored. And I would give them assignments one at a time so that they do not become overwhelmed.

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I plan to teach my lessons with excitement and information that is interesting to the students. I need to captivate their minds, and teach them that learning is fun. My students are very young and they have very short attention spans, so I need to make lessons that will make them wonder. I believe it is important for students to make real life connections with what they are learning, and I want my students to be able to take something from the lesson. None of the students are the same and everyone thinks on different levels, so it is my job to bring everything together. I plan on using group activities and scenarios that my students will be able to do. The students love answering questions, and giving their input, so open discussion will be a way to get everyone involved. These are ways that I will implement lessons into this classroom.