Emily Lewia

Student Teaching
Spring 2017

Contextual Factors Analysis

Wells Elementary School

Wells, Maine is a small coastal town located in Southern Maine and because of its

spectacular beaches, Wells is a huge tourist attraction in the spring, fall, and especially in the

summer. The town occupies about 73.61 square miles, 57.55 square miles being land and 16.06

being water ("Wells, Maine.").

In the 2015 census, the population of Wells was 10,073 ("Wells town). According to

the 2010 census, 3.7% of the population was under five years old, 18.6% under 18 years, and

21% were 65 years or older ("Wells town). Compared to the state of Maine, Wells has more

residents that are 65 or older (Maine: 18.8%) and less than that are under 18 years old (Maine:

19.3%) ("QuickFacts Maine."). The same census stated that 97.2% of the population was White,

0.5% was Black, 0.2% was American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% was Asian, and 1.2% was

Hispanic or Latino ("Wells town). These percentages are not far off from the racial makeup

of the state of Maine; 94.9% of residents in the state identify as white ("QuickFacts Maine.").

Students in the Wells-Ogunquit community are often surrounded by people that look and talk the

same as them, therefore there are not many natural opportunities to learn about and experience

other cultures. One implication based on this data is that teachers in the town of Wells have to

make a conscience effort to incorporate, teach, and celebrate different cultures. This task can be

done by learning and researching other cultures and their languages, reading student-friendly

books about other cultures, and having guest speakers come in and share information about their
culture.

The United States Census Bureau addresses the housing and income of families in the

town of Wells. In 2010, there were 8,557 housing units in the town and between 2011-2015

there were 2.18 persons per household ("Wells town). In reference to the persons in Wells 25

years or older, 94.5% of them have a high school degree or higher and 34.4% have a bachelors

degree or higher ("Wells town). In the town of Wells, the median household income is

$62,151; nevertheless, 4% of the population is living in poverty ("Wells town). Although

Wells does have a higher average household income than the state of Maines average, it does

still have some families that are impoverished. One conclusion that can be drawn from this data

is that although there won't be as many impoverished students in my classroom compared to

other classrooms in Maine, there will be some students with unstable home lives; therefore, it is

important to keep that in mind when assigning homework and projects that require technology

and/or help from parents.

Ogunquit is Wellss much smaller neighboring southern town. Because Ogunquit is a

part of the school district in Wells, it is important to note some of its geographical and

community characteristics. Similar to Wells, Ogunquit is a major tourist attraction because of its

coast line. Although the population increases in the summer months, Ogunquit has a year round

population of only 892 persons and 234 families ("Ogunquit, Maine."). The town has a total area

of 15.25 square miles, 4.18 square miles being land and 11.07 being water ("Ogunquit, Maine.").

As with Wells, the racial makeup of Ogunquit is mostly White (97%) ("Ogunquit, Maine."). In

Ogunquit, the median household income is $61,750, but 4.2% of the population is living in

poverty ("Ogunquit, Maine.").

 The school district in Wells is called Wells-Ogunquit Community School District

(WOCSD). Up until about 2002, Ogunquit had its own elementary school (K-5) called the

Ogunquit Village School; each grade occupied one classroom. Then, when students reached

sixth grade, they would come to Wells Junior High School. In 2002, Ogunquit Village School

closed down; therefore, students living in Ogunquit came to Wells for all grades.

Between 2011-2012, there were 1,359 students enrolled in the WOCSD

("Wells-Ogunquit). The elementary school is kindergarten through fourth grade, the junior

high is fifth through eighth grade, and the high school is ninth through twelfth grade. Wells

High School also offers college credit classes at York County Community College for eligible

students and adult education classes for adults in the community in the evenings.

There are 445 students currently enrolled in Wells Elementary School (WES and about

40 full-time teachers. The student to teacher ratio is about 11 to 1, which is slightly lower than

the average for elementary schools in Maine (11.9 to 1) ("Wells Elementary). The student to

teacher ratio at WES lends itself to more small group work and one-on-one time with students to

help meet their individual learning and behavior needs. WES is in the top 20% of schools in

Maine because of how the students perform on state reading and math tests. The teachers, staff,

and administration at WES have meetings, professional development, and constantly email to

make sure every individual student has the support they need in order to be successful not only

on state tests but also on a day-to day basis. One implication of the low students to teacher ratio

is that during my time at this elementary, I will need to take advantage of small group work and

one-on-one time with students that need the extra support.

At the start of this school year, WES implemented the Positive Behavior Interventions
and Supports (PBIS) framework. PBIS is a multi-tiered approach that focuses on rewarding

positive behavior school-wide. Students are identified as tier one (can succeed in a general

education classroom), tier two (needs a little extra positive behavior support), or tier three (needs

individualized behavior support). The biggest change in the elementary school in regards to the

new PBIS framework is the school store and the motivation to earn Hoot Loot. The schools

mascot is an owl, and the Hoot Loot is the schools currency. Students can receive Hoot Loot

from any adult in the school. Hoot Loot is given to students who are displaying the positive

behavior expectations. Then, once a month, every classroom teacher signs up for a time to go to

the school store. The school store is full of trinkets that are worth very few Hoot Loot dollars, as

well as books, notebooks, and school supplies that are worth more Hoot Loot. Giving students

Hoot Loot that they can eventually spend in the school store is one way teachers and staff in this

school can reward and encourage appropriate student behavior. The students are responding

positively to this program.

Other ways the school is promoting positive behavior is by having routine PBIS

assemblies that students and teachers attend. At these meetings the principal and assistant

principal reinforce school-wide behavior expectations. Classrooms are selected to perform brief

skits demonstrating some of the school-wide behavior expectations, such as appropriate bus

dismissal behavior. In addition to the assemblies, there are also positive behavior support/

reminder posters hanging all throughout the school. Teachers, staff, and the administration at the

elementary school are constantly reminding students of the school-wide expectations.

One implication that I drew after learning about the schools positive behavior support

program is that it will be important for me to reiterate those expectations when managing
classroom behaviors. The students are well aware of what the school-wide behavior expectations

are and now that I know the correct vocabulary, I will be able to speak to the students about their

behavior in a way that they will understand. I also know how to promote and reward my

students positive behavior in a way that is motivational and meaningful to them.

For student teaching, I am placed in Mrs. Stapletons multi-aged third and fourth grade

classroom. Mrs. Stapleton has created a supportive, appealing, homey environment for her

young learners. There are no standard school tables or chairs in the room. Instead, the room has

two dining room tables, a table made out of a door, and a homemade island table. All of the

tables have either wooden stools or chairs for students to sit on, with the exception of one table

that has four wobble stools. There are no assigned seats in this classroom. Students are

constantly mixing and mingling with their peers throughout the day. In addition to the variety of

tables, there is also a rug area with a rocking chair and an easel, a student reading area with

fluffy, comfy seats, and a breakout room with a table, chairs, book storage, and a white board.

The walls of the classroom are filled with student pictures, student work, anchor charts, and

student-signed posters that address the school and classroom expectations. I think that Mrs.

Stapletons classroom has a set up that is very conducive to learning. The student work and

anchor charts that surround the room shows how highly student support, involvement, and

success is valued in this classroom. The classroom set up also encourages group work and

collaboration because instead of individual desks, the room is filled with tables with four to six

chairs. The student-signed expectation posters hanging all around the room create a

togetherness atmosphere, where expectation are clearly outlined, discussed, and agreed upon.

The implications of this classroom set up are that the students have been taught to use
collaboration and teamwork, therefore I should utilize this strength.

The students at Wells Elementary school are lucky enough to have a 1:1 technology

device. Every one of my students has a personal laptop that is stored in the classroom. Each

student has a personal Gmail account that they can use for writing assignments and class projects

and students have access to many educational games/websites. The laptops are used on a daily

basis and in all subject areas. This is a valuable tool that I will take advantage of during my time

in this classroom. This classroom is also fortunate to have a SmartBoard projector. This

technology will be a useful learning experience for me. One implication that can be drawn is

that technology is readily available to teachers and students in this classroom, so it will be

important for me to learn about these tools so that I can utilize them during my time in the

classroom. The students are very tech-savvy and enjoy working with the technology that is

available.

The third and fourth graders are in the same academic classroom for every part of the day

except for math. For math, the other multi-age third and fourth grade teacher (Mrs. Bush) takes

all the third graders, and my mentor takes all the fourth graders. Throughout this semester, it

will be important for me to keep in mind the wide range of ages and abilities in my third and

fourth grade mixed class. When speaking to my mentor about this, she said that for most

assignments, she uses the fourth grade target objectives (I can statements). She feels that it is

more effective for all students to work on the same standard, and then if the standard needs to be

scaffolded for some third graders, then that can be easily done. Not only does the physical

classroom environment encourage and support collaboration, but so too does this age variation

between the third and fourth graders. Since the fourth graders have been in this classroom for
over a year, they know the expectations and routines, therefore they can become natural mentors

and leaders. One conclusion that can be drawn from this is that as their teacher, I can give the

fourth graders more responsibility and rely on them (when appropriate) to support and help

others in the classroom (especially the third graders). This student-lead capability is especially

notable between the older and more advanced 4th graders and the lower performing and

youngest 3rd graders.

In order to gain more information on the individual students in my classroom, such as

their learning preference, strengths, and hobbies, I looked over their NWEA fall test scores and

conducted a Multiple Intelligence (MI) survey and a Getting to know you activity. Below,

figure 1 shows more individual student information. To preserve confidentiality, the students are

represented by numbers. There are 18 student in the classroom: 10 third graders and 8 fourth

graders. There is one student that is pulled out once a week during the literacy block for gifted

and talented. There are five students that receive Title One Services for reading and one that

receives title one services for math. The students that receive Title One support are pulled out

everyday, at different times, for 30 minutes each. There are two students in this classroom who

have an Individualized Education Program (IEP); one student has a specific learning disability

and the other student has Down Syndrome. There is one student who is on a 504 plan, and there

is another student who is an English Language Learner (ELL).

 In the table above, the NWEA scores in red are identified as low, and the ones in blue

are identified as low-low average. The NWEA reading benchmark score for third grade is

188.3 and for fourth grade it is 198.2. Math NWEA benchmark scores for third grade is 190.4

and for fourth grade it is 201.9. As seen in the table, there are three students who scored low

and two who scored low-low average in reading. In addition, there are two students who

scored low and four who scored low-low average in math.

The formal NWEA testing scores, the IEP details, and the title one information reveals
figures that will inform and guide my future teaching in this classroom. Many different types of

learners benefit from partner or group work. Based on the data in the table above, I can now pair

or group students more effectively. Instead of grouping students at random, I am now informed

on what student might need more guidance with certain tasks, therefore I can match them with a

student that will be able to provide that guidance. As discussed earlier, the classroom

environment leads to group work and collaboration, therefore this information is vital for

effective student grouping.

Another implication that can be drawn from this data is which students could benefit

from targeted and individualized practice. Although many of the students who scored low or

low-low average are already placed in title one reading and/or math programs, they could also

benefit from targeted practice in the general education setting or at home. On the opposite end,

there are some students that scored high in either reading or math or both, so I now know which

students need to be challenged. This leads to another implication which is the importance of

collaboration with students Gifted and Talented, Title One, Literacy, English Language Learner

(ELL), and Special Education specialists. Collaboration with other teachers and staff in the

school is critical to student success and growth. This professional development will lead to a

better understanding of my students individual learning needs and goals. Knowing what my

students academic and social goals are outside of my room will assist me in helping them work

towards and reach those goals when they are in my room. It is vital to use all the resources

available in the school so that my students all have the necessary support or extensions to keep

them engaged, learning, and achieving their goals.

An additional implication that can be drawn from this data is that it will be necessary for
me to plan well in advance lessons and assignments that will keep all students actively learning.

Because there is a wide range of abilities and ages in this classroom, I will need to scaffold my

lessons so that the essential supports and extensions are in place and available to all my learners.

Putting in this extra planning time will benefit me and my students because I will be prepared for

teaching towards their different abilities while also working towards and meeting the same target

standard.

During the second week in my student teaching classroom, I did a Multiple Intelligence

(MI) survey with my students. Every student but three were able to take the survey. The survey

was made up of 24 student-friendly and age appropriate statements that the students had to rank

0-5; zero means they do not agree with the statement at all and 5 means the statement is very true

for them. My goals for this survey were to determine how individual students learn best and

discover classwide patterns in learning strengths and preferences so that I can include those in

my lessons. There are eight ways of being smart that Multiple Intelligence surveys addresses:

naturalist (nature), mathematical-logical (math), verbal-linguistic (word), musical-rhythmic

(music), visual-spatial (art), bodily-kinesthetic (body), interpersonal (people), and intrapersonal

(self). To the left, figure 2

shows the number of students

that fall in each category as

their first (blue) and second

(red) strongest. Below, figure

3 shows what each individual

students first and second highest category is (student numbers correspond to figure 1).

As shown above in figure 2, the intelligence category that the most

students showed strongest in is visual/spacial (art), and the

second is naturalist (nature). The intelligence categories that

most students scored second strongest in are naturalist (nature),

interpersonal (people), and intrapersonal (self). The categories

that students scored the lowest in are musical (music),

mathematical-logical (math), and verbal-linguistic (word).

Based on the results of this survey students are engaged by and

interested in activities and assignments involving nature, charts

and visuals, group work, and self reflection/individual time.

One implication from this data is that I will need to balance

group and individual work so that students can show their best

work in the way that they are most comfortable and confident.

Another implication is that, in general, these students would

benefit from visuals, charts, and drawings. I think this would be

especially beneficial during math lessons since math was a low scoring category. The last

implication drawn from this data is that students would enjoy and be interested in activities and

assignments involving nature and exploring the outside environment and wildlife. This Multiple

Intelligence survey shows that the third and fourth graders in this classroom have a wide range of

strengths and preferences. In order to engage them in their learning, I will need to take

advantage of the results and put into play these implications.

 In addition to the MI survey, I also did a getting to know you activity, which is pictured

below (figure 4). On a poster, I wrote the following questions: Whats your favorite time of the

school day? How do you learn best? Whats your favorite book? Whats your favorite meal?

Where did you go/what did you do over winter break? Whats your favorite after-school activity?

Whats one word that describes you? What makes you feel proud of yourself? Whats your

favorite subject? Students then wrote their answer to the questions on a sticky note and stuck it

under the question. Some of the questions had multiple choice answers, and for those, students

wrote their initials under the answer

that fit them best. I included a

mixture of questions; some that

involved school and some a little

less serious. Although I enjoyed

reading all the answers and getting

to know my students a little better,

there were some questions that I

focused on. For the question

Whats your favorite time of the

school day? some students wrote

recess or snack time, but many (7)

wrote math. I found this interesting because in the MI survey, mathematical/logical was one of

the lowest scoring categories. When trying to make sense of these findings, I thought about my

observations and interactions with the students. Many of them are strong in math but they really
benefit from group conversations, collaboration, and visuals in order to understand the math

concepts. The data justifies my observations because in the MI survey as a whole, the students

scored high in visual/spacial (art) and interpersonal (people). The next question I looked closely

at was, What makes you feel proud of yourself? The vast majority of the students wrote

helping people. This question helps me to understand what makes them feel good so that I can

guide some activities toward that. Mrs. Stapleton has done this through many projects this year

by having students participate in random acts of kindness throughout the school and district. It is

important for students to build their self-confidence and feel proud of themselves. Knowing

what makes them feel proud will help me help them accomplish this. The last question I looked

closely at was, Whats your favorite after-school activity. Many students said sports and a

couple said playing outside. This question helps me build relationships and make connections

with my students.

Overall the data from these two activities, the MI survey and the getting to know you

activity, will inform and improve my teaching by providing me with additional information

about my students and their learning strengths and preferences. I will be able to better

differentiate my lessons and incorporate beneficial instructional strategies. My ultimate goal is

to engage students in their learning, and because I now know them and their interests more

deeply, I will be able to do this successfully.

There are some individual students in this classroom that have specific supports that need

to be addressed daily. Student 3 has an IEP for a specific learning disability. She is pulled out of

the general education class for reading and math, therefore there are few times during the day

when she is working in my classroom. When this student is in my classroom her

accommodations and modifications are clarification of directions, math read aloud, visual

supports, and an alternate setting for assessments. The implications that can be drawn from this

IEP information is that these accommodations and modifications have been determined to help

the student to be successful, and they need to be in place when she is working in my classroom.

The accommodation that I will implement most of the time will be clarification of directions and

visual supports; the other two accommodations will not typically apply to the times she is in my

classroom.

Student 6 is the other student in my classroom that has an IEP. This student is also not in

my classroom for much of the school day; she has a packed schedule that includes occupational

therapy, speech, physical therapy, functional living skills, English language arts, and math.

Keeping this information in mind, when she is in my classroom it is important to make her feel

included and apart of our classroom family. The students in this class are very good at this and

always support and include her in activities. One time that she is in my classroom is during

penmanship. Instead of doing cursive packets, she works on tracing and neatly writing her first

and last name. This is one modification that makes sense for her and helps her work on and

achieve one of her education goals. An implication from this information is that because she is

one of my students it is important to include her in everything (even when she may not be

actually present) and to hold her responsible for appropriate tasks such as filling in her agenda in

the morning.

Student 10 has a 504 plan that addresses the need for extended time for independent

work, providing necessary modifications, frequent teacher check-ins, preferential seating, verbal

reminders during transitions, and movement breaks as necessary. Although he has made great
improvements, sometimes timed assessments make him nervous, so timers should be used

discreetly. He also has short tempered tendencies. Based on this information, some implications

are that I need to check in with him and provide support when he is working independently and

allow him to take movement breaks when he has been sitting for a while or when he becomes

distracted. I have noticed that he really benefits from the movement breaks when he becomes

frustrated or distracted.

Student 18 is an English Language Learner (ELL) who has made immense gains since he

arrived in the United States and WES in the fall of 2015. He is in title one for math and reading

and also works with an ELL specialist daily. Although he is pulled out during the day, he is in

the general education classroom for most of the day. He enjoys being in my classroom and only

leaves when it is absolutely necessary. The implications based on this information are that

sometimes he might need directions clarified or repeated or infrequently used words defined.

This student is very good at voicing when he is confused or does not understand a word.

Student 16 is the only student in this classroom that is in the gifted and talented program.

He is pulled out for this extension once a week. This student is strong in both math and reading.

He is constantly bringing new ideas and thoughts into classroom discussions. The implications

of this information is that I need to remember to always have extensions available to all students.

I need to be sure that all students are engaged in the lesson no matter what their strengths or

needs are.

There are many implications based on the data collected on the town of Wells,

Wells-Ogunquit School District, Wells Elementary School, my classroom, and my students.

These implications derived from the testing data, daily professional development through my
Mentor, research, and my own early observations will inform and influence my teaching

strategies during this semester. I will now be able to develop my lessons to fit the needs of all of

my students strengths, needs, preferences, and interests.

Work Cited:

1. "Ogunquit, Maine." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Jan. 2017. Web. 16 Jan. 2017.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogunquit,_Maine
2. "Wells Elementary School in Wells, Maine." StartClass. GRAPHIQ, 2017. Web. 16 Jan.
2017.
http://public-schools.startclass.com/l/39723/Wells-Elementary-School

3. "Wells, Maine." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Jan. 2017. Web. 16 Jan. 2017.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells,_Maine

4. "Wells-Ogunquit Community School District." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 July

2016. Web. 16 Jan. 2017
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells-Ogunquit_Community_School_District

5. "Wells town, York County, United States." United States Census Bureau. U.S. Department of
Commerce, 2015. Web. 16 Jan. 2017.
http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/2303181475,23

6. "QuickFacts Maine." Maine QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. U.S. Department of
Commerce, 1 July 2016. Web. 08 Feb. 2017.
http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045216/23