Shadow Study

I shadowed Deonte because I wanted to see how he interacted and learned with different
environments, surrounded by a variety of peers, and under the instruction of distinct teaching
styles. I choose him because I could sense something unusual and fascinating about the student.
From my initial observations, of the student in my home classroom with my coordinating
teacher, I noticed a certain spark of brilliance and respectful attitude. I was convinced this was
the student that I would learn much about how many students survive a day in high school.

I learned from discussions with other teachers that Deonte has three older brothers that
have passed through the halls of Pittsburg High. The impression I received was that these
brothers were respectful, bright, and overall good students. Though each brother had their own
personality and those personalities were notable. Deonte was considered, by those teachers I
spoke with, as a kind and giving person. His brothers were more trouble and one was thought of
as having a mean streak. While I could see the mischievousness in Deonte, one that most would
attribute to any teenager, I believed there was more going on in his head than anyone would
imagine.

I also discovered that Deonte was on the Boys Basketball team. I saw his coach during
our Study Hall hour and we talked about our impressions of Deonte. He asked me what I had
learned about Deonte during my shadow and agreed with several of my underlining assumptions
about his learning style, personality, and intelligence. I found Deonte to be a far more
charismatic and influential person that I original understood.

I arrived early to the first hour class of English which began at 8:10am. Sunlight was
shining through the windows giving the room a warm glow. The walls were decorated with
Andy Warhol posters, pictures, the paintings of Scream and the Starry Night, and the Sublime
sun face from the album 40oz to Freedom. The teacher’s desk was colorfully painted with three
different images on the front and more on the sides. The teacher had a podium and a stool in the
middle of the front of the class room. Also, I noticed items that looked like old student projects
were hanging from the ceiling all around the room. Overall the room was clean and organized.
Deonte entered the room a couple of minutes before the bell rang for class to begin. He looked
showered and his clothes were clean. He sat in the front of the classroom near the teacher’s
podium and next to his friend. He chatted and ate food with his friend and mostly ignored other
students, unless addressed by someone else. The teacher did not have a warm-up activity, so the
students talked. The teacher was busy completing grading or finishing the lesson plan, I am not
sure which to be honest. When the teacher asked a question the students seemed to just shout out
the answer. The teacher was able to quiet the talking and class noise relatively easy with a
simple command and without raising her voice or repeating. The teacher showed a 7-minute
video on the flu, which had nothing to do with the lesson for the day. Students were able to

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search through the teacher’s desk for supplies such as pens, pencils, paper, paper clips, or rubber
bands. The lesson finally began about 8:35am, 25 minutes into the class hour. During the lesson
the students behaved with a mild level of chaos, though students stayed in their seats. Deonte
was respectful, whispered to his friend, and paid attention to the lesson. Yet, he often would
stretch and yawn throughout the hour. I suspect Deonte is bored with the subject or the
sedentary rules of the classroom, and desired more physical movement to retain his attention.
One student near Deonte was disruptive by making noise with an empty plastic bottle, then when
asked to cease he would ask irreverent questions out loud and attempt to stop the lesson through
addressing the teacher’s questions with an absurd answer. These distractions did not seem to
affect Deonte, but I can assume that they do affect the flow of the lesson and his focus. Yet,
when the class was moving forward the students were responsive, and the teacher was effective
in questioning, rephrasing, and giving clues. Lastly, I did not notice any comment (positive or
negative) from the teacher directed towards Deonte, nor was he called on to answer a question or
for a response.

Second hour was Weights in the weight room. The room was open with a lot of space
and high ceiling with vent tunnels. The room was well lit and the only window was on a door in
the back corner. The students came in and picked up their assignments, then went to their
specific weight machine. Each student had a partner and every student began without being
prompted. The coach walked around the room, yelling out calls for sets and time, while
monitoring students for time-on-task. The students were put on the clock for each set of
exercises they were required to complete for their assignment. The class seemed fast paced, but
the students were respectful and the coach encouraged them. Deonte seemed more animated and
talkative with fellow classmates. His enjoyment of physical activity is displayed and provided
insight into the depth of his kinesthetic intelligence.

Third hour was Theatre I and the bell rang at 10:30am for class to begin. The room was a
small theatre with a stage and lighting. The students sat at tables with chairs and a stage in front
of them. The walls were lined with black matting and old production posters. The stage had
burnt orange colored curtains and the room felt warm. It was dimly lit, quiet, and clean. This
day the teacher was absent and a substitute teacher was filling in. So the class watched the
second half of the movie “Freedom Writers” and answered questions with an associated
worksheet. Deonte sat in the very middle of the room and surrounded by his friends. They ate
food and talked quietly. I saw him walk about the room with a sucker in this mouth. During the
movie, he was mostly quiet and completed the worksheet. After the movie, he and his friends
were talkative, but quiet and not disruptive of others around them. His respect of peers, teachers,
and classroom rules were a theme I notice was a consistent throughout the day. It seemed he had
a positive interaction with his fellow students, and did not receive any comment from the
substitute teacher. Overall the class seemed self-regulated and well-disciplined, something I
attribute to respect for the regular teacher.

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Fourth hour was A+, or credit recovery, and class began at 11:25 with lunch splitting the hour in
half. Credit recovery is a class for students to make up a credit for a previous class they have
failed. The room was most unimpressive. It was a barren square box with grayish tan paint,
light brown floor tiles, and no windows. Tables lined three of the walls, each with two
computers to a table. The overhead lighting was yellow tent and felt draining to the senses. The
students worked individually and silently on the computers. The teacher was easy-going, and
helped students when asked. The teacher made a positive comment towards Deonte about this
progress on his assignments. Deonte left the room twice, to collect a paper he printed in the
library, and I can understand why because it was too quiet and utterly bland in the classroom. He
yawned and stretched multiple times throughout the hour. Lastly, he was the first to the door
awaiting the bell.

Fifth hour was Drafting I, which began at 12:45pm, after lunch. The room was full of
computers and comfortable chairs. The walls were bare of any posters or pictures. The floor
was covered with carpet. The temperature was warm and the lighting was relaxing. The tables
were aligned with the front of the room and the computers were able to sink into the tables. The
bookshelves were partial filled with books and other items. The whiteboard had a warm-up
assignment and students were allowed to wear headphones and listen to music while working on
assignment. Rules were not posted, but the class seemed quite self-regulated. The teacher
forecasted future assignments and walked around class to help students. Teacher was easy-
going, friendly, talkative, responsive and professional. The students seemed to like and respect
the teacher. Deonte was the most vocal with teacher. His behavior changed and he became the
most animated I had seen all day. He pointed out causally and loudly that he had seen me in all
of his classes throughout his day. He sat in the front of class, but still close to the teacher’s desk.
I notice him laughing for the first time all day. He was the center of attention and enjoyed it. He
was chatty, comfortable, opinionated and friendly. He even cracked jokes in such a way that
they do not seem to be jokes, such as he asked several other students “What did you get on
number eight?” It reminded me of a Bill Cosby comedy bit. He spent his time working on the
assignment and watch basketball clips. He seemed the most relaxed and comfortable in this class
then in any other I had observed him in.

Sixth hour was World History at 1:40pm. The teacher was absent and the substitute was
overseeing the class. The room had encouraging signs and decorations everywhere. The lights
were bright and the temperature was cool. Students sat at tables and hard chairs facing the front.
The floor had white tiles and there were two windows with purple curtains at the front of the
class. The daily assignment was on the white board with due dates. Deonte was quiet and
worked on his assignment. His friend from first hour English is in the class. They sit next to
each other, though they have a seating chart that has them separated because they talk to much
during instruction. He sat in the middle of the room closer to the back. He often yawns and
stretches during class with the main teacher, but he was more active and energic this day.

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 Seventh hour was Biology at 2:35, the last hour of the school day. The room was very
cold. The walls were covered in scientific artifacts, posters, and pictures. The floor had dark red
tile and the walls were painted yellow. The windows were at the back of the room, but the
lighting overhead was bright. There were wooden cabinets and sinks on one side of the room.
Rules were by the door. The class was noisy and chaotic. Students were out of their seats and
talking across the room. Deonte walked in after the bell. Bell work was on the projector and it
instructed students to answer two questions. Students shouted out answers. The teacher handed
out a worksheet for the day’s lesson. The teacher lectured with whiteboard drawings and used
PowerPoint with all text and no pictures. The teacher walked around the room helping students
with worksheet. Teacher would ask a question and students would shout the answers. If the
teacher asked a question and no one responded, then she would ask the question again the same
way. Deonte sat in the back of the room. He talked, moved round the room, talked to the
teacher, disrupted some students and helped other students. He seemed to have completed the
worksheet and was helping other students. He seemed to work on his own terms in the class and
the teacher allowed it. But, he never came off as intentionally being disrespectful. Deonte joked
and was the center of attention. He laughed and enjoyed himself. At the end of class, he was the
last student to leave and before he walked out the door he looked at me and gave me a wave like
he knew I had been watching him.

The day I choose to shadow Deonte probably was not the most ideal because two of his
classes had substitute teachers. His weights and credit recovery class also limited my ability to
observe him closely. Yet, it did give me insight that though he has more interest in physical
activities, he still took his academic studies seriously. I noticed that while he might be seemingly
quiet, I believe it is more of a respect and kindness attribute. I believe some of his behaviors are
peer influenced, while some are environmental and teacher biased, but the themes I noticed
throughout the day were his respect towards authority figures and his demand for physical
activity. Also, his actions became more animated, exaggerated, and loud throughout the day,
especially after lunch and in the afternoon hours of the school day. I found Deonte to be an
ordinary, average teenage boy with high levels of kinesthetic intelligence and a drive to compete
academically.

In conclusion, I believe Deonte thrives best in physical activity and in environments

where he is allowed to control his own involvement. Teachers that provided him with an
audience and attention were able to direct his energy and engagement. Deonte had a natural
kindness and respectful approach towards others, which made him more adept at earning
freedoms and trust from authority figures. A structured classroom that allowed the students to
collaborate, discuss, and move freely about the room would be an environment Deonte would
enjoy and learn to maximize his potential. The teacher would need to be managerially assertive,
but have a relaxed approach to discipline. Though, he would also need to be put on the clock
and pressured often to complete his school work to earn time for his ability to entertain an

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audience. Lastly, I believe he works best in small groups compared to an entire class or
individually.

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