Observation of a Master Teacher:

Elementary School/Middle School

Teacher Cadet: Christine maestri

Your Observation is:
Master Teacher Observed: Mrs. Melton, Mrs.Johnson Mrs.Fortson and Special Olympics
School: HVES
Grade level observed: 4th and sped

The teacher cadet field experiences/observations provide candidates with and opportunity to see
how classroom procedures and routines are established and put into motion, hoe teachers get to
know their students and build an understanding of their families and communities, and how prior
planning for instruction and procedures enhances classroom management.
(LePage, Darling- Hammond, Akar, Gutierrez, Jenkins- Gunn, and Rosebrock, 2005)

Part #1- Professionalism

1. How did the teacher greet the children upon entry?
Mrs.Melton greets her students with a hello and a a good morning. She allows her students time
to put up their belongings, if they could not do so upon first request she will prompt them with
the correct way to put their stuff up. They then each got a juice or milk to start their morning.

2. Describe the student responses to their teacher’s greeting:

The students were all so excited to see Mrs. Melton and wanted to be able to tell them what they
did this weekend.

3. Describe the way the teacher is dressed. Business like? Friendly? Clean? Neat? Colorful?
What color? Professional? Casual? Respectful?
The teacher dressed very colorful and very clean, although her outfit was professional she made
sure her students felt invited to her.

4. Describe the teachers’ conduct/manners: all business? Fun? Kind? Nurturing? Friendly?
Harsh? Difficult? In charge? Firm? Can a teacher be firm, fun, and kind? Explain.
Mrs.Melton treated the students like real humans, she did not look at them with disabilities. she
is very fun but when the students act up she makes sure they know she is unhappy with their
actions. She would help them understand how to properly respond and explain their feelings.
 5. How did the teacher arrange the room, so each student felt a part of the class?
She does alot of group pulling. Therefore she had all the students in a small group at all times
talking through their work.

6. What did the teacher do to make each student feel welcome and special?
She made sure she called on each student and be able to praise them in front of all students. She
would answer their questions and get off topic to make sure they could talk to her about anything
and everything.

7. Was the class successful? How did you know?

yes this classroom is very successful because the students respected her and had smiles on their
face when they left. they all knew the expectations and how to answer questions.
8. List the ways in which it was successful?
students could ask and answer questions
They talked and shared life with her
Were excited to come to class
smiled and laughed with each other
behaviors were good!

9.What specifically could this teacher have done differently to achieve greater success?
She could have been more serious and been able to accomplish more work instead of more talk.

Part #2: Classroom Rules:

1. Are the rules posted?

no, she pulls students so her set up is a little different than a regular classroom, therefore she
uses the rules that the teacher from which her students are from.
2. Are the consequences and rewards posted?
no, she rewards with fun activities and juice, and other foods. consequences are just known,
restriction.

3. How much time is dedicated to going over rules/procedures of the class?

she reminds them how to act often,she has to remind them what appropiate behavior is but
doesnt have them posted.
4. How are any rules taught/retaught?
She teaches the rules by giving prompts and reminders to students. she doesnt ever have a lecture
on rules because her students do not respond to that.

5. Are the rules/procedures reviewed/practiced? Q &A?

yes, she will ask how they are suppose to act or where they put things and they go over the
 answer together.

6. What strategies are used to make the students feel comfortable in their new
surroundings?
she calls on all students the equal amount and builds off answers so students can connect to each
other.

7. Describe the behavior of children compared to what you experienced in your own
placement experience?
Children are known to get off topic, this is very very true to what I experienced in my field
experience.
8. Does the teacher address every error in behavior during your observation or only the
more serious ones?
she only addresses the errors of behavior that are a constant distraction with her students, she
ignores minor ones.

9. How are the students responding to teacher directions?

The students respond with arguments, this is because most of her students have a disability
and have a hard time understanding what they did is wrong.

Do the students immediately comply upon first request?

Not all the time

Why or why not in your opinion?

Because they do not know how to accept things. mrs.melton does a great job making them
understand.

Name 5 influences that shape the child’s behavior?

1)home life
2)classmates
3) disability
4)attention
5)way of learning/teacher

10. Observe the children. What percent appear confident and comfortable?
all, it's a very small classroom all are friends and understand each other.

11. What do you base this on? What clues did you see?
They all talk to each other when not learning, connect with others stories, tell the group their
stories.
12. What percentage of the children seem out of sorts? Uncomfortable?
none.
Part #3: Classroom environment and layout:
1. Is the class time divided between teacher and student directed activities or just teacher
directed?
It is lead by teacher, then done by students. teacher teachers the lesson while students work on
papers on her.

2. Sketch the floor plan on the back.

3. Is there a “private place” in the classroom where the children can go if they feel over-
stimulated/ over-whelmed, ect.?
yes, it is in the bathroom hallway area.

4. Describe the sights and sounds of the room: Is there side chatter? Music playing? Lots
of talking? No talking? Is the room colorful? All one color? What color?
colorful, lots of helpful posters. and students work.

5. Are there instructional posters? How many?

Motivational posters? What does one say?
Many posters on phoenix sounds.

6. Safety materials/instructions? Fire, tornado, first aid: where are they and are they
explained?
She has a file she can grab as soon as they are in need of it. they are explained in the folder.

Part #4: Time Management/Curriculum:

1. How much time is dedicated to actual subject knowledge: reading, writing,

science, math?
The whole class, the students are taken from their gen-ed classrooms to focus on a
specific subject area to focus on.

2. How much time is spent on assessment 45minutes

3. How much time is spent on individual work? 5-10
4. How much time is spent on group/small group work? 35-40
5. Draw a pie chart of 1-4
 6. Draw a pie chart to show how you predict this will look in May/ January

7. How does s/he make the students feel when they answer a question?
she makes sure to tell them how great they did. she celebrates a lot when with her students.

8. Provide a verbatim example of a teacher question, the students response and the
teachers response to the student:
student: “what is a well”
teacher: pulls up picture has a discussion, explains what is important

9. How does the teacher maintain fairness on calling on students?

Goes around the small group table. and does random,makes sure each student gets to
answer based on skill level and the ability to answer.

Part #5: Student Engagement:

1. Locate the schedule and write it down.

2. Describe a learning activity you observed including subject and objective.

3. Describe an activity in which students participated in small group work:

writing down the phoenix that made up a word. ex: What- WH

4. Does the teacher show enthusiasm for the subject matter?

Creates great topics she knows about, and really enjoys explaining to her students.
 5. Does s/he check for student understanding? How?
yes, she checks their work as they go.

6. Does the teacher provide “real-world” examples to illustrate concepts?

uses words used in books and things in their classrooms they will need to read.

7. Describe the best “Getting to know you” activity you observed so far
What superhero you would want to be and why, who made u want to have that power.

8. Has the teacher remained consistent day to day with the rules and procedures?
yes, she does a great job keeping the same schedule so it does not throw off the kids.

9. Does s/he continue to spend time on the rules and regulations beyond the first few
minutes of class? Why should s/he?
no,after she sets expectations for her students she makes it clear she want them to abide by it.
.
Part #6: Understanding your students/Student Demographics
1. Describe the student population in the classroom in terms of color, race
ELL,special needs: How many students are in the class ____students, ___black,
___ Asian, __Hispanic, ___Caucasian, ___other.
6 caucasian males, 1 hispanic 1 black in Mrs.Melton's class
2. How are the students with special needs accommodated so they can learn
successfully?
All in her classroom because she is inclusion, in Mrs.Fortsons classroom however you could tell
their were some students who needed special attention that took away from the structure of her
classroom.

3. What student seems to be getting the most attention in this classroom? Do not
name the child, just describe what it is that requires so much time and attention.
The students that got the most attention was the one that kept yelling out and causing the class to
suffer. this was because Mrs. Melton and Mrs.Fortson had to .
.
4. Describe the interaction between 2 male students:
They compared classwork, and they then started to talk about each others clothes. They tried to
decide whos was better.

5. Describe the interaction between 2 female students

They laughed and helped each other with work, one girl seemed to be a lot more in control then
the other when it came to helping each other.
 .
6. Were you surprised by these “gender” observations or were they just as you
expected?
They were as expected, at that age I felt their interactions were appropriate.

7. Do you find there is a difference between the learning ability of male vs. the
female student at this age? If yes, how do they differ?
yes, the girls seemed to want to be like the teacher whereas the guys were trying to be cool and
impress each other.

Part #7: Reflection

1. After observing in this classroom. What do you feel are your strengths and
what do you feel you can work on in your own placement throughout the rest
of the school year?
I found that my strength was patience, my weakness is not being able to understand and connect
to such a young group, when i went to Mrs. Meltons room instead of Mrs.Johnson's room I found
that i connected to them more because of their age and knowing how to work.

2. What seems to be the most challenging thing about teaching this age group?

Keeping their attention, with the work you doing mrs. johnsons room they get free
time after like 20 minutes of work so they can behave and focus on working.

3. How would you say this observation has guided you in making plans for the
future?
I have realized I do not want to teach a behavioral classroom. i am wanting to do cdc-a
classroom for older ages.