EDU 512 Methods of Teaching Social Studies and Language Arts

Multiple Subject Teacher Candidate

Teacher Aiding Experience

Observations:
The observations of 20 hours for this class may not be used for any other class.
However, you can observe Language Arts in Math and Science /Reading Phonics and overlap 10 hours in language
arts with your Math and Science/Reading Phonics Observations. Many of the observation hours will be informal
and will be used to gather the information needed to complete the six activities. Keep an accurate log of your
fieldwork hours in the classroom of your choice. The information needed for these activities can be part of what
you are gathering while in working in your classroom.

Field Work Activities:

The following 6 activities are a required part of the field work experience. These reports should be written in detail
and fully cover each area of investigation. You may add text outside of the tables but the tables should expand
enough to include most/all of your findings for the activities.

Do as much as possible of these activities while in your fieldwork classroom so as to save time. Come prepared to
work on them as you do your fieldwork hours.

Field Work Activities:

The Activity forms are color coded to direct you through each component of each activity
as follows:
Activity #1: Blue
Activity # 2: Gold
Activity #3: Tan
Activity # 4: Red
Activity #5: Orange
Activity #6: Yellow

Field Work Activities:

Note that some activities have several steps. Please follow the directions carefully for each step in all
activities.

Activity #1 must be completed early in the Course as it provides the foundational information you will
need to complete the class assignments.

EdTPA:
These activities help you gather information needed for TPA work as well as for this class.

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Field Work Forms:
Please note and use all of the forms in this packet. Note that the form for the Log of Hours and the Master Teacher
Evaluation Form are required prior to receiving a grade. These tasks are designed to prepare you for the EdTPA
tasks you will complete during Student Teaching.

Task #1: Planning for Literacy Instruction and Assessment

TPEs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7

EDU 512 Fieldwork Observation Task

Step 1: Preparation for completing this task
 Read Task 1 in EdTPA Handbook
 Read the Guidelines in the first section of this task below so you know your areas of responsibility on the EdTPAs.
Step 2: Observe a Language Arts Lesson in the class where you are doing your fieldwork
Step 3: Fill out the Elementary Literacy Context for Learning Information section in the chart below as much as possible based
on your observation.
Step 4: Reread your answers and see if they are complete and descriptive.

Note: Just add space below each bullet point in each section and provide your answers. Make sure your answers are
clearly separated from the EdTPA Task text. This is a practice assignment and cannot be used for your actual TPA.

Elementary Literacy Context for Learning Information

(Fill this section out by using bullet points and commentary.)

Use the Context for Learning Information to supply information about your school/classroom context.

About the School Where You Are Teaching

1. In what type of school do you teach? (Type an “X” next to the appropriate description; if “other” applies, provide a
brief description.)
Elementary school: X
Middle school: _____
Other (please describe): _____

Urban: X
Suburban: _____ Rural: _____

2. List any special features of your school or classroom setting (e.g., charter, coteaching, themed magnet, intervention
or other leveled small group instruction, classroom aide, bilingual, team taught with a special education teacher) that will
affect your teaching in this learning segment.
During various parts of the day, an RSP teacher will come in and work with a small group of students who need additional
assistance. These students all have different IEPs, but all of them struggle with reading and writing to some degree. The
RSP teacher is typically present during centers where he will work with the same small group for two rotations and he will
also come in when the students are working on their seatwork in the morning. During the day this same group will go to
another class for UA as well. There is one student in particular who is gone for a couple hours in the morning to get help
in another classroom.

3. Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that might affect your planning or
delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of specific instructional strategies, or standardized
tests.

The district and the school administration are both super supportive which makes it so that there is little interference when
it comes to planning lessons. The assessments that are given to the students help to gage where they are at and this
determines what kind of lessons we are going to do and whether or not something needs to be gone over again. When it
comes to the students with IEPs and learning disabilities, there are meetings frequently to assess how they are doing and

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 determine how the referral process is going. The environment is very team oriented which makes it so that it never feels
like we are working against each other.

About the Class Featured in This Assessment

1. How much time is devoted each day to literacy instruction in your classroom?
 2 ½ - 3 hours

2. Is there any ability grouping or tracking in literacy? If so, please describe how it affects your class.
 Yes, there is ability grouping/tracking in this classroom. During centers, the students are broken up into groups
so that they work at similar rates. There is one group with the students who struggle with reading so that they get
the time and attention they need in order to understand what the reading is. There are also points in the class
where these children will spend time on the computers doing literacy instruction via iRead rather than reading
independently. This is because their comprehension isn’t quite there yet which would mean that independent
reading wouldn’t help their literacy acquisition.

3. Identify any textbook or instructional program you primarily use for literacy instruction. If a textbook, please provide
the title, publisher, and date of publication.
 iRead, iReady Reading

4. List other resources (e.g., electronic whiteboard, classroom library or other text sets, online professional resources)
you use for literacy instruction in this class.
 Whiteboard, classroom library, school library, Elmo projector, computer.
About the Students in the Class Featured in This Assessment
1. Grade-level(s): 2nd Grade
2. Number of
 students in the class: 28

 males: 13 females: 15

3. Complete the chart below to summarize required or needed supports, accommodations, or modifications for your
students that will affect your literacy instruction in this learning segment. As needed, consult with your cooperating
teacher to complete the chart. Some rows have been completed in italics as examples. Use as many rows as you need.

Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/supports or
accommodations/modifications to instruction or assessment.

 English language learners

 Gifted students needing greater support or challenge
 Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans
 Struggling readers
 Underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge

Students with Specific Learning Needs

IEP/504 Plans: Number of Supports, Accommodations,

Classifications/Needs Students Modifications, Pertinent IEP Goals
Processing Material 2 Monitoring closely, walking through steps verbally,
talking through what he sees, individual guidance,
peer assistance, RSP teacher.
Other Learning Needs Number of Supports, Accommodations,
Students Modifications
Struggling readers 5 Guided reading practice, reading assessments,
individual instruction, UA group, teacher reads
story aloud first time around and then the
students read, RSP teacher.
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 English Language Learner
Activity #2: Adaptations- Complete Table below concerning each of your selected Focus
Students. Use these students for your Lesson Adaptations
Use this table to help you plan instruction for your focus students and provide a rationale
for your decisions. Complete Table once for each Focus Student. Similar to TPA tasks.
Focus Student #1 EL Student
Learning Modalities and
Learning Style Preferences
(i.e., Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic/
hands on)
2 Guided reading practice, help with pronunciation,
opportunities to speak in class, assistance from
the teacher.
Grade level
What sources were What information was
used to gather gathered?
information?
This student does best
Observation/Teacher when they are able to
visualize what is going
on. Because they come
from a different culture,
words don’t always mean
the same thing in English
as they do in his native
language. The teacher
said that she provides the
student with the
opportunity to see what is
being talked about so that
there is are more
opportunities for
understanding. The
teacher also said that this
student is really good
about asking questions
and seems to comprehend
a lot. This student will
also go to other students
for help if he/she has a
question about
something. As I watched
the student it was evident
that they try to do as
much as they can on their
own and that they are
very capable of figuring
things out. The visuals
and conversations are the
student’s tools to
understanding.
What impact will this information
will have on instruction?
This information is key to providing
instruction. In order to provide this
student with the best possible
instruction, the teacher must know
how the student learns best. In this
case, this information is key to
ensuring that this student knows what
is going on. When planning these
lessons, the teacher must make sure
that visuals are incorporated
throughout so that the student is able
to understand what is going on. This
student also learns when they are
able to discuss the topics with other
students. This information is also
important because this dictates how
the teacher goes about planning
discussions in her classroom.
Allowing students in her class to
engage in academic conversation in a
great way to get everyone involved
while still adapting the lessons to
meet the specific needs of some of
the students. Knowing the learning
style of the students, especially those
who are ELL students, is an
important part to effective
instruction.
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Cultural Considerations: Within this classroom
Ex. there are a lot of different
 Cultural Group Teacher cultures. In order to gain
 Proximity issues a better understanding of
 Eye contact the different dynamics, I
 Home Language
watched the teacher and
talked with her after
class. Some of the major
cultural considerations in
this classroom are home
language, the students’
way of life, and religion.
There are only a few
proximity issues, but that
has less to do with culture
and more to do with
student personalities. As a
whole, the class is very
united despite all of the
differences between the
students.
Conversational Language This student loves to
– Basic Interpersonal Student/Teacher converse with the other
Communication Skills students that are in this
(BICS) class. They are able to
communicate with their
peers what they are
thinking/feeling which is
an important aspect of
conversational language.
For being an EL student,
this 2nd grader is very
good at communicating
with others.
Academic language: When talking during the
Cognitive Academic Student/Teacher class discussions, the
Language Proficiency student is able to use the
(CALP) vocabulary that is being
taught, they are able to
comprehend the material
that is being covered, and
the student knows how to
refer to things using the
proper terminology.
Through conversations
and discussions, it is
evident that this student is
able to display cognitive
academic language
proficiency.
This information is also important to
effective instruction. In order to
reach each student in the class, it is
important for the teacher to know the
culture and background of the
students. It is also important to be
aware of religious beliefs so that in
class activities do not offend that
student. For example, when I was
talking to this teacher, I learned that
she does not give her students a
grade for their homework. She said
that because a lot of the children
come from homes where English
isn’t spoken or where the parents
aren’t around it isn’t fair for her to
punish the students for not doing
their homework. This teacher is
aware of the home lives of her
students and this is key to making
sure that none of them feel outcast.
This is one of the many reasons why
her teaching is so effective and why
the students feel so welcomed in her
classroom.
This information would definitely
impact the way that the teacher goes
about instructing the class. Since this
student does so well at
communicating with others, the
teacher might provide this student
with opportunities to work with peers
and engage in discussions about what
is being taught. Since the student’s
communication skills aren’t lacking,
the teacher can turn their attention
toward other things that might need
growth.
This information helps direct the
teacher as they form their lessons and
seek to make the proper adaptations
for specific students. ELL students
are very different as far as how they
learn and the things that they struggle
with. In this case, the student seems
to be doing really well which means
that the teacher might not have to
make the adaptations for this student
that she does for another EL student.
Knowing where the student is at in
terms of cognitive academic
language proficiency is important
when it comes to creating appropriate
lessons and activities that meet the
student where they are at.
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Study skills and general
academic ability
Specific knowledge related
to the lesson content
Physical, Social, and
Emotional Development
Teacher/Observation This student does exactly
what is asked of them
throughout the entire
class. Everything is
organized, the student is
prepared, and the student
is eager to participate
throughout the duration
of the class. The student
knows the material that is
being covered in the class
and based on what the
teacher said the student is
where they need to be in
terms of meeting
standards.
Observation Throughout the lesson,
this student was eager to
answer questions and
engage in class
discussions. When called
on, the student always
had the right answer and
displayed that they were
comprehending the
material that was being
covered. During reading
centers, the student was
able to read clearly and
when asked what the text
was talking about, they
were able to give a clear
description of what was
being discussed.
Observation This specific EL student
is bigger than most of the
other students in the class
due to the culture that
they come from. The
student is Samoan, so
he/she is bigger in build
and is a lot taller than
most of the other students
in the class. This
particular student is
extremely social and
loves engaging in
conversation with his/her
classmates. They also
love recess and lunch
because they get to go
play with their friends.
When it comes to
emotional development,
Another thing that plays a big part in
classroom instruction is knowing
where the students are at when it
comes to study skills and academic
ability. This information greatly
determines how much new material
that teacher introduces as well as
how the teacher goes about
introducing the new material. It is
important that teachers find ways to
help their students retain information
and in order to do this successfully
they need to know where their
students are at when it comes to these
areas.
In order to provide the best
instruction possible, it is essential
that the teacher is aware of the
knowledge the student has that
relates to the lesson content. In order
to really help students, learn, the
instructor must know what the
students have learned and what they
need to learn. Activating prior
knowledge is a key step in the
learning process and this cannot be
done if the teacher does not know
what the students know about the
subjects that are being addressed.
Effective lessons are designed to
meet the students where they are and
build upon the knowledge that they
have. This information is crucial in
lesson planning and instruction.
This information can greatly impact
instruction. Knowing where students
are at when it comes to physical,
social, and emotional development is
essential information. Each one of
these things plays a big part in
determining how the student will
respond to lessons as well as how
they will perform academically. In
this case, this student is very
confident and loves to interact with
other students in the class. This
information will help the teacher as
they seek to partner students with
one another for activities as well as
how they go about conducting class
discussions. It is also important for
the teacher to know how the student
does at lunch and recess so that they
know how to structure their class. If
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Interests /aspirations
Activity #3 : Language Arts/Social Studies Content and Resources
Review the current
textbooks/curriculum and
Teacher’s Manuals for a
specific grade level and find out
how the social studies and
language arts standards and
focus students needs are being
addressed in the curriculum.
What social studies topics are
covered during the school year?
this student is a little
more sensitive than some
of the others. For
example, when the
student was sharing
something in class, they
got something mixed up
and the class chimed in to
correct the error. The
student’s demeanor
changed, and he/she then
reacted by saying “you
don’t have to yell at me”.
The student seems to be
exactly where they should
be in terms of
development.
Student The one thing that this
student loved talking
about was sports. This is
one of the greatest
interests of the student
and as they get older, they
said that they would love
to grow up to be a
professional athlete. This
student also said that they
love reading and that they
love learning new things.
They especially love
carpet time when the
teacher reads a story to
them and they get to
listen and look at the
pictures if there are
pictures in the book.
Answer the questions in the spaces below.
Some of the Social Studies topics that are covered throughout the school year are
communities/cultures, government and history (important symbols and U.S. holidays),
history (U.S. history), communities and cultures around the world, map skills, geography,
the students always come back from
lunch crying, it probably won’t be
the best time to conduct a math
lesson or an intense literature lesson.
These things are important when
preparing lessons.
It is important to know the interests
and aspirations of your students so
that you know how to motivate them.
Creating activities and lessons that
incorporate their likes, interests, and
aspirations is a great way to ensure
that they are engaged throughout the
duration of the lesson. It is also
important to keep in mind that each
student aspires to something different
and as teachers we want to make sure
that we aren’t encouraging one
student more than another based on
their goals. This information will
impact instruction by allowing the
teaching to engage students in more
personal ways and make their
learning experience more fun and
applicable. Students learn better
when they see that the material will
apply to something they like.
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What are some examples of
writing assignments integrated
throughout the social studies
curriculum?
How are students assessed
concerning the content of social
studies?
What specific pedagogy did you
observe?
Refer to Frameworks to
describe pedagogy.
How is writing taught? What
curriculum is used (ex. Step Up
to Writing)?
How is handwriting taught?
What method/curriculum is
used?
List and explain several
assessment methodologies you
have observed in each area.
and economics. Students in 2nd grade are exposed to a wide range of topics which helps
prepare them for everything that they will learn in the coming grades.
In this class, the teacher taught the students about George Washington. They read about
him and compiled their facts. They quickly became familiar with the first U.S. president
and various aspects of his life. The teacher had the students draw a picture of George
Washington and write a small essay on who he was, what he did in his life, and why he
was a respected president. In another lesson, the teacher was talking about artifacts and
how things of the past are an important part of history. After conducting the short lesson
on what an artifact is, the teacher provided students with a paper where they had to draw a
picture and write what they would want to leave behind for someone else to find years
later. They had to identify why that thing was important to them and write about what
other people would find out about them once their artifact was discovered. Both short and
long writing assignments are a part of this curriculum.
Students are assessed concerning the content of social studies through formal assessments
at the end of the unit as well as through presentations, depending on the content that is
being covered. The teacher tries to make social studies as fun as possible.
Social Studies: when working on social studies the teacher used a lot of inquiry. This
helped to motivate the students to think on their own and the more they were able to
ponder these things, the more interested they became. The teacher did a great job of
providing the students with the information that they needed to know in order to dive
deeper and there was a great balance.
Language Arts: the teacher utilized collaboration a lot when teaching language arts.
When reading through texts and working on writing assignments there was a lot of
teamwork that was taking place rather than simply giving the students an assignment to
complete on their own or lecturing them on the things that they are reading about. The
teacher would talk with the students which really helped them work through strengths and
weaknesses.
Writing is taught alongside reading. As the students grow in their ability to read and
comprehend, their ability to write increases as well. The teachers begin with small writing
assignments based on things that they have read and then work their way up to more
complicated things such as discussing literary elements, analyzing characters, and writing
factual responses based on literal evidence from the text. The curriculum that these
teachers used is called Benchmark Advance.
Handwriting is taught through journaling and a handwriting book. Each student in the
class has a handwriting notebook where they have to trace and copy the letter for that day.
There is also a sentence at the end of the page that the students must write. This teacher
assigns the students a new page each morning and they work on it as part of their morning
work. This activity teaches the students how to write neatly, properly form letters, and
utilize spacing.
Social Studies: Formal assessments on vocabulary, people, facts. Teacher provides
students with a test on the things that they learned in order to gain an idea as to how much
they have understood/retained. Once they have mastered the content, she will provide
them with a more fun project or activity to further assess their knowledge and allow them
to show their creativity.
Language Arts: Reading assessments are done between the teacher and the student.
While the students are working on something independently, the teacher will read and
evaluate the student’s progress. The teacher will also do group reading during centers
where they will read and then answer comprehension questions. The teacher collects this
data in order to see where the students are at. The teacher does informal assessments
through observations and daily writing journals. The teacher also assigns short writing
assignments in order to see where the students are at. The comprehension questions after
reading are a great way to see what they understand while reading as well as their ability
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 to write.

Activity #4: Pro-social Behavior/Citizenship/Religion/Moral

Development

Pro-social Behavior/Citizenship/Religion/Moral Development

Questions: Your Answers:
4. Web/Professional Journal Project on Morals and Religion in Public Schools (TPE 12 & 13)
Explore the topic of teaching morals and religion in public schools on the Internet /professional journals.
Do the following:
 Download 2-4 articles that provide information concerning the proper teaching of religion and morals in the public school.
 Read the articles and color highlight key points. Submit articles in your folder.
 Record an annotated site directory of 5-7 beneficial web sites that pertain to this topic. Your directory should guide another
person to the best web sites for study of this topic. This means that you look at more web sites than what you select so that
you share the best of the best in terms of beneficial sites.
Be able to discuss and answer the following questions:
 What does the law say about teaching these topics? (See CA Education Code on web or bookstore)
 How do you teach morals and religious ideas that may come up in the curriculum or from student inquiry?
 Notes are sufficient...no formal paper necessary.
 Answer the questions below based on your fieldwork experience.

What connections do you find in the SS
curriculum and pro-social (moral
development) behavior in general?
Ask the teacher/view school web site and
find out what steps the school is taking to
provide safety for students and staff (e.g.,
earthquakes, hate crimes, fire, etc.)
How is religion appropriately taught
throughout the content of social studies?
Provide examples you find appropriate
based on the curriculum you have
reviewed.
Social studies in general is related to pro-social development. As we study history, we
begin to see how various behaviors, both good and bad, impact the world in which we
live. In this curriculum, these 2nd grade students are learning so much about people who
have positively impacted the United States as well as important things about other
countries (such as their leaders). This curriculum allows students to see how good
behavior can change the course of history and inspires them to make a difference in their
everyday lives. By looking at people such as Martin Luther King Jr. we see that ordinary
people are the ones who can make a difference. Not only that, but students also see how
people in other countries might not have the same opportunities that we do. It is
important to understand how our country works because that impacts how we live.
Therefore, this social studies curriculum is directly connected to moral development.
One of the biggest things that Murrieta has been focusing on is suicide prevention. There
are links all over the school website as well as signs on the campus. Recently, suicides
have been something that we have seen a lot of in our area and the school districts are
doing everything in their power to try to prevent that. The schools are also incorporating
time for students to talk about things that are going on in their lives so that they don’t feel
like they are alone. Earthquake drills and fire drills are a common occurrence at every
school and in order to make students familiar to the point where the real think won’t be a
shock. The administration is seeking to provide their staff with the tools and resources
necessary to combat the issues that go on in schools as well as knowledge on how to
prevent violence in the classroom. Many students today come into the classroom with
violent behaviors or anxiety issues. Being aware of these things is key to the safety of
everyone in the classroom.
Religion is appropriately taught by presenting the lesson as full of facts rather than
something that we agree/disagree with. When teaching about religion, students often have
many questions, and this can often lead to teachers being asked what their beliefs are.
Teachers must be very conscious of how they go about answering these questions. The
teacher is never to present a religion as being valid or invalid, no matter what their
personal beliefs are. For example, as I was talking to one of the teachers about their
history lessons, she began to talk about how she must be careful when teaching things
like U.S. holidays. She has several students in her class who do not observe holidays and
therefore she must be very careful so that she doesn’t offend their religious beliefs. One
of the holidays they talk about is Thanksgiving because it was a big part of our history.
Rather than teaching the religious aspects of the holiday, she must simply discuss the
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How/When is moral development
addressed though content and learning
activities?
List several CA State Academic Standards
that apply to teaching religion and moral
development across the grade levels of
social studies content.
Activity #5 Teaching: Small Group Work /Social Studies Vocabulary
Development
Work with one/two student(s). Describe student in terms of gender, ethnicity, and general academic
performance. Select a chapter from the social studies text that the students have previously studied. Describe
how the students interact with the text. Answers the questions below in complete and accurate descriptive
terms. Keep in mind that although this is a table it expands for your content.
Questions:
Who were your students?
historical facts of the event and how the pilgrims came to America. Sometimes religion
isn’t in the content, but the way that the lesson is presented might offend someone’s
religion. It is imperative that teachers are aware of the students in their class.
Moral development is addressed through content and learning when subjects such as
people who make a difference are talked about. When teaching students about these
important people, teachers will go into the morals and values that made this person a
hero. It is important that the teachers talk about the good things that the person did
throughout their life so that students are able to see how making good choices can
significantly impact life for the better. For example, when teaching about Abraham
Lincoln the students will learn that he was assassinated. That would be a time when
morals are discussed as Lincoln was the “good guy” and John Wilkes Booth was the “bad
guy”. This is neutral territory to talk about morals. However, this is not an appropriate
conversation when talking about the beliefs of other countries.
Social Studies Standards:
2.3 Students explain governmental institutions and practices in the United States and in
other countries
2.5 Students understand the importance of individual action and character and explain
how heroes from long ago and the recent past have made a difference in others’ lives
(e.g., from biographies of Abraham Lincoln, Louis Pasteur, Sitting Bull, George
Washington Carver, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Golda Meir, Jackie Robinson, Sally
Ride).
Language Arts Standards:
R.I. 2.10 By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including
history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 2–3 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
W 2.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and
definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.
S.L. 2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2
topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. a. Follow agreed-upon
rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways listening to others with
care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). b. Build on
others’ talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others. c. Ask
for clarification and further explanation as needed about the topics and texts under
discussion.
Your Answers- Explain in detail that fully describes your activity.
Students – Brief Description
1. The first student is behind for his grade level. His fluency is lacking in some areas
which in turn hinders his reading comprehension. Because of this, it is hard for him to
retain facts and he has a very short attention span. The student is Samoan and is also an
ELL. The student is very talkative and has no problem communicating and he does his
best to answer the questions that are asked.
2. The second student is right where she should be in terms of grade level performance.
She is also Hispanic but is not an ELL. She reads really well, is able to comprehend the
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Did the students understand the
vocabulary/key terms?
Were they able to read the passage
fluently? If not, what kind of
modifications did they need in order to
understand?
What were the students’ attitudes toward
the reading activity and the social studies
content? Were they interested in the
topic?
Did the students seem familiar with the
ideas and information in the text? What
evidence do you have for your answer?
Given this experience with these students,
what have you learned that will change
the way you write your Social Studies and
Language Arts Unit?
How were English language learners and
native English language speakers alike?
How were they different?
What links apply to this activity
concerning Universal Access? (Universal
Access: Review Ch. 7 in the LA
Frameworks and the UA section for the
grade level of your observation.)
text, and retains the information that has been discussed. She has no problem answering
questions and does a very good job at elaborating on the things that she has learned. In
social settings she is quieter, but when talking about academics she loves to participate.
Yes, the students seemed to understand the vocabulary and key terms. They were able to
recall the lesson that the teacher had taught prior to the reading about the words and I
thought that teaching the vocab prior to reading was a great teaching strategy. Because
the students were already familiar with the key terms and vocab, they were able to read
more fluently than they would have had they not already been taught the words.
The first student had a hard time reading the passage fluently. The words that he sees
often were easy for him to read through, however when he came across a word that he
didn’t know, he stopped and looked at it for a few moments. He did a good job at trying
to sound out the words, but there were times when he would look up and say, “I don’t
know what this word is”. We would then work on sounding out that word together. Once
we established what the word was, he was asked if he knew what the word meant. If he
didn’t, we talked about the definition and moved on to the next part. The second student
had not trouble reading fluently. She knew almost all of the words and when she came
across a word she didn’t know, she was able to sound it out and identify it quickly. This
played a big part in their ability to comprehend what was read after we finished the
passage.
Both of these students told me that they love reading and that they love learning about
social studies because the teacher makes it so fun. They told me all about the things that
they had been discussing in class which was fun to hear about. It was great to see how the
teacher’s enthusiasm was playing a part in the way that the students viewed the material.
The students were very excited to read about George Washington and already knew some
important things about him. Because the previous lessons had been so fun for them, they
were eager to learn more about this very important person in American history.
Yes, the students did seem familiar with the ideas and information in the text. The first
student had a harder time than the second student, but he still did a good job of showing
that he understood some of the major things that were discussed. I was able to see that
they were familiar with the ideas and information in the text by first, asking them
questions prior to reading. This allowed me to better understand where their prior
knowledge was at. This also allowed me to see what vocab they remembered and what
things they would gather throughout the passage. I also asked them a series of
comprehension questions (which were part of the curriculum) after we had read the
passage, and this allowed me to gage where they were at in terms of familiarity. The
students were able to answer questions about George Washington’s life which showed
their comprehension.
One of the biggest things that I learned is that teaching social studies vocabulary prior to
the reading can greatly help students. I also learned that when planning Social Studies
lessons it is important to see how these concepts can be applied to Language Arts as well.
When students are able to get the information in two different areas of their learning, they
are going to be able to recall more information. I also found that giving students social
studies books for language arts reading can be helpful in growing their knowledge and
vocabulary. The biggest thing I learned is that as a teacher you must constantly be
looking for ways to create connections within the classroom. Allowing your students to
write an essay on their social studies topic is a great way to assess their skills while not
overloading them with a lot of knew knowledge and skills.
English language learners and native English language speakers were alike in that they
both were able to read fluently once they had an understanding of how to say the words.
When they came across words that they didn’t know, they really had to stop and sound it
out. However, once they got what they word was, they were able to keep reading without
a problem. One of the ways that they were different was in the number of words that they
were unfamiliar with. The native English speaker had seen a lot more words then that
English language learner. The ELL was able to figure out what the words were, but they
had to stop more than the native English-speaking student did.
Universal Access is a huge part of this school. The teachers and the administration work
hard to make sure that each student gets the support they need in order to provide them
with the best possible educational experience. A big part of UA is providing the students
with time in different classrooms during the day to help them with the things that they
struggle with. In this case, the first student spends some time each day with a small group
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 of students with another teacher. This teacher works with this group on their reading in
order to get them to where they need to be. The teacher works on vocab, fluency, and
comprehension with the students. The language arts help that the students receive directly
affects their performance in social studies as well.

Activity #6: Additional Teacher Aiding /Fieldwork Activities

Please use the chart below and list and provide a brief explanation/description of any additional Teacher
Aiding types of activities that you may have engaged in during your fieldwork experience for this course.
Activities that provide support for the Field Supervisor Teacher as well as those activities dealing directly
with students should be included.
Examples:
 Teach all/part of a lesson prepared/supervised by Field Supervisor
 Prepare materials for a lesson taught by Field Supervisor
 Grade student work
 Monitor seatwork and provide assistance when needed
 Review the Field Supervisor’s lesson plan book

Activity #6: Additional Teacher Aiding /Fieldwork Activities Recording Sheet

Teacher Grade level Description of Activity
Aiding Teacher/School
Activity Type
Monitoring 2nd Grade / In this class, the first thing that these students do is their morning work which requires
Seatwork & Murrieta them to sit down at their desks and complete a series of tasks. While they were working, I
Assisting Elementary School went around the room and answered questions that the students had about the assignments,
helped them think of examples, and provided them with definitions to words that they
didn’t know. I was able to see which students were more advanced and which ones were
needed a lot of assistance in order to complete their morning tasks. I learned that this is a
great informal assessment to use when you are trying to figure out what kind of work your
students can complete on their own.
Small Group 2nd Grade / During centers, I was provided with the opportunity to conduct the small group reading
Reading Murrieta time. There were groups of about four to five students that rotated, and each group
Elementary School contained students that were at a different reading level. Some groups were more
advanced, while others required a lot of help in order to simply get through the text. Once
we read through the story, I asked the students comprehension questions in order to get an
idea for what they understood and what they thought was confusing. I also answered any
questions that they had. It was a lot of fun to interact with the students in this way.
Inference Lesson 2nd Grade / One of the tasks that the students had to work on was an inference worksheet. Students
Murrieta were called on to read the text (those who didn’t want to read were able to pass) and once
Elementary School the reading was over, we talked a little bit about what went on in the story. After our
discussion, I asked the students if they knew what it meant to infer and several of the
students provided good definitions. We went over the questions that they had to answer
and then the students began working. As they worked, I walked around the room and
answered any questions that they had. It was fun to see how much these students
understood.
Drawing Lesson 2nd Grade / I am terrible at drawing, so this lesson was a struggle for me. However, the students and I
Murrieta had a lot of fun. The task was to draw a caterpillar. There was a diagram and all I had to do
Elementary School was follow it. The students and I took it one step at a time and at the end, some pictures
looked like a caterpillar and some did not. I got a feel for the artistic aspect of teaching and
had a lot of fun doing this type of fun/informal lesson with the students.

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 Log of Teacher Candidate Teacher Aiding Experience

Student Name: Madison Schweizer Course #: 636800

Date of Time In/Time Out Grade Level Teacher’s Printed Name and
Observation and Total Time School and District K-12; Sp Ed Signature
Mary Jones
SAMPLE 9:00 - 11:15 2 . 25 Joyful Elementary, Perfect 2nd Mary Jones
1/02/04 a.m. USD

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 Total time for this page: Hours Minutes

CBU Student Signature of Verification _________________________

Student___________________________________________________________________________________
(Last) (First) (Middle)

Field Supervisor Evaluation of Teacher Candidate

Teacher Aiding Experience

1. Please have Field Supervisors fill out the Field Supervisor Evaluation of Teacher
Candidate Form included in this packet.

2. Please explain that it is very important for you to have the opportunity to
demonstrate most if not all of these capabilities.

3. As you do the activities be sure to include several of the components listed on the
Evaluation Form below.

4. It is understandable that it is not always possible to have opportunity to engage

in all of the types of activities that would help you demonstrate your capabilities
in each area but please strive to have few, if any, NAs on your evaluation.

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 Field Supervisor Evaluation of Teacher Candidate
Teacher Aiding Experience
The CBU Teacher Preparation program is designed to provide a developmental sequence of fieldwork experiences. Prior to the
placement in your classroom, the candidate has completed a rigorous series of observation experiences where the focus was on
matching theory to practice. During the time in your classroom, the candidate will be responsible for completing the range of teacher
aiding activities laid out in the fieldwork packet as well as others you may be able to provide. We need your help in evaluating the
candidate during this time. Your feedback will be combined with other data sources to determine the candidate’s readiness to move
into student teaching. If at anytime you have questions or concerns, please call Dr. Timmons at (951) 343-4483.
Thank you in advance for your support of our candidate.

Name of Candidate_________________________________________ Type of Credential_______________________________

The candidate is notifying you that: ____ I waived my right to view the content of this review (please return in sealed envelope)
____ I DO NOT waive my right to view the content of this review

Please use the following scale to evaluate the candidate:

4 – Exhibited the skills, knowledge and abilities consistent with a week one student teacher
3 – Is ready for student teaching but should be carefully monitored during the first few weeks
2 - Needs additional work as a teacher aid before being transitioned into student teaching
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 1 – Activities in which the candidate did not provide basis for judgment.
1. Can apply State Academic Content Standards to instructional planning 1 2 3 4
2. Can provide support for students’ intellectual, social, and personal development 1 2 3 4
3. Can plan instruction that encourages active student engagement 1 2 3 4
4. Encourages students in small groups to think critically and/or problem solve 1 2 3 4
5. Demonstrated the ability to use different strategies to motivate students during group work 1 2 3 4
6. Used language accurately so that communications were clear and concise 1 2 3 4
7. Can plan small group instruction that is equitable for all learners 1 2 3 4
8. Demonstrated an ability to use informal assessments during group work 1 2 3 4
9. Listened attentively and demonstrated an understanding of what s/he heard 1 2 3 4
10. Demonstrated an ability to interact with adults in a professional manner 1 2 3 4
11. Demonstrated an appropriate level of care and concern for the students 1 2 3 4
12. Demonstrated the characteristics of a professional in dress and timeliness 1 2 3 4
13. Demonstrate an ability to observe details of classroom management and make adjustments 1 2 3 4
14. Writes in a manner that is clear and grammatically correct 1 2 3 4
15. Provides a positive learning tone when working with groups or assisting in the class room 1 2 3 4
16. Appropriately identified and accurately completed tasks that were available 1 2 3 4

Additional Comments:

Evaluator Name________________________________________ Evaluator Signature: ____________________________________

School Name:__________________________________________ School Address:_______________________________________

Grade Level:____________________________ Content Area(s) Observed: __

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