FS 1 The Learner’s Development

and Environment
Episode 4
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES AND LEARNER’S INTERACTION
(focusing on differences in gender, racial, religious backgrounds)

Name of FS Student: Ruschelle L. Cossid

Course: BSED - ENGLISH Year & Section: 1st Year

Resource Teacher: Mrs. Rowena Magdayao Date: February 12, 2014

Cooperating School: Digos City National High School

 My Map

The learner’s individual differences and the type of interaction they bring surely affect the
quality of teaching and learning. This episode is about observing and gathering data to find
out how student diversity affects learning.

Step 1. Observe a class in different parts of a school day. (Beginning of the day, class time,
recess, etc.)

Step 2. Describe the characteristics of the learners in terms of age, gender, and social and
cultural diversity.

Step 3. Describe the interaction that transpires inside and outside the classroom.

Step 4. Interview your Resource Teacher about the principles and practices that she uses in
dealing with diversity in the classroom.

Step 5. Analyze the impact of individual differences on learner’s interaction.

FS 1 The Learner’s Development and Environment

  My Tools

Use the activity form provided for you to document your observations.

An Observation Guide for the Learners’ Characteristics

Read the following carefully before you begin to observe. Then write your
observation report on the space provided on the next page.

1. Find out the number of students. Gather data to their ages, gender, racial groups,
religious and ethnic backgrounds.

There are 40 students in the classroom. As I observe them, they feel comfortable to
interact to those students/classmates who are at their age and gender. They talk topics that
are based to their interest. They have their individual differences and you can see that there
is really diversity in the classroom. They grouped commonly according to their gender. Boys
grouped themselves and girls grouped themselves.

During class.

1. How much interaction is there in the classroom? Describe how the students interact with
one another and with the teacher. Are there groups that interact more with the teacher
than others?

As I observed the classroom, I can say that the interaction is quite good because there is
learning and rapport established in the room. The students more interact to each other
when they are grouped. The interaction of the students to the teacher is by participating in
classroom activities and talking to their teacher during free time.

2. Observe the learners seated at the back and the front part of the room. Do they behave
and interact differently?

The students seated at the back are commonly boys. They sometimes don’t listen to their
teacher and they are the noisemakers’ in the class. On the other side, the students seated at
the front are focused on listening to the discussions of the teachers. There are interactions
among the learners if they are grouped by their teacher.

FS 1 The Learner’s Development and Environment

 3. Describe the relationship among the learners. Do the learners cooperate with or
compete against each other?

The relationship among the learners is good because I can see that the students are
united and they are cooperating with each other. Sometimes, the compee because I know
it’s for the sake of their grades but most of time they are really helping each other especially
when they find the questions/problems so hard.

4. Which students participate actively? Which students ask for most help?

The students who participate actively in the class are those students who are seated in
the front. They’re more focused and attentive in listening to their teacher so they get higher
scores when they have quiz. The students seated at the back needs help because they don’t
understand the lessons always.

5. When a student is called and cannot answer the teacher’s question, do the classmates try
to help him? Or do they raise their hands so that the teacher will call them instead?

When a student cannot answer the teacher’s question, sometimes his/her other
classmates will help him/her by telling him/her the answer but most of his/her classmates
are competitive and raises their hands so that the teacher will call them instead. The
cooperation/unity and competition of the students in the room is balanced.

Outside the Class.

1. How do the students group themselves outside the class? Homogenously, by age? By
gender? By racial or ethnic groups? Or are the students in mixed social groupings? If so,
describe the groupings.

After the class, the students will separate and go to their groups. Most of the, are by age
and genders and some of them are in mixed social groupings, from other section mingles
with the other sections. They’re enjoying their groups.

2. Describe how the learners interact with each other. What do they talk about?

In the classroom, the interaction of the learners to each other is not so active. I observed
that those students seated at the back have their own business while student seated at the
front sometimes don’t interact at students at the back/. Their common topic is about their
incoming JS Promenade and graduation.

FS 1 The Learner’s Development and Environment

 OBSERVATION REPORT

Name of the School Observed Digos City National High School

School Address Rizal Avenue, Digos City

Date of Visit February 13, 2014

As I observed the classroom of IV- Aquino, I feel good because I can see that the
students are really good to me and they’re respecting me even though were just at the
same age. I’m still 16 and I can range the student’s ages from 15-18. I feel the sense of
oneness/unity among the learners and between the teacher and the learners because I
can see that they’re always united and happy interacting with each other. In observing
their seating arrangements, the students who are seated at the back sometimes don’t
listen to the discussions of the teacher and they are the noisemakers in the class. On the
other side, the students who are seated at the front are more focused on listening to the
discussion of the teacher. There 40 students in the classroom, so as I observed their
interaction, students feel comfortable to interact to those students/classmates who are
at their age and gender. They talk topics that are based on their interests and likes. They
have their individual differences and you can see that there is really diversity in the
classroom. Each student has his/her own social and cultural background. Students
grouped accordingly to their gender. Boys grouped themselves and girls also grouped
themselves. Some are mixed social groupings, students from one section mingles and
interacts to students to the other sections. I can see that they’re happy and having fun
with their groups.

FS 1 The Learner’s Development and Environment

  My Analysis
1. Identify the persons who play key roles in the relationships and interactions in the
classrooms. What roles do they play? Is there somebody who appears to be the leader, a
mascot/joker, an attention seeker, a little teacher, a doubter/pessimist?

In terms of relationships and interactions in the classroom, I can see that all is having a
good relationship and interaction with each other. They talk to each other, laugh, play, study,
etc. If there is no teacher involved in the interaction, there are students who appear to be the
entertainer of the class. He jokes and makes the class laugh, then after that, they will tease
and talk to each other and I can see it that they’re having fun. If everything goes wrong, of
course there is a little teacher who will manage the class and ensures that interaction must
be good and favorable.

2. Are students coming from minority group accepted or rejected by the others? How is
this shown?

In the classroom, I can see that the students are all equal to each other and respecting
each other. They don’t care whether what minority group you came from or what religious
or racial background you are as long as you belong to the classroom, you are accepted. The
students are not choosing who they want to talk, they are interacting well in the class and so
the teacher.

3. How does the teacher influence the class interaction considering the individual
differences of the students?

The teacher can influence the class interaction by considering the individual differences
of the students. In this way, the students are acknowledged that they have individual
differences in the classroom. Everyone can accept and understand each other and through
this, they will interact more because interacting with each other can help them know more
about their classmates. It’s natural that we have our individual differences because we came
from different social and cultural backgrounds so it is understandable that everyone has
unique differences from others that will cause others to be interested and mingle to them. If
everyone is interested to each other, then interaction happens.

4. What factors influence the grouping of learners outside the classroom?

When the class is done, I can see students grouping outside the classroom. They
grouped themselves by their age and gender. Boys go with boys and girls go with girls. They

FS 1 The Learner’s Development and Environment

 also grouped accordingly to their interests like those students who loves to play games and
go outside and also those students who wants to study will group themselves and just stay
in the room.

 My Reflections
1. How did you feel being in that classroom? Did you feel a sense of oneness or unity
among the learners and between the teacher and the learners?

Every time I’m in the classroom, I feel good observing tem. I feel good because students
are really good to me and they’re respecting me even though were just in the same age and
I’m still in the first year and not their practice teacher. I feel sense of oneness/unity among
the learners and between the teacher and the learners. Learners unite when there are
groupings or in every questions or problems that they find difficult to solve. The teacher and
the learners unite when you can see that the classroom’s atmosphere is good and favorable
because you can see that everyone is participating and active in the class.

2. In the future, how would you want the learners in your classroom to interact? How will
you make this happen?

In the future, if I will become a teacher someday, I will establish effective procedures or
strategies that can be a way to develop rapport and interaction in the classroom. I must be
creative in creating these strategies in order to have an desirable outcome. I must use some
techniques, methods, styles and approaches to make my plans work. I must put into my
mind that interaction is one of the most important things in the classroom and it should be
observed every day. I can make this by encouraging the students to participate and
interested during class discussions, grouping them to establish unity and camaraderie and of
course making myself approachable to the so they will not hesitate to come to me whenever
they have problems or concerns. If this all will be realize, then there is an effective and good
interaction in the classroom.

FS 1 The Learner’s Development and Environment

  My Portfolio

Post a collection of quotations advocating for celebrating diversity in the classroom. Using
these quotations, explain how you will encourage all learners, regardless of religious, ethnic
or racial background to interact and participate well.

“Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another’s
uniqueness.” – Ola Joseph

“Diversity: the art of thinking independently together.” – Malcolm Stevenson Forbes

“Diversity may be the hardest thing for a society to live with, and perhaps the most
dangerous thing for a society to be without.” – William Sloane Coffin Jr.

I will encourage all learners to interact and participate well regardless of their religious,
ethnic or racial backgrounds, culture/beliefs etc. by making them understand that all of us
have differences and ethnic can be the reason for them to unite because we know that
having differences is quite unique than having a monotonous classroom. We maybe
different but we may have common views and principles. And also in this way, we can
exchange our different thoughts and ideas in order to have a better and productive
classroom with students who have differences but are uniting and embracing one another’s
uniqueness. Diversity maybe a hardest thing because you need to deal with people with
different characteristics in the classroom but believe me, without diversity, the classroom will
be monotonous and boring. So let’s practice acceptance and celebrate diversity!

FS 1 The Learner’s Development and Environment

FS 1 The Learner’s Development and Environment