Contextual Factors Analysis 1

Contextual Factors Analysis

Bradley Howes

The University of Maine at Farmington

 Contextual Factors Analysis 2

Mountain Valley High School is one of the 9 schools in the RSU 10 school district. RSU

10 is the primary school district of the Western Foothills Region. RSU 10 serves the towns of

Buckfield, Byron, Canton, Carthage, Dixfield, Hanover, Hartford, Mexico, Peru, Roxbury,

Rumford, and Sumner. RSU 10 encompasses 478 square miles, making it the largest school

district east of the Mississippi (Waugh, 2008, p. 1). The population of all twelve towns combined

is estimated at 17,906 people (​National Center for Education Statistics​). “The RSU was formed

by the consolidation of Maine School Administrative Districts 21, 39, and 43, which have

become, respectively, the Dirigo, Nezinscot, and Mountain Valley Regions of the RSU.”

(Waugh, 2008, p. 2). However, the towns of Canton, Carthage, Dixfield, and Peru have very

recently broken away from the RSU 10 district and established the RSU 56 district. Knowing this

regional divide between the very rural towns will greatly assist me in understanding the

background of my students. By understanding their backgrounds, I will be able to build a

welcoming community of learners. It is essential to understand the community my students come

from so I can better understand them as learners and individuals.

This economic stability of the RSU 10 community will dramatically influence my

students. The estimated median income for parents with children in RSU 10 is $49,464 (NECS,

2017, p.5). This is significantly below the national average of $60,293 (U.S Census Bureau,

2014-2018, Median Household Income). Furthermore, 23.6% of families have an income below

the poverty line and 32% of families receive food stamps/SNAP benefits (NECS, 2017, Poverty

& Benefits). The Pie Chart below lists the major categories of employment and the percentage

not included in the labor force.

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It is unsurprising that a large majority of the population in the workforce falls below the

average median household income given the employment opportunities available. Jobs in the

service, sales, construction, and transportation industry have typically low yearly earnings.

Further compounding the region’s poverty is the high percentage not included in the labor force.

The culmination of these factors suggests a community familiar with the omnipresent struggle of

poverty.

The town of Rumford epitomizes the rural nature associated with the State of Maine.

Rumford serves as the major population center for the Western Foothills Regions, with a

population of 5,687 (US Census Bureau, July 1, 2019, Population Estimates). The town website

illustrates Rumford as the following.

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[Rumford is] a beautiful area filled with trees, streams, and mountains... The present town

of Rumford was settled as New Pennacook in 1774 as a farming community and became

incorporated as Rumford in 1800. Since that time it has become the business center of the

region with the ​ND Paper Company​ as its largest employer (​Administrator, 2016, p. 1).

The website also draws attention to the economic center, locally known as The Island, Black

Mountain Ski Resort, the numerous waterfalls, the Reflection Pool, and the Paul Bunyan Statue.

As highlighted by the website, the town is heavily dependent on the mill, which allows the other

businesses and attractions to succeed.

The town of Rumford is dominated by the Rumford Paper Mill. This imposing mill

harkens back to when paper mills dotted small hamlets all around Western Maine. The Rumford

Mill stands as one of the few holdouts of an industry in decline, which will heavily influence the

socioeconomic status of my students. I especially understand what effects this will have on my

students. My father worked at the Otis Paper Mill in Jay before it closed in 2008. My father

struggled to find a job capable of replacing what the Mill had provided before. I understand that

my students may not have access to the internet, a stable source of income, or are food insecure.

As an educator, I cannot make assumptions on what my students have access to. I must

understand the factors that will influence my students.

I believe ​Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model will help me understand the numerous

factors that can influence my students. As an educator, Bronfenbrenner’s Model helps me

understand how my students develop.

According to Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, children typically find

themselves enmeshed in various ecosystems, from the most intimate home ecological
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system to the larger school system, and then to the most expansive system which includes

society and culture. Each of these ecological systems inevitably interacts with and

influences each other in all aspects of the children’s lives (Marsh et al, 2019, p.

A parent losing their job would fall in the exosystem, as this indirectly influences the child’s

development, in this case being their parent’s financial stability. I argue this example can be

incorporated into the Macrosystem given that the closure of many paper mills in this region has

reshaped the cultural, social, and economic foundations of this rural area. In regards to the

school, it would be classified in the microsystem as it is part of the student’s immediate

environment. The image below provides a classic representation of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological

with a description for each system.

Image obtained from ​https://www.parenta.com/2018/09/01/bronfenbrenner-childrens-learning-in-a-wider-context/

According to Google Maps, Black Mountain Ski Resort sits at a 6-minute drive from

Mountain Valley High School. As a snowboarder who grew up close to a Ski Resort, I know
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how this will influence my students. Whether it be one of my students suffering an injury and

needing temporary accommodations, a ski competition that will cause some students to miss

class, or tailoring learning experiences around winter sports. Knowing this crucial piece of

information will allow me to anticipate and plan for these likely situations.

The sound of church bells signals the start of the day at 7:55 am. The Pledge of

Allegiance follows shortly after for homeroom until 8:05 am. Mountain Valley High School

school day schedule distinguishes itself from other High Schools in Maine. Mountain Valley

does not adhere to a block day schedule. The schedule below illustrates the daily schedule at

Mountain Valley. Classes

meet every day for 50 minutes

with 6 periods a day. There

are two lunch blocks. 1st

Lunch is from

10:50am-11:20am for grades

10-12 on the 1st & 2nd floor.

2nd Lunch is from 11:50

am-12:20 pm for grade 9, the

band room, and the gym. The

school day concludes at 2:20 pm with a brief period for students to check in with teachers. On

Wednesdays, Mountain Valley starts one hour later. All class periods are shortened to 40 minutes

with homeroom and check & connect being combined into a 30-minute advisory period.
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The school schedule heavily influences what and how I am able to teach. With 50

minutes of classes meeting every day my class periods are shorter, but I work with the same

students more frequently. The shorter schedule allows me to get to know my students and

interact with them more frequently. My classes allow me to divide topics into multiple

condensed days. The effects of snow days are also lessened, while in a block schedule teachers

can go without seeing some students for a week or more. There are disadvantages to this

schedule that will influence my teaching. One major disadvantage is the ability to conduct long

and/or complex activities. Though this can be alleviated by dedicating specific days to an

activity. In regards to homework, I personally believe in very limited, which I define as less than

an hour, to no homework. When I design my units, I cannot expect students to complete

homework for the next class given the daily meetings. Finally, any presentations or tests could

take multiple classes. Students who require accommodations/modifications may need as long as

a week in order to complete certain projects/tests. Personally, I favor this schedule because of the

relationships I am able to build and the condensed nature of my lessons.

Mountain Valley High School has an estimated student population of 385 with the

student/teacher ratio at 11.74 (NECS, 2017-2019, School Details). This low proportion of

students/teachers provides opportunities for both students and the teacher. Students are able to

learn content at a faster rate, have more opportunities to participate in classwork, ask the teacher

for clarification, and develop deeper relationships with other peers in the class. As an educator, I

am able to know my students on a deeper level. With small class sizes, I am able to facilitate

discussions, debates, and conversations, all of which are incredibly important to do in a social

studies classroom.
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Image obtained from ​https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=2314795&ID=231479500303

The above enrollment characteristics are incredibly important in designing my units and

lessons for student teaching. Though this data is from the 2017-2018 school year, the data is still

recent enough to be considered reliable. In regards to Race/Ethnicity, I am not surprised that over

96% of the student population is white. As stated before, the RSU 10 area is a very rural and

homogeneous region due to the region’s ancestry and the limited amount of migration to the

region. What is surprising is the gender distribution, with 59% being male and 41% being

female. I expected the ratio to be near 50/50, but a near 60/40 distribution is statistically

significant. This could influence the dynamic of my classes assuming my class ratio mirrors the

school ratio. Finally, 69% of the student population is eligible for free or reduced lunch. This

unsurprising given the income and poverty statistics discussed earlier. However, Mountain

Valley has recognized the problem lunch bills were causing the students and families. The policy

of the high school now is that all students receive a free breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack. I

agree with this policy as it eliminates one of the major socioeconomic differences between
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students. I have always believed that requiring students to pay for food in a free public school

that they are required by law to attend is highly hypocritical.

The classroom is located at the end of the 2nd floor academic wing. The default setting of

the room is four by six grid of individual desks. Mr. Carver’s desk sits at the front of the room

and my desk sits five feet perpendicular from his. Historical figures, maps, and other social

studies imagery hang around the room. A chalkboard covers the front wall. There are two

hanging screens, but no projector present in the room. Without the presence of a readily available

projector in the classroom, I will be unable to display any slideshows, videos, or images in a

traditional lecture style. However, this should not significantly affect my ability to teach given

my ability to diversify the ways in which I deliver my content. I plan to frequently frame

information in the form of Civil Conversations, Socratic Circles, class reports, stations, and other

methods that do not require a projector. When I do want to display images, I plan to use the

Google Classroom, which every student has access to.

In order to better understand my students, I have had my students complete a Google

Survey called the About Me Survey. The survey is comprised of twelve questions. Questions one

through four gather the student’s name, gender, pronoun, and town. Questions five through seven

are meant to gather student’s favorite school subjects, most challenging, and topics that interest

them. Question eight allows me to see the games, videogames, and sports my students participate

in. Questions nine and ten illustrate how my student’s work and assessment preferences.

Question eleven asks what careers they are interested in after high school. Finally, question 12

asks if there is anything they want me to know about them as a learner. This survey served as the

first step in getting to know my students and designing my lessons.

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The data collected revealed interesting trends among the students. Question six revealed

that the majority of my students find social studies difficult and/or boring. According to Question

five, the majority of my students prefer STEM classes. This is further corroborated in Question

seven, with Outdoor Recreation, Math, and Science respectively scoring the highest topics of

interest. What this tells me I must design my lessons to be as interesting or relevant to their

interests. This is where not having a projector and whiteboard will help me, allowing me to

create interactive and investigative lessons. Questions nine and ten allow me to decide what

assessment formats to use and how students prefer to work. The majority of students prefer to

work either alone or in small groups. The majority of students also preferred to present a

slideshow or write a story/essay. Though using slideshows would be difficult for me as an

educator, obtaining a projector for a day of presentations for my students could be done.

Screenshot from Google Forms About Me Survey

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Screenshot from Google Forms About Me Survey

The class is a general education United States Government class with nine students, two

males, and seven females. Of the students, eight are seniors and one is a junior. None of the

students receive special education services through an IEP, 504, or BSP. There are two female

international students currently studying at Rumford present in my class. One if from Brazil and

the other is from Mexico. Both speak English as a second language and have moderate English

proficiency. I have had informal conversations with the students, who describe there English as

good, but not great. Given the presence of two ELL students, I must consider how I will

accommodate/modify my content to meet there needs. I plan to utilize word banks, translators,

visuals, and frequent small group work as often as possible in order to accommodate both

students. The majority of student anticipates on attending either a technical college, two-year

community college or a four-year college.

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Mr. Carver’s classroom has a number of set procedures, assignments, and routines that

will influence my teaching. His room is arranged in a four by six grid with his desk facing the

front of the room. With classes under ten people, he makes everyone sit on one side of the room.

He does not assign seating, even in large classes, which he allows to spread out through the

whole room. His signout policy is fairly loose, with students signing in and out without

consulting with him. He sets the expectation at the beginning of the year in his syllabus. He

states that he will treat his students like adults, so if a student needs to leave the room they can

just go. Mr. Carver’s predominant delivery style is through lectures, discussions, term reviews,

and review games. Finally, the course syllabus lists week by week what homework is due,

similar to a college syllabus. Each assignment is due at 11:59 pm Friday night.

I will be working primarily with the Senior government students, which officially began

with the start of the second semester. The Government class is only a half-semester class, so I

was able to establish myself as equal to Mr. Carver. I will be following the format of work being

due on Fridays as that is a routine student are comfortable with. In regards to my teaching, I will

be diversifying how I teach each class. I firmly believe that if I diversify my teaching strategies,

students will better understand the content. Coupled with the data I have collected, my objective

is to provide learning experiences that challenge their beliefs and facilitate their ability to

critically analyze information.

All of this will be essential to my success as a student-teacher. I will continue to learn

more about the community and students in the weeks to come. As a continuously reflective

educator, I will utilize each new piece of information to better inform how I teach. By fostering

these connections, I hope to better prepare and serve my students.

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References

1 Administrator. (2016, May 7.). Welcome to the Town of Rumford, Maine. Retrieved from

https://rumfordme.org/welcome-to-the-town-of-rumford-maine/​.

2 NECS (2017-2019). Retrieved from

https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=2314795&ID=231

479500303

3 NECS (2017). Retrieved from ​https://nces.ed.gov/Programs/Edge/ACSDashboard/2314795

4 ​https://www.psychologynoteshq.com/bronfenbrenner-ecological-theory/

5: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) and Puerto Rico Community

Survey (PRCS), 5-Year Estimates, 2014-2018. Retrieved from

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/rumfordtownoxfordcountymaine,US/INC110218#I

NC110218

6: Waugh, N. (2008). Western Maine Foothills Region. Retrieved from

http://foothills.mainememory.net/page/3592/display.html​.