Field Observation

Maria Roush
EDU 201-CSN
 Assignment 1 (Observations)

1.) My overall first impression of Mrs. Luque’s kindergarten classroom was very

welcoming, inviting, and warm. I have seen a lot of kindergarten classrooms that have an

overabundance of items on the walls, boards, or hanging from the ceilings and I found

that what was on the walls, boards and hanging from the ceilings had a purpose and was

efficiently used and organized. There’s a place for everything the kids respond well to the

way everything is set up and the way the space is used.

2.) The children in the classroom consisted of 12 girls and 8 boys. Of the 12 girls 8 were

white, 2 were African American, and 2 were Hispanic and of the 8 boys 4 were Hispanic,

2 were African American, and 2 were white. Two of the girls were identical twins and

had hearing aids. There were 3 children (Mercedes, Nestor and Wayne) with autism.

Mercedes was able to function in the classroom all day while Wayne and Nestor were

only in the classroom for the morning until it was time for lunch. Both Wayne and Nestor

were not able to focus on what the teacher was going over and more often than not would

end up separate from the class which made it difficult for the class to focus on what was

being taught. Mrs. Luque continued to teach her lesson and at one point had to call for

assistance as Wayne was climbing on a shelf. At separate times throughout the day there

were teachers that came in and removed a couple students at a time to practice reading

and to go over sight words.

3.) The classroom rules were as follows:

 Listen when someone is speaking

 Raise your hand to speak

  Be kind and respectful

 Follow directions quickly

 Do your best

4.) The rules are absolutely enforced and there are two grading systems in place to either

reward or punish for following or breaking the rules; One is for individual students and

the other is for the classroom as a whole.

 The one for the individual students consists of a row of color-coded behaviors,

which are: Outstanding (purple)-Role Model (blue)-Ready to Learn (green)-

Think About It (orange)-Parent Contact (red) and each student has a clothespin

with their name on it and depending on what’s done in class the teacher will have

them move their clothespin to the section that reflects their behavior. There is the

chance to earn a treasure from the treasure box if any student stays on purple the

whole day.

 The classroom grading system consists of a small rectangle on the board with 12

separate squares where there are circle magnets to go on each square-The class

has the chance to earn up to 4 circles by transitioning from activity to activity and

the incentive for getting all 12 is an extra recess in the afternoon

 Assignment 3 (Instruction)

1.) What is the posted daily schedule for different subjects or periods?

 There wasn’t anything posted regarding the schedule. The kids start out on the quiet

carpet where they go over the letter of the day and then separate into assigned groups

to complete a worksheet practicing writing upper and lower case letters. After that

they resume on the quiet carpet at which time they go to the “Daily 5” which consists

of 5 different groups where you wither read to yourself, practice writing your name,

practice sight words, play reading games on IPADs, or work with the teacher. Then

it’s back to the carpet where they go over the sight word of the day singing songs and

playing a game with that sight word. Another “Daily 5” station is next where the kids

alternate stations. Sounding out words on the quiet carpet is next followed by another

“Daily 5” station and finishing with picking the words that rhyme out of a group of

three words before breaking for lunch. The kids go to their special after lunch which

is followed by math where a game or song is played counting to 100. Reading is next

which is followed by an extra recess and then it is time to clean up and go home.

2.) Is instruction done in small groups, centers, whole groups, individual?

 Instructions are done as a class and work is done in 4 small groups

3.) How would you describe your cooperating teacher’s teaching style?

 Mrs. Luque is very kind, patient, efficient, and organized.

4.) Does the teacher incorporate the sensory modalities (learning styles)? If so, give

examples.
  Every lesson incorporates visual, audio, and kinesthetic learning styles: During

reading the kids are looking at the pictures in the book that’s being read, listening to it

and then splitting into assigned groups to color a picture about the story. While going

over the math lesson, there was a song on called “Cowboy Count” where the kids

sang along with the video that was on and then separated into math stations where

they played a counting game using cubes that join together. Whole going over the

sight word of the day they participate in identifying that word on the board, listen to

the teacher go over the word, and then separate into groups and do a worksheet about

the sight word of the day.

5.) Do the students seem engaged in the lesson(s) that are being presented?

 Yes, the students are engaged in the lesson due to the way in which the lesson is

taught. The teacher is very positive and encouraging and calls on students at random

including them in the lesson.

6.) Are there any students isolated from the rest of the class for any reason? Why?

 Wayne was separate from the class for almost all of the time he was in there as he has

autism. Nestor also has autism and separated himself from the class as well.

7.) Is instructional time managed efficiently? Please explain

 The time on the quiet carpet and when separated into assigned small groups is

managed very efficiently however, the time spent on the “Daily 5” stations is a bit

more unorganized and less efficient.

8.) How does the cooperating teacher handle transitions from one subject or period to

another, and are these transitions efficient?

 The transitions between lessons is for the most part smooth and efficient-The teacher

offers incentives for transitioning with a 0 voice level and completing the transition

quickly making sure to clean up what was being worked on.

9.) List the ways the teacher attempts any “attention getting” commands? (Ex: Countdown,

Light flicker, Heads on Desk)

 The most common “attention getting” commands was saying “Eyes up” which let the

students know they needed to drop their voice level to a 0, look up at what she is

doing, sit criss cross applesauce on the quiet carpet, and transition from one station to

the next more quietly.

10.) What specific behavior issues does the teacher have to deal with? How does the

teacher deal with these specific behavior issues? Be specific.

 There were not very many behavior issues outside of the couple children with autism

that didn’t sit with the class during lessons which caused a distraction. The front

office was notified and an aide was sent to assist. For being a kindergarten class they

were very well behaved and didn’t have an over-abundance of warnings. When there

were warnings given, the teacher let them know that if the behavior wasn’t corrected

they would have to move their clothespin down on the wall reflecting that they may

end up with needing to contact the parents.

11.) Are there any policies or procedure in place that help or hinder instructional time?

If so, explain them and how they help or hinder use of instructional time
 The only thing that hindered instructional time, and was only due to the distraction it

caused, were the children with autism being brought in and that they didn’t participate

in the lesson.
 Assignment 4 (Culture)

Physical Characteristics

1.) Study the grounds

 The grounds at Estes McDoniel are very clean and well kept. The paint looks

fresh and the fences around the school are in good shape and sturdy. There is a

separate play area for Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten as well as two big

playgrounds for 1st-5th. The crosswalks are clearly marked and there is clear

signage indicating there is a crosswalk.

2.) Study the interior

 The interior of the school is very colorful and bright and the walls are decorated

with children’s projects and artwork. The walls are painted in an ocean theme and

as I walk around the school I see sea turtles, sharks, and dolphins. The flooring is

a standard grey carpet throughout the school which provides functionality. When

you enter the school you have to get buzzed into the school through the office but

before you are able to gain access you have to sign into the computer and get a

nametag. At the time of my field observation Halloween was right around the

corner and there are decorations for Halloween as well as Halloween artwork by

the students.

Culture of the School

1.) Identify the mission statement, motto, and mascot

  Mission statement: “We, at Estes McDoniel Elementary, An International School,

as a community formed of students, parents, and staff are committed to

developing responsibility, building self-confidence, fostering skills for life-long

learning, and providing essential experiences for daily success”

 Mascot: The Marlin fish

 Motto: Be Kind

2.) Analyze office interactions:

 The front office staff is very friendly, welcoming, and warm and the way the

office is ran is very organized and efficient. When parents, students, and visitors

enter the office they are greeted right away and their needs are addressed in a

timely manner.

3.) Formal practices:

 The school schedule is from 8:00am-2:11pm. There is a separate classroom for

special education and some of the time some of the special education students are

included in the regular classes for a period of time and then head back to class.

There are also times throughout the day that students get taken out of class and

have separate time to learn sight words, letters, and reading.

4.) Student to student interactions:

 When it’s time for lunch the students line up and put their index finger over their

mouth and walk quietly to the lunchroom where they sit at their assigned table

and eat lunch. The interactions between students is noisy and full of animated
 conversation while they eat their lunch. The student interactions are friendly and

full of laughter and bantering back and forth.

5.) Examine School Traditions:

 During my observation I did not attend any ceremonies or assemblies.

Culture of Classroom

1.) Teachers expectations:

 In my cooperating classroom there are spots on the wall with student’s names

who have accomplished learning the sight words as well as counting to 100 and

reading. The interaction between teacher and student is very warm and

encouraging; She always focuses on what the student did right as opposed to

pointing out what was done wrong which I think is a big contributing factor to the

student being confident.

2.) Level of student participation:

 For the most part the entire class participates during the lesson as well as the

group work and the couple student that don’t are due to the disability that they

have. Mrs. Luque was very good at trying to include them in the lesson when she

saw them separating themselves and becoming distracted; in most cases it didn’t

work, but her effort was strong in trying.

3.) Teacher student interactions:

 Mrs. Luque definitely had a presence about her that made the kids WANT to

listen and pay attention to what she was saying. She created an environment and
had a demeanor about her that made the students want to learn. The students

would be so proud to show her their completed work and hear what she had to say

about it. There were moments when the students would get a little rowdy and the

way in which she got their attention was effective and didn’t take a long time to

achieve. Seeing the teacher student interactions of Mrs. Luque and her students

really gave me something to look up to and strive to.

 Assignment 5 (Cooperating Teacher Interview Questions)

1.) What was the primary reason you became a teacher?

 Since I was little, I always wanted to work with kids. I wanted to make a difference in

children's lives.

2.) What are the main challenges you face as a teacher?

 The main challenges in teaching are all the extra requirements that are put on

teachers. Over the years the demands have gotten bigger and bigger.

3.) What is the best part about being a teacher?

 The best part of being a teacher is watching the students learn. It is a great feeling to

get students at the beginning of the year that are blank slates and watch them leave

reading, and writing. The growth in kindergarten is amazing.

4.) How do you determine where students sit in class?

 At the beginning of the year I do not know the students so I place them at tables

randomly and try to make even numbers of boys and girls at tables. As I get to know

them I move them around. I also try to move their tables so they get a change to work

with different students.

5.) How do you determine the members of any flexible groups?

 I look at data weekly. My reading groups change constantly. I group by similar

ability. Kids move up and down all the time. I sometimes also group the students by

skill, especially in math.

6.) Beyond standardized testing, what assessments do you use regularly?

 I use ESGI for everything. In K, there is a lot of one on one testing. I can assess any

subject with that. AimsWeb, MAP, Core Phonics, DRA.

7.) What requirements are placed on you for reporting progress to parents?

 Parents have access to grades on Infinite Campus. Our admin asks that we always

have grades updated so the parents can see current grades. I send home progress

reports 2 times before semester grades. If a student is struggling, I let parents know

and we meet more often. We are also required to send home the Read by Three Letter

to students not reading at grade level, and to meet with them.

8.) How often do you interact with a students parents in person, and what type of discussions

do you typically have?

 Daily. I see most parents at dismissal. I try to give them some feedback about their

child even if it is just Johnny had a good day. I also use bloomz for parent

communication. I post pictures, updates, reminders, and message parents when

needed.

9.) How much grading do you complete on a daily/weekly basis?

 There are not a lot of "papers" to grade in kindergarten. When I taught older grades I

graded math, tests, spelling tests and other tests weekly. I assess every week on

letters, sounds and sight words.

10.) How long does it take to prepare lessons for the day/week?
  I write all my lesson plans for the next week by Tuesday. On Wednesday, I meet with

my grade level, and we go over all of the lesson plans. Wednesday night I stay late

and copy/prep anything I need for the following week. It takes a long time.

11.) What procedures or strategies do you use to maximize instructional time?

 I try to make transitions quick so we do not waste any time. I line up for lunch and

specials 2 minutes before it is time to go. I set a timer between stations to clean up

and be back on the carpet.

12.) What positive reinforcement programs have you had success with, and what

behavioral consequences seem most effective with this age group?

 We use CHAMPS at our school for positive reinforcement. I try to always find 3-5

positives before a negative. I use a clip chart. the kids move up or down on the clip

chart. I give table points, and use a treasure box.

 For consequences, the most effective is parent contact.

13.) How are specialist teachers involved in the instructional planning process?

 The specialists know when we have big events or special themes. They incorporate

our themes into their plans.

14.) How often are you evaluated, and what measurement tool is used by the

administration for determining your teaching performance?

 I have 3 big evaluations a year. Admin looks at NEPF standards. We have CHAMPS

sweeps all the time. We get feedback on our/positive to negative ratios.

15.) What consequences are there if your evaluation is not favorable?

 A teacher that is not performing satisfactorily can be put on probation. Our admin is

good about getting teachers help. Someone might need a mentor teacher, or coaching.

16.) What types of support do you receive instructionally, financially, or

professionally from the school, parent organization or school district to enhance

instruction?

 We have an awesome Read by 3 coach that helps us with reading instruction. She will

help with modeling a lesson, giving feedback, new strategies or anything else a

teacher asks help with. Our admin comes in frequently to do engagement sweeps.

They also provide feedback to help guide instruction. The school district provides

professional development opportunities in many different areas.

 We have a strong PTA that does several fundraisers. Teachers can request materials

or money for materials or projects. Our PTA almost always funds requests. The state

gives us about $100 to purchase materials. My school buys basic student supplies like

crayons, pencils, and paper.

17.) What surprised you most about teaching as a profession?

 What surprised me the most is the amount of time teachers spend working. Our job is

never really done. It takes a lot of time after hours to get done everything I need to get

done.
 Assignment 6 (Observing a student)

For the two days of my field observation I observed Zachary. At first Zachary was quiet but I

noticed he always had a smile on his face and his eyes were bright with curiosity and wanting to

learn. After class started I noticed Zachary started to talk more and wasn’t as quiet and began

engaging with the other students and the teacher. Another thing that stuck out about Zachary was

his good vocabulary and how smart he is; He was able to read with no restrictions, count to 100

without stopping to ponder if the number he was saying was correct, and he stayed focused

which I found remarkable for a child of 5. At one point the teacher was using the projector and

asked Zachary to turn the lights off and I recall how happy he looked and said with excitement

“Yay! I get my job back.” During the length of my observations I thoroughly enjoyed observing

Zachary and how helpful he was to the other students and seeing what I saw in this remarkable

child, I feel without question, is a true testament to his parents and/or family and the things that

have been instilled in him.

 Assignment 7 (Summary)

My field observation was incredible and really highlighted why becoming a teacher has always

been my dream and why that dream has never wavered. Being able to witness these little minds

soaking up the information they are learning and actually see them improve is one of the most

rewarding things I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing. Before starting my field observation I was

pretty sure about wanting to teach either 2nd or 3rd grade and after observing in a kindergarten

classroom my mind may have been changed and I quite possibly will consider teaching

kindergarten. When kindergarteners come to you, they are a blank slate and being able to start

with these kids at such a young age and having the privilege of contributing to shaping who they

become is such an honor; These children are our future and as a teacher the impact you have on

them especially during these formative years is truly a gift if done the right way. I loved seeing

the excitement in their faces during that time and seeing that what they had learned so far they

were so proud about; Like knowing how to line up after recess and lunch, knowing how to sit

during lesson time, knowing that everything has its place and being happy to put those things

where they are supposed to go, and knowing that for good behavior you get rewarded and for bad

behavior there are consequences and being fully aware of what they are supposed to do. I felt

honored to be able to observe with such an amazing teacher at the school I was able to observe in

and am ecstatic to become a teacher; I CAN’T WAIT!!!