Formal Observation #1

Formal Observation #1

Daniela Cisneros

School of Education, Chico State

EDTE 255: Introduction to Democratic Perspectives in K-12 Education

Bev Landers

September 24, 2020

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INTRODUCTION

Effective classroom environment is extremely important. Setting classrooms norms and

expectations from the very beginning of a school year has to be the most effective way to have a

positive classroom environment and a successful school year. This will create the ideal

classroom environment for the teacher and students. The videos that were provided on atlas were

very helpful to watch. I was able to observe classrooms and get an insight of what being a

classroom teacher is all about. Within these videos, I gained knowledge and ideas that I will

definitely want to incorporate into my future classroom.

​EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENTS

Effective learning can have different approaches and meanings. Observing and reflecting

on these videos, I was able to fully understand what effective learning is and how it pertains to a

classroom. I realized how important it is for students to take part in discussions, investigations

and experiments that broaden their knowledge and skills. This can take place in different ways,

such as, small group work, whole group discussions, or independent practice. In the first video I

watched, Experimenting with Ramp Height to Affect Acceleration and Distance, I was able to

observe a class experiment. The teacher did an excellent job explaining the experiment and

making sure the students understood the expectations. As the main source of help, it’s really

important to stop in between your lessons to assure that your students understand what is being

taught and what needs to be done. This teacher did so by asking questions and answering

questions being asked by her students concerning the lesson. After her lesson, she allowed her

students to get into groups of three so they can begin their experiment. Not only do students get
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to work in groups but they also get the opportunity to learn from their classmates and develop

communication skills. Students engaged in group work, or cooperative learning, show increased

individual achievement compared to students working alone. All the students seemed thrilled to

work together and begin on their experiment. For a classroom to be effective, there must be an

engaging learning environment and that was the case in this classroom observation.

EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

To create an effective environment for yourself and your students, you have to

incorporate certain instructional strategies into your classroom and your teaching. A lot of these

strategies might include the structure of your classroom, classroom rules, expectations, learning

objectives, and the type of teacher you are. Personally, I believe that the structure of your

classroom is really important and can either benefit or harm your students' learning experience.

There are many factors to consider when designing your classroom layout that will each

contribute to creating an effective learning environment. As a teacher, one of your first

considerations should be the comfort of students. If your student’s aren't comfortable in the

classroom, they will find it difficult to focus and become easily distracted. Your second

consideration should be for traffic flow. The students should easily be able to move around the

classroom to access all the different areas and to get the materials or resources they need for their

learning. Creating a good atmosphere is also important. Try to make the classroom so that it feels

familiar to the children and is also a welcoming place for them to spend their time. When

creating a positive environment, it is important to remember that each student has different

emotional needs in addition to their learning needs and the environment they are in can impact

on this. The video that I last watched had a great example on the importance of the classroom
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layout. It was a 7th grade class, and they were having a meaningful discussion as a whole. They

weren’t in rows or in small groups, they were circled up in a way where every student saw each

other. All the students were engaged and fully active in the discussion. As they discuss their

answers, they get different perspectives on the topic. Good questions and answers can get

students to think deeply and make connections with one another.

EFFECTIVE ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

Becoming a teacher can be really challenging but rewarding. As a teacher, you have to

create methods to accommodate everyone's needs and your expectations. The kind of teacher you

classify as will determine the success of your classroom and how well your students accomplish

academic goals. It’s important to know that not all students learn in the same way. Some are

auditory learners, others are kinesthetic learners and other groups have a visual learning style.

However, there are many students who use a combination of learning styles. Using ​visual

displays is a great way of creating an effective learning environment. Making full use of the

resources available will help students who prefer a hands-on approach. The video, Engaging in

Discussion About the Causes of Earthquakes, I was able to observe a discussion about the causes

of earthquakes. The teacher did an amazing job with this discussion. She had an understanding of

all the different learners in her classroom so she approached the lesson in different ways. She

allowed individual time for students to come up with an explanation, provided the classroom

with a video, and did a hands-on demonstration. This helped all students understand what caused

earthquakes regardless of their learning style.

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REFLECTION

Throughout these videos, I was able to attain incredible knowledge about effective

learning, effective classroom environments and effective instructional strategies and assessment.

It’s really important for teachers to acknowledge every student and their needs to navigate

through the classroom and create an effective learning environment. As a future educator, I will

try my best to become an effective teacher. I will recognize the differences between my students

and accommodate to their needs. This will create a better learning environment for all of them.

A welcoming environment where they feel comfortable to be themselves and not feel like they

are an inconvenience due to their differences.

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Reference Page

About ATLAS. (n.d). ​Analyzing Text by Engaging in Meaningful Discussion

Retrieved from ​https://atlas.nbpts.org/cases/888/

About ATLAS. (n.d.). ​ ​Engaging in Discussion About the Causes of Earthquakes

Retrieved September 27, 2020, from ​https://atlas.nbpts.org/cases/1846/

About ATLAS. (n.d.). ​Experimenting with Ramp Height to Affect Acceleration and Distance

Retrieved from ​https://atlas.nbpts.org/cases/459/