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Formal Observation #2

Formal Observation #2

Daniela Cisneros

School of Education, Chico State

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

Bev Landers

October 30, 2020

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Formal Observation #2

Video: Creating a Rubric for Speaking Skills and Presenting to Practice Speaking Skills

Case #662

Prompt 1: Describe the students in the video you selected. Think broadly about their

differences going beyond race and ethnicity. What appears to be the range of

ability levels, socioeconomic differences, languages spoken, personalities, etc.

that are present among the students? What do you notice about the diversity

of learners in this class?

I selected the video “Creating a Rubric for Speaking Skills and Presenting to Practice

Speaking Skills”. Throughout this video I was able to notice that all students were there for the

obvious reason of learning. This classroom consisted of second and third graders. This video

didn’t include much differences in race or ethnicity but diversity has different dimensions and

includes any type of differences. What I did find interesting was that many african american

activists were mentioned as examples of the lesson. It made me realize that students at such a

young age already have an idea of what our history consisted of. Towards the end of the video,

Kaya and her partner made a presentation about Ruby Bridges and presented it to the classroom.

Ruby Bridges is an American civil rights activist and it’s really cool to see the younger

generations do research about civil rights activists and learn about them, the challenges they

faced, and what they did to make change.

Prompt 2: How does the teacher engage ​all​ students in the lesson? Does instruction
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involve students in a variety of learning styles? Which mode of learning

seemed to be most effective, and what evidence can you cite that supports

that? Were different learning styles being addressed? If yes, give specific

examples of how they were being addressed. If you were a student in the class

you observed, would your learning style have been addressed?

How involved were students in the learning activities? Were students

carrying the majority of the cognitive load, meaning, were they doing the

majority of the thinking? What indicators or evidence of this did you notice?

The teacher was fully engaged with the students. As she presented, she changed her tone

so students could comprehend what she meant by fluency, tone, and volume. She used real life

examples and would stop her lesson to ask questions to make sure her students were following

through and not spacing out. After her lesson, she granted time to her students so they could

work as a group and come up with examples about fluency. She made it clear that she wanted

them to use their time in an effective manner so they wouldn’t get distracted and begin talking

about unrelated topics. She didn’t assign the assignment and sat at her desk and waited until the

assignment was done, she was fully engaged with her students and walked around the classroom

and joined conversations. After the group finished their assignment, they shared their thoughts

with each other and as a class, created a poster with every single group's thoughts and ideas. This

is a great example of inclusion. The teacher made sure everyone's thoughts were heard.

Prompt 3: Did it appear that the teacher had modified instruction to better serve the
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needs of culturally diverse students? What evidence, if any, can you report to

support this?

The teacher definitely modified instruction to better serve the needs of culturally diverse

students. Within her lesson, she brought up Rosa Parks and explained how brave she was for

standing up for herself and used her voice to make a point. She also mentioned Martin Luther

King and how he used the tone of his voice to set out his speech. She didn’t have to go into depth

and bring up those examples but she did. This allowed her students to realize that she’s aware of

our history and is proud of the way these activists used their tone and voice to create a social

change. Not only did she provide examples but also allowed her students to do research of a

certain individual who was famous for fighting for simple human rights

Prompt 4: Did you observe any instances of students being excluded from learning

because their needs were not being met? How was this displayed? How did it

seem to impact the student and his or her behavior during instruction?

In this video, I didn’t really observe any instances of students being excluded from

learning. Every student’s needs were met. She didn’t exclude any students from the lesson. There

were times that she would call out names when certain students were bisheaving but she never

excluded them or created a scene.

She was very inclusive when it came to her students. Every student had an opportunity to

share their thoughts and ideas. At the end of the video, every group presented their presentation.

Every presentation consisted of african american activists who fought for black rights. This is

really important because it allows students to learn about the history of every race, especially the
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races that were segregated and treated unfairly. These students will grow up with an

understanding of what poorly treated races went through and develop a sense of sympathy and

comfort around those races so history doesn’t repeat itself.

Reflection Questions:

What personal challenges do you think you’ll face when teaching a diverse group of

learners?

Personally, I believe that teaching a diverse group of learners is a challenge. The

challenge that will possibly be the biggest challenge is developing a connection with them. A

diverse group consists of students that possess different cultural backgrounds. As a teacher, you

have to be considerate and incorporate those cultures so all students feel comfortable and valued

within the classroom environment. This can be a huge challenge, especially if you don’t make

time to actually understand their culture.

Another challenge that I will probably face in my classroom is the domination of a

language. Although the United States doesn’t have an official language, english is the most

common language used in our education system. It wasn’t until recently that the dual language

program was introduced to a few schools around the country. However, there’s still many

schools that only teach in english. For the students who don’t understand english, this is a huge

obstacle because everything is taught in english. As a teacher, you have to

What did you learn about diversity in the general education classroom

setting?
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Formal Observation #2
Diversity in the general education classroom setting doesn’t only consist of different

races and cultures. It can include religion, gender, economic background, learning styles or any

way an individual or group is different compared to the majority of the group. Each student

brings unique experiences, strengths, and ideas to a classroom. Using those differences will

enrich learning and the classroom setting.

In a way, I believe that a diverse setting is beneficial in many ways. Students are able to

learn about different cultures and backgrounds which allows them to feel a sense of comfort with

these differences. Diverse students might feel different, as if they don’t belong. If students and

teachers are more understanding and accepting of these students, they will begin feeling a sense

of belonging.

Consider strategies used to engage diverse learners. Based on your prior field

experiences and your current placement, compare and contrast the strategies

observed in these settings.

There are changes teachers can make to their classrooms as well as different approaches

to teaching that create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all students. As

educators, we have a responsibility to ensure our students are prepared to work in a diverse

environment and collaborate with others who bring new perspectives.

What ideas will you take with you?

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As a future educator, I will try my best to create an environment where all students feel

included and valued. I will incorporate diverse perspectives into my course content or simply

teach my students about cultural differences. This will ensure a welcoming and respectful

classroom, creating a safe environment for all students regardless of their differences.

What might you do differently in your own classroom?

For many educators, it’s really difficult to connect with their diverse students which

creates a barrier between you and the student. I come from an hispanic background so I

understand how difficult it is to fit in or feel comfortable when you don’t identify yourself with

the majority of the students. Therefore, I understand the importance of creating a safe haven for

all students. A place where students can be themselves and feel valued. As a future educator, I

will definitely incorporate different cultures within my classroom. I will learn about all types of

differences I might encounter and will find ways to navigate those differences so my students

can feel comfortable.