John Carlson

09/26/2021
EDUC 450
Classroom Narrative:
US History

The classroom that I get to sit in has an environment that I very much enjoy and hope to

emulate. This classroom is an 11th grade US History class, where many perspectives are

present. This classroom containing older kids has allowed Mr. Faw, my mentor teacher, the

ability to explore some of the ugly truths of American History. This allows the students to think,

question, and wrestle with these concepts. There is also a mixture of students that bring their

own perspectives into the classroom. This allows for unique discussions and for all the students

to feel welcome. Mr. Faw uses a variety of techniques to ensure the students feel welcome in

the classroom everyday. I have noticed that many of the students in the class feel he is one of

the “better teachers” they have this semester. I can tell that although they may not enjoy the

material, the students enjoy learning with Mr. Faw. Another aspect of the classroom that

changes how students learn is Mr. Faw has worked to implement the 0-4 grading scale. This

has created some tension between the students that are used to the 100 point scale. However, I

have noticed that students are willing to participate and actively work towards showing their

learning. Mr. Faw has created a classroom environment where students actively show how they

have learned and are in a large part, engaged in their learning.

There is a group of students that sit in the back of the classroom that I will need to keep

focused when teaching a lesson in this classroom. They are tempted by sitting next to one

another and struggle with listening to lectures. Therefore, I need to ensure to incorporate an

activity for these students, as they work diligently when assigned a task. Besides this group,

there are not many students that have caused issues frequently in the classroom. There is a

lively energy to the room that allows for the students to own their learning. I will need to ensure I
embrace this spark the students have in the classroom, as they know they are allowed to

participate in the learning.

This classroom has a wide range of perspectives and voices present in the learning. The

class has students from all over Poudre’s school zone. There are students that travel in from

Wellington and some that live near Old Town Fort Collins. It is also noticeable that many of the

students have their own interests outside of the classroom. These are aspects of the classroom

that must be understood for the students to feel welcome in the classroom. Mr. Faws classroom

has these unique experiences that help to extend the walls of the classroom if used properly.

I have noticed that this specific classroom has their own unique needs that need to be

met in order for their classroom experiences to be successful. I have seen this in their ability to

speak their minds and a need for hands-on learning. To meet the needs of this classroom

means ensuring the students are given the opportunity to guide their own learning. This

classroom works together or individually on assignment activities very well. Therefore, in my

role, I need to understand that this classroom has a lively energy and students will be restless

during long lecture periods.

There are a total of 3 students in the classroom I assist in that have individualized needs

for the classroom. This includes two 504s and a single IEP. My mentor teacher has said that he

does not make any accommodations for these students everyday, as they appear to keep with

the class. However, he does frequent check-ins with these students and ensures he has

resources to accommodate if needed. This is the same approach I will take into consideration

when teaching a lesson in this class. I will ensure these students feel that class is as normal as

it is with Mr. Faw, but make sure to have resources for their use if needed. There are also a

small number of students that speak English as their second language. I have noticed them

struggle at times with writing notes from lectures. I must then consider having a template of

notes for these students if I lecture during my lesson. This is the way I must approach

accommodating the students' needs within this classroom.

 When teaching a lesson, there are a variety of unique needs that I must address for all

students to succeed. The first need I can identify is English language Learners that may need a

slowed pace or a handout containing the notes from the lecture. I have noticed the English

Learning students struggle during lectures and ask their classmates for the spelling. This

interaction showed that this student would benefit from the handout. There is also the group of

students, addressed earlier, that are very chatty in lecture. I noticed that they respond to the

proximity of Mr. Faw during his lectures and work well on assignments. These are aspects of the

classroom that I need to consider when building a lesson plan for this class. There are also

some students in the classroom that do not participate in the classroom discussion as others. To

get these students engaged, I would consider having the students write down their own

thoughts before discussion. This strategy will give these students the opportunity to be heard in

the classroom and make their thinking visible.