Ruden 1

Molly Ruden

September 23rd, 2019

Hillcrest Elementary

First Grade

Mrs. Broksieck

Observing the Classroom Environment Assignment

How is the classroom set up?

The classroom has specific locations for certain activities. In the front of the room, is the
SmartBoard, a space for group activities, and the teacher’s desk. The SmartBoard is used for
morning announcements and group work. In front of the SmartBoard is a rug with colorful
squares on it for the students to sit in. A teacher’s chair sits next to the rug for when the teacher
reads books to the class or uses the SmartBoard. The teacher’s desk has four colorful stools
surrounding it for students to sit at. Around the classroom are positive colorful posters and
decorations. Three tables sit in the middle of the room with each student’s name on them.
Bookshelves line a wall as a place for students to pick out books and read.

How do children get along in the classroom? Describe their interactions.

The students in the classroom get along well. They communicate with each other and choose
to sit by friends during group time. During silent reading, students like to talk to each other when
they are not supposed to. Student’s discuss what they did over the weekend to one another and
what they look forward to in the day like recess.

In what activities do children engage? Are there opportunities for children to make
choices?

In the beginning of the day, the students engage in a good morning note by learning about
what the schedule will be like in that day. Then the students practice reading words on a digital
dice on the SmartBoard. Next, students have individual reading time. The students have the
 Ruden 2

opportunity to pick where they want to sit around the classroom. The students then take a break
to go outside for recess. After recess, students have a snack while the teacher reads a book to
them. They have the opportunity to pick where they want to sit on the rug during the story. The
final activity I get to see during the day in individual writing time. Students again have the
opportunity to pick where they want to sit around the classroom as long as it will not be a
distraction for them.

Do children seem comfortable? What is the tone and the feel of the classroom? Is it safe,
positive, respectful?

The students seem very comfortable and excited to learn in the classroom. The tone is not
stressful in the classroom. When students are called up for individual reading test, they do not
seem scared or worried about the test. They students are excited to use the SmartBoard in the
morning and want to know what the schedule is for the day. The students show great respect for
the teacher. When she is teaching a lesson, the students pay attention. The students show respect
for one another by respecting everyone’s space and individual needs. The atmosphere of the
classroom is positive. One can tell the teacher wants the students to succeed and the classroom is
set up for achievement.

What are the assumptions of the environment? What does the environment tell you about
the image of the child and expectations for how children learn?

The image of the child is shown through the environment of the classroom. The classroom
shows the individuality and uniqueness of a child. Different locations for individual reading and
writing time provide the needs for each individual student. If a student wants a quieter spot to
read or write, he or she may sit in a more hidden corner of the room. Cushions are available for
comfortable and more relaxing sitting. Each student knows he or she is apart of the classroom by
having the student of the week. Each week a new student is highlighted where he or she gets to
tell the class something about themselves and bring an important item into the classroom. This
allows for each student to know they are important and cared about in the classroom.

How is content to be learned (e.g., based on standards or program goals, or other

decisions)?
 Ruden 3

Content is learned through whole class group work, small group work, individual work, and
one-on-one time with the teacher. In the morning and during large book time, the whole class
learns together with the teacher. The teacher asks the group a question and the students either
answer together or individually. Right now, the school is completing reading and writing
assessments. The teacher will use this information to assign small groups. Each group will be
created by the corresponding reading/writing level. Small groups will be assigned specific books
to read and write about and then come together to discuss them. Individual work is completed
when the students have quiet reading and writing time. This allows the student to work by him or
herself to read the book of his or her choosing and to complete individual writing. Finally, there
is one-on-one time with the teacher. Each student has the opportunity to work on reading or
writing with the teacher alone. Most of this is completed though assessment to see what the
student knows.

What does the teacher do in the classroom to connect goals or objectives to children’s
interests?

The teacher listens to the students’ interest and includes them in her lesson plan. In the beginning
of the year, the students showed interest in insects. The teacher raised butterflies in her room to
show the life cycle of a caterpillar. Last week the teacher read a book about fall and the changing
of leaves. This week the teacher brought in apples as snack to meet the students’ interest about
Johnny Appleseed. The students read books and talked about Johnny Appleseed and apples.
Bringing in apples met the students’ interest and taught them about healthy snacks. The teacher
takes in account each students’ stories he or she tells and gives feedback by telling he or she to
write about that story in the individual writing time.