ASSIGNMENT 4 (Culture):

Using the information provided below, carefully observe and evaluate the culture of the school
where you are assigned to observe. Remember you are evaluating the school for its educational
culture, place of learning, sense of safety, invitation for learning, promotion of self-
actualization, development of values and socialization.

Physical Characteristics:
Look at the physical areas of the school to determine atmosphere, comfort, and feelings the
school creates for students in the educational setting.

1.Consider the school property: building, grounds, fencing, equipment, landscaping, trees,
parking lot, crosswalks, gates, signs and symbols.
The school building is an indoor facility and the classrooms are all indoor. There is an outdoor
quad in the center of the building where you will find planter boxes and seating. To get to the
school building, there are two crosswalks with two crossing guards to assist students across the
street at the 4 way stop just out front of the school. The entire school is fenced in for students to
be able to run around in the grassy field. Once you are inside the school building, there are signs
on the corner of the halls that tell you where certain room numbers are to help you locate where
it is you are trying to go.

2.Next, study the interior of the school: halls, floor coverings, lighting, doors, windows, hall
colors and decorations and entrance security.
The halls are decorated with student assignments such as writing reports, research papers,
artwork, bodies that are labeled with the digestive system, and even their top AR reader
leaderboard. There are lots of reminders of life skills around the halls such as perseverance,
respect, responsibility, etc. Classroom doors are also decorated with students' names and the
teacher’s name.

Culture of the School: Read, listen and observe to determine the climate, values, and atmosphere
within the school.

1. Identify the school’s mission statement, motto, and mascot.

Brookman Elementary is the home of the Builders. They have a big yellow hard hat as their
“mascot.” Their motto is “Constructing the path to success.”

2. Analyze staff and visitor interactions in the main office. Note student and faculty interactions
in other areas of the school.
All visitors are greeted at the front desk and helped accordingly. They take your temperature and
ask to fill out some paperwork that includes your name, the date, reason for coming, some covid
questions, and a signature. You are then sent to the computer to fill out similar information in
order to be printed a sticker pass to wear around campus. The staff is very kind and very helpful.
Even teachers are willing to stop in the halls and point visitors in the correct direction. If parents
are picking up their child early, they are required to show ID before checking them out. Students
usually wave or fist bump the visitors.
3. Look at the formal practices: School bell schedule, and the grouping of students. (ie. grades,
block scheduling, periods) Does the school use inclusion, or a pull-out program for special
education students?
School begins at 9am. The first lunch bell goes off at 10:30am while the last lunch bell goes at
12:45pm. School is out at 3:15pm. I find it interesting that first graders have 1st lunch while
kindergarteners have last lunch. This school has a pull-out program for those with an IEP or that
need other assistance. The Speech, OT, or PT and some others, pull the kids aside to work one on
one with the student in order to meet the teachers goals for the individual student. When looking
at the students in the classroom, it is easy to see that the students who are easily engaged and
understand the courses are in the back of the classroom while the ones who tend to fall behind
and are easily distracted are set to sit in the front of the classroom.

4. Observe student-to-student interactions, inside and outside of the building. Observe where
students gather to socialize – lunchroom, halls, playground, etc.
When looking at the students in any given situation, it is easy to tell who is friends with who.
Students who are close tend to find each other in line, pick to be each other's partner for group
work, sit next to each other at lunch, and play together at recess. I also noticed that the teacher
strategically splits up the students who are “best friends” within the classroom seating chart.