Alternative Observation Reflection

Penny Harris
CSN Course: EDU 203
Assignment: Field Observation and Reflection- Artifact #2
Professor: Constantina Pappas M.Ed., BCBA
Video Selected: Correction of Reading Disabilities- Formal Observation

1: Is instruction delivered in small groups, centers, whole groups, individually?

The instruction being provided in this video is small group instruction.
2: Describe the teacher’s teaching style.
The teacher’s teaching style is an active learning style. Both the teacher and her 2 students,
Maddox and Josh, were engaged in the learning process. I was very impressed by her students,
they were actively listening as well as participating, and very respectful of her.
3: How does the teacher incorporate the sensory modalities (learning styles)? Give
examples.
The teacher incorporated reading, vocabulary, reading comprehension, sequence, as well as
including singing, moving, and playing a game; all around a baseball story she read with her
students. I feel like it was an excellent choice of material, because the boys were interested in
the subject that the teacher was teaching, and she made it fun and interesting.
4: Do the students seem engaged in the lesson(s) presented? Please explain.
The students, Maddox and Josh seemed very engaged in the lesson. They already knew about
baseball, and they were very involved in participating in the discussion, classwork, singing, and
game, that the teacher presented to the both of them. The teacher made the lesson interesting,
attention getting, energetic, and engaging.
5: Are there any students isolated or not present/participating in the class? Explain?
Both of the teacher's students were very engaged and participating.
6. Did you see any accommodations or modifications made to the lesson for the student? If
so, what were they?
The accommodations/modifications that I feel were used were that the teacher read the story to
her students, instead of them reading it independently to themselves. I also feel that her
instructions and directions were broken down into many specific tasks to help the boys grasp
what she was teaching them. I also liked the fact that she got the boys up and moving to sing
“Take me out to the Ballgame”, which helps with concentration, and breaks up the lesson, so it’s
not just a bunch of sitting and listening.
7: How does the teacher handle transitions from subject to subject or activity to activity?
Are the transitions efficient?
The teacher handled transitions very well. She would state “Ok, now we are going to this...” or
“set your papers aside, because now we are going to...” The teacher would always make sure
that she gave the boys specific instructions as to what they were to do next.
8: List ways the teacher uses “attention getting” commands, word phrases, signals, etc. Are
they effective?
One way the teacher got the boys’ attention was by addressing them with their names. When the
boys were playing the “Connect Four” game, she would grab their attention by having them say
the words before they could daub it, making sure that they were saying the word correctly, and
then changing up the game by having them choose another color dauber, and providing them
with a new set of words.
9: What specific behavior issues does the teacher have to deal with? How does the teacher
handle the behavior issues? Be specific.
I think the two biggest behavior issues I saw in the video were the students getting a little silly
with the bingo daubers after they played the “connect four” type vocabulary game and Josh
saying the word “fart” on camera. The teacher handled the dauber situation by taking away the
paper that the boys were playing their game on, then also requesting they put the caps back on
their daubers and to put them up. When Josh talked about “farting” on camera, she got down on
his level and asked him if that was an appropriate way to speak, and Josh said “no”. Also, I
noticed when the boys would have a slight behavioral issue here and there, (talking out of turn),
Maddox would apologize to the teacher. The teacher would also gently nudge the boys back into
their seats, or ask them what they were supposed to be doing when they got off task.
10: What positive reinforcements were used if any?
Two positive reinforcements that I noticed, was the promise of having some free time on an Ipad
if they completed all the tasks at hand, and the promise of playing their “Connect Four” game
like bingo the next time they meet, and with the possibility of prizes. The teacher was also very
praising and complimentary when the boys stayed on task, followed directions, and answered
questions correctly.
11: Are there any policies or procedures that help or hinder instructional time? Please
explain them and how they help or hinder instructional time.
I do not think the teacher did anything that hindered instructional time. It was very thoughtful
and engaging that she modeled her whole lesson after baseball. Perhaps she knew her students
had played the game before. I think by spending a set amount of time on a particular aspect of
her lesson, breaking it up with actions, songs, and games, and having the boys read, write, cut
with scissors, and used their imaginations; the teacher did an excellent and exceptional job of
teaching her students.
12. What could the teacher have done better to assist the student(s) with learning the
material?
I think the teacher did a fantastic job. She was very helpful, caring, serious when she needed to
be, understanding, and engaging. I think the students were very respectful of her, and learned a
lot; directly and indirectly. Directly by her reading the book, explaining their tasks, and aiding
the boys with their assignments. Indirectly by having them sing songs and play a fun game.
Video Selected: Miss Reid Teaching Reading
1: What drove you to choose this student?
I chose Destiny in Miss Reid’s class. She was in the front row, sitting in the seat closest to the
camera. I chose her because she seemed quiet, but engaged and interested in what Miss Reid
was teaching.
2: Explain what the student did during the observation.
While the teacher was talking directly to Destiny she was on task, doing what she was directed to
do. When Miss Reid was helping other students, sometimes Destiny would be doing her
worksheet, and at other times looking at her classmates or around the classroom. But Miss Reid
also would engage with Destiny, had her read, and find answers on her worksheet. Sometimes
when Destiny was reading over her worksheet while Miss Reid was interacting with other
students, she would sit hunched over and following along with her pencil. While Destiny was
completing her assignment, Miss Reid would check to make sure she was on task, giving her an
erasure to correct her mistakes, as well as praising Destiny when she was completing her work,
by saying “Thank you Destiny.”
3: Summarize the lesson given and the student’s responses to the lesson.
The students were reading words off of a worksheet. “Saying them and tracing them”, as
directed by Miss Reid. She would have a student read a word from the worksheet, trace it, or
write it five times. Miss Reid would have one student read one word per sentence, and go down
the table having each student read a word. Destiny was fully engaged, and doing her work, and
was following along on her sheet. She had to correct some mistakes, but Miss Reid was
observing Destiny throughout the lesson and making sure she was on task.
4: Make sure to document ALL behavior in relationship to what was being presented by
the classroom teacher.
Destiny was observant, engaged, and respectful of Miss Reid. At times when Destiny was done
with the topic at hand on her worksheet, she would look around the classroom or at the students
at her table. At other times she would “wring” her hands, or sit slightly slouched over, almost
like she was asleep. But when Miss Reid would approach her, she knew exactly where she was
supposed to be on her worksheet, and would follow directions.
5: Please describe what you discovered about the student’s learning styles, involvement in
class, and his/her educational needs.
I think Destiny learning style definitely was hands on. I don’t think Destiny could have
completed the worksheet entirely on her own without Miss Reid’s explicit instructions and
directions. Destiny would participate in class, and responded when Miss Reid spoke to her.
Miss Reid was having Destiny and her fellow classmates read a word, then write it 5 times. This
was happening so that the students would learn to read the word by saying it and writing it.
6: What positive reinforcements were used successfully? What behavioral consequences
were used?
Praise was used when positively reinforcing Destiny; telling Destiny “Thank you” when she was
on task. Destiny did not have any behavioral consequences, but another student Davonte, who
was sitting behind her, got a little upset when Miss Reid moved him closer to his desk mate
when he wasn’t following directions. He sat down next to his classmate, and put his head down
on his arms. Miss Reid nudged him gently and said “C’mon Davonte”. I was very impressed
with how Miss Reid ran her classroom, engaged every student, had her students doing different
classwork, how she worked the room, and how quiet, respectful, and on task her students with
special needs were.
 Summary: Field Observation and Reflection- Artifact #2

There are many observations, learning strategies, instructions, realizations about students and

teachers, and set-up and design of school environment that I learned about in my observations of

different schools and classrooms with students with special needs. Each environment and

classroom very unique, had different teaching approaches, and a variety of students from pre-K

on up to high school level. It was very informative and vital to learn that starting from the pre-K

level, key elements, strategies, and life skills were taught to help students start their journeys

through elementary school, middle school, and finally, high school. Each grade had skills to

build upon, and teach students with special needs what they need to be successful, comfortable,

and accepted into the daily school schedule, and life thereafter.

When observing the teachers in each video, the main things that stuck out the most were how

dedicated they were to their professions, how much they loved their students, their attention to

how much/what they would do to assist their students, and their patience and overall sense of

wanting their students to succeed. There were no half attempts by any educator in the videos, it

was all or nothing. The way the teachers carefully planned their lessons and learning strategies,

as well as positively reinforcing their students and communicating with them (nonverbally,

through pictures, or showing them what they wanted them to do); their actions were very

thoughtful and necessary. The students involved in each video ALL were very unique in their

abilities, learning styles, and learning disabilities. But a concept that came across in almost

every video was the need for some sort of visual, physical, or audible stimulation. It helped the

students learn and communicate better with their teachers and classmates. Another important

message, especially in the older classrooms, was the necessity for gen ed participation with

SPED students, teaching life skills, and social skills. Each school environment in was very
welcoming, organized, and set up to make students comfortable, easier to transition through, and

manageable. By completing these observations, I definitely feel like I have learned what

teaching strategies I can use and educate myself more about. It was also very inspiring to watch

these teachers, especially Miss Reid, who had a variety of students with special needs, having

such a command of her classroom and her students. I can use suggestions made in our text, as

well as using the assessment tool we created for our students, and the assessment strategies and

methods used in many of the videos, in my classroom. Finally, I would incorporate positive

reinforcement, co-teaching, using lessons that combine my student’s interests with particular

learning subjects, and calming strategies, such as taking breaks to move around the classroom by

watching an active video, going for a walk around the school, or dancing.

All in all, the videos used in these observations were very insightful in learning about students

with learning disabilities, their teachers, and what strategies and methods I can use to make my

classroom an effective, fun, interactive, and safe place to learn. I know that I can also view other

videos about a variety of other subject matter and classroom scenarios to help educate myself

more extensively, about useful strategies and practices in my classroom. The biggest goal I will

take away from these observations, will be to never give up on ANY of my students, to be

caring, active, and open-minded, and for my students and myself to have a “can do” attitude.