Formal Classroom Observation #2

In Atlas case 562 we got to see different types of students in a classroom. Besides the

difference in race, ethnicity, and gender we got to see a much wider range. This was a class that

showed a range of social skills and their disabilities. They were learning how to start

conversations, each student had their own personalities that would show within the lesson. Some

students were very eager to participate and wanted to speak up while others didn't and wanted to

stay quiet. The teacher could tell the students who didn't want to participate and still made sure

each student was engaged in the lesson. He made everyone take turns to read the board and

answer questions. He would also allow the students who really wanted to be involved to help

him, like having a student help him present the slides, which involves multiple teaching styles. In

this specific classroom it worked out that he made everyone participate. It was a small class that

was able to have the time to make everyone present something. Some students were involved a

lot more than others, there was a particular student who seemed to be the teacher helper who was

extremely helpful and engaged the entire class. Other students needed that push to be able to

speak in the classroom. The classroom took in consideration that every student is different, he let

the eager student be eager and even helped him and made sure that everyone had a chance. Even

the student who couldn't really talk and was even able to raise a hand to even want to talk, the

teacher made sure they had a voice and was able to participate. The teacher was great at

modifying his lesson to the needs of his students, you could tell he knew exactly how each

student learns and just simply, are. He made sure everyone participated and made sure everyone

was engaged. He made a great lesson plan that was extremely useful for his class, he knew what

they needed and he made it work. Even though this teacher was very aware of his students and

made sure everyone was able to speak, it did seem like he didnt pay as much attention to a
student with greater needs, in the end though he spoke up for the student and helped them so they

were able to participate just like everyone else. My own personal challenges I think I’ll face for

teaching a diverse classroom is caring too much. As in, I will be extremely aware of my students'

needs and would want to make sure they are able to participate and help them do so. Doing this I

may put too much pressure or attention on this student in front of the classroom and in turn make

this worse than if I didn't pay attention to the student. I learned that having a diverse group is

very important, you get to have a piece of everything, everyone has a different view and input. I

will take the idea of if I had a small enough classroom to be able to make everyone participate, I

can make sure that there is a fair share of presenters, each student can and should have a chance

to talk in the classroom. I also like having the eager students help you, it's a win win, they get to

do “more” and it makes for other students opportunities to be opened because that student is

occupied as a helper.