1

EDUC 280 - Timecard and Journal Entries

Task 1. Timecard
 2
Task 2. Journal 1 & 2 Combined Journal Assignment
EDUC 280 Journal 1 & 2 Combined

Task 1. Classroom Management

Question 1 – Do you think your teacher has successfully created a productive learning environment? Why or
why not?
I truly believe that the teacher that I am observing was successful at creating a productive learning environment
because each of the students are comfortable with everyone in the room to ask questions if they don’t know
something and they are also able to call a friend if they rather do that instead. Each student has their own
special tool to help them through learning or doing different things according to where they are at with that skill
or level.

Question 2 – What techniques does the teacher use to keep students actively involved in academic activities?
Some different techniques that my teacher does to keep students actively involved in academic activities is the
ability to do breaks if needed, new things or reintroduced things, stickers or even things that all of the students
are currently into. If those techniques don’t work on the students then she resorts to bribery to do at least one
or half of the activities. By bribery I mean smelly stamps or an M&M.
Question 3 – How is your teachers “withitness?” In other words, do they have command of the classroom? Do
they have great systems of classroom management in place?
The teacher that I am observing does have command of the classroom but they are still working on different
managing skills because they have been gaining some new students little by little which changes the dynamic of
a room sometimes since they are new.
Question 4 – What types of “punishments” are used in your classroom?
The only punishment that the classroom does is sometimes if a student is not using a tool appropriately and are
asked and reminded multiple times how to use the tool it get put up for the day or a little bit depending on the
 3
tool to have a reset period. I have also seen only once that a special or outside time was taken so they can have
a conversation with the teacher.

Question 5 – How or where are the rules posted in your classroom? How were they created? By the students
or the teacher?
The rules are posted on the corner of one of the whiteboards in the classroom as a visual and they are also
posted at the back of the room with words. The teacher created them at the beginning of the year after
observing the new class and what they would need reminded of and the expectation she wanted for her
classroom.
Task 2. Curriculum
Question 1 – Give an example of when the teacher used integrated curriculum across subjects (i.e. combining
science and language arts)
When the class learns about a new letter every week they do something that incorporates that letter. For
example, for the letter V they did many letter tracing activities but they also did a project with vinegar and
baking soda to make volcanos. For the letter P they did a project where they got to make popcorn and be able to
touch, smell, and eat it.
Question 2 – Give an example of when the teacher used hidden curriculum.
An example of a teacher using hidden curriculum is when they model the expectation that they want for a class.
Also when modeling hand raising, the way we talk to others, and how we treat one another.

Question 3 – Does your teacher used differentiated instruction?

The teacher does use differentiated instruction with the students. For example, she made binders for each
student with different practice activities such as tracing, writing, matching, colors. When she did the binders she
incorporated where the student was with those skills and made them more adaptable.
 4
Question 4 – Can you tell what kind of learner the teacher is from his/her instructional preferences?
I think that from the teachers instructional preferences she is a visual learner the most. She uses a lot more
visuals than she does anything else.

Question 5 – Do you think the teacher adapts the curriculum to the types of learners in the classroom?
I do think that my teacher adapts the curriculum to the different types of learners in the classroom. She does
different assignments according to where the student is. She is also able to provide them with the correct tools
to make them successful.

Question 6 – Does your teacher like the curriculum he/she is teaching?

So the teacher that I am observing does not like the curriculum that they because she thinks it is geared towards
four and five year olds that attend full days. Her students are 3,4 and 5 year olds that have developmental
delays. Also since they are only there half of the time they have to pick and choose what activities to do.

Question 7 – What would they like to see added in the future?

What she would like to see in the future is just the curriculum being more geared towards students that she has
or have the curriculum be more engaging for the students as the kids aren’t super interested in it.

Task 3. Technology

Question 1 – What kind of technology was used in the class(es) you observed? Was it effective?
My teacher uses a TV connected to her computer to set songs for either a learning circle or for a movement
break when things get to crazy. They also use tablets to do learning games for students at the level they are at or
are used as communication devices.
Question 2 – What type of technology might you use when you start your teaching career?
I may use a projector or a tv in order to should students what we are going to do or something that relates to
the assignment. We may also use computers to do certain assignments but will be limited.
 5
Question 3 – Do you think it is harder or easier to incorporate technology into your classroom?
I think that it’s easy to incorporate technology into the classroom but it’s hard to incorporate it appropriately
and have it be effective for the students to learn something from it.

Task 4. Diversity

Question 1 – How diverse was your class(es) you observed?

The classroom that I am observing is I think pretty diverse. The teacher makes sure to meet the students where
they are what they already know, and has visuals with lots of different people.

Question 2 – What did your mentor/teacher do (or not do) to create a diverse classroom?
With different activity that they do she incorporates diversity in all of the visuals or learning videos that are
shown. She also keeps in mind different students background’s and makes assignments around them to be
respectful if not believed in. She also incorporates it in the visuals that she has around the classroom.