Freeman 1

Melissa Freeman
ELED 3111
Danny Smith
19 Nov. 2014
Clinical Observations
During the time of my clinicals, I was assigned to Mount Pleasant Elementary School.
Cabarrus County, is very fortunate to be able to give the technology and equipment for every
classroom and teacher for the county. This year, teachers at MPES were given MacBook Air
computers and a few years ago given iPads for easy testing and recording. I was given a second
grade classroom. My CT Mrs. Johnston, provided her class with many opportunities to use
technology and become more involved. At her advantage, she was tech savvy and knew of
activities and resources that would work best for her children. She used videos that helped her
students learn more to enhance the lesson. She would also have them explore on the iPads with
the apps that were downloaded for the schools curriculum. The apps on the iPad would give
them more practice on weak areas of different subjects and also interactive games that would
give more knowledge.
The technology used in her classroom involved using a projector, SMARTboard, laptops
(for the teacher and the students), iPads, and the Doc cam. These resources were used daily
throughout each subject. The grade level shares a cart of a class set of iPads. The teacher had
students interact with the SMARTboard by watching videos according to the appropriate subject.
She had sing alongs for counting, stories read to them, math education games used to show how
to solve problems. Her students loved to use the SMARTboard, they enjoyed writing and moving

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around different items for activities. She also used ClassDojo that was shown on the
SMARTboard, children were rewarded points for good behavior and a percentage was shown for
the overall class behavior. SMARTboard made children interact with the class and the children
seemed to have an interest of wanting to learn and use the SMARTboard.
My CT had fifteen minute centers that where for reading and math. In the math centers,
the students rotated by switching to the teacher, using the computers for dream box ( a county
standard for all elementary school students in Cabarrus County), a math playing game that
correlates with the math standard, and a math worksheet station. Mrs. Johnstons class her
students, the majority, were below grade level and a handful on and above grade level. As I was
observing I noticed how my CT would modify her center for the up coming groups. She would
use smaller numbers that were being taught in the lesson and fewer problems in her informal
assessment; then increased the numbers and problems for her on and above grade levels.
In Mrs. Johnstons reading and spelling groups, students were leveled off into their
ability of fluency and reading level. She modified the lower groups spelling words so they would
show progression of smaller, simpler words that increased their vocabulary and letter sounds
while showing a passing grade on their spelling test. Then a vast majority of her students
followed into the middle group; just barely or on grade level. This group, their words were
different and more fitting towards their ability; while using the same type of modification. Then
the same process for the above grade level, their modification was used to challenge their ability
and use higher level words.
In spelling and math Mrs. Johnston did scaffold her children by modifying the work.
Progressively pushing her students into the goals of second grade so her children can achieve the
knowledge they need for the next year. She differentiated different levels and had each group

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start off with baby steps and throughout this school year she will get them on grade level for
second grade. While her disadvantage in her classroom is that more than half of her twenty
students are under grade level; one student is on level E and the rest are around H and I for
reading. I think it will be very difficult to get students ready for third grade and for EOGs when
they're still under grade level.
Mrs. Johnston had to modify her lessons for her ELL student. Her student needs to be
read aloud for their reading subject. During the time for reading block, her class will either work
in centers, small groups, or partners, and her ELL student will stay with her and she will read the
assigned work to him and ask questions for understanding. Then for the questions or response
worksheet, the student will write a portion of the sentences and then illustrate. During this time,
the student would go out for thirty minutes to ESL and learn more english. I was able to read to
the ELL learner, he told me that his family at home speaks only spanish and then at school
everything is English. He told me that it was very confusing to learn a lot of English when its
not used at home. I think there should be more opportunities for ELL students to grasp the
English language, but there will need to be a follow through at home; and that would be a
significant disadvantage.
She also has to modify another student. She has one student that has ADHD. This child
needs to have repeated directions, one on one learning, and graphic organizers or posters (for a
visual). I worked with the student one on one as well and I saw an improvement of her attention
and the quality of her work compared to the previous day I was there. The student without the
one on one attention help showed distractions for the entire class, disruptive during the centers,
and not paying attention to understand what actually needed to be completed for that task.

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One of my observation days, I was able to sit in on a grade level lesson planning meeting.
I was able to see all of the second grade teachers work together and decide on the activities and
materials they wanted to use and how they made their lesson plans. The teachers used group
planning and would worked together. They decided on who should plan what subjects. Each
teacher would plan one subject and then AirDrop their lessons to the rest of the teachers. This
was a helpful plan so that the load of planning will be lightened and working together and
incorporating more ideas than just one. They used graphic organizers, anchor charts, and games.
Teachers at MPES use planbook.com, this is an online lesson plan book that is very
useful for teachers. Planbook provides the common core standards, easy organizations for a
weeks worth of planning, and easy sharing if teachers or principals need to review. For team
teaching, teachers can make attachments for their subjects and share with other teachers.
planbook.com allows you to copy and paste and add attachments for additional understanding for
substitutes and whoever will review the lessons. Schools will have to pay to use this website but
the teacher reviews are very high. I think all teachers should use this website to keep their lesson
plans up to date with technology and electronically for easy access and compatibility.
Being in the classroom I noticed a necessity for kids. Since todays society is moving
towards technology in school, I think there should be a class set of iPads for every classroom.
This would be a great resource where they could do the online story online,' razkids, and star
fall. Having their own iPad they could have all of their necessary text books, stories, and apps
that are appropriate for each students. iPads could also be helpful from students to learn their
spelling words by using spelling city. Technology is growing fast and students are required to
keep up with the changes in schools; due to everything revolving round a computer and therefore
I think class sets should be provided.