I.

Observation 3:
Classroom Management and Routines

II. Grade:
Pre-school

III. Students:
3 boys, 6 girls

IV. Setting:
Pre-school classroom at a Somerset County Daycare
Ages (3-5 years old), 9 students, 1 head teacher

V. Pre-Observation:
The purpose of this observation was to evaluate the way the teachers use classroom
management to guide their students and routines. It is also to make recommendations to
better manage and set a certain routine to make school fun and educative for the children.
To prepare for this observation I read chapter three, A History of Schooling in America
(Koch, 2016). By reading chapter three, I learned how teachers manage and create certain
routines for their students.

VI. Data:
Walking into class today at 9am, the children sat on their chairs and had breakfast
while the teacher sat next to the table and was on the schools iPad signing everyone in.
After breakfast, kids knew to sit on their spots at the listening area to start the day. Some
students did not listen or did not want to sit on their spots and the teacher would yell at
the children in order for them to do so. Today there was a new student in class his name
was child X. Child X did not listen at all and did whatever he wanted. The teacher
grabbed child X arm several times and raised her voice explaining for him to do as told.
After that, the teacher first started off singing their daily song “who is here today” and
marking their names on the “who is here today” board. She then went over the date, the
months, the days of the week and had the children participate for that. To continue their
daily routine, the teacher then went over the alphabet, their nouns, their rhyming words,
and their site words and also made the children participate for that as well. After their
daily morning routine, the teacher then started with the day’s activities.
Today the kids finger painted what they envisioned spring to look like. As I
helped the teacher set the paper and the paint on the table, some students were not
listening and sitting in their chairs and the teacher yelled at the students who did not
listen. Some students continued not to listen to directions and the teacher then “excused”
 the child and told them to take their name off of the “who is here today” board. The child
then threw a temper tantrum and she then said “once you get your act together you can
come back to your friends.” After some students finished their painting the teacher told
them to go play at play area while their other friends finish.
At the play area, some children did not share and there was hitting involved. The
teacher then grabbed the child who was hitting and said the following, “you do not shove
or hit your friends! Go back and say sorry. You’re going to be excused from play time for
your actions!” and of course the child then cried and said sorry to her friend.

VII. Analysis:
Setting up a daily routine for students and teachers is very important, this provides
a plan for the day. At the daycare, teachers have the privilege to make their own schedule
and make it flexible. Therefore, the children are not aware of the schedule since they are
always entertained. Also, the children are always given enough time for each activity.
Guidance in a classroom is very important to follow as it will create a calm
environment for children to focus and learn in class. When the children misbehave, the
teacher will explain to the child what he/she has done wrong and usually raises her voice
when doing so. When children continue to misbehave, the teacher will “excuse” them or
in other words put in time-out. The teacher will also tell the child to take their name out
from the “who is here today” board. The teacher explained that when doing so, the child
does not like getting their name down from the board therefore the child will stop their
misbehavior. This shows that the child is aware of their misbehavior. During class,
guidance is consistent most of the time and conflicts are resolved by the teacher. The
children do not understand or resolve their problems unless told by the teacher to do so.
The teacher does not have any sort of class system in place for rewards and punishments.
The teacher also explained that she always handles a child’s conflict on her own and does
not involve the director. If a child’s behavior has been unacceptable for the teacher to
handle, the teacher will then make a report of the misbehavior and send that report to the
office director which then leads the director to calling the child’s parents. Lastly, I asked
the director when are teachers being observed. She explained that in each classroom there
are cameras and teachers are being observed at all times. If a teacher does something
incorrectly, they are brought to the office to talk to the director about what they have
done wrong.

VIII. Recommendations:
As the schedule/routine used in the classroom is productive, I would not make any
changes. As explained by Ostrosky, Jung, Hemmeter, & Thomas, “predictable and
consistent schedules in preschool classrooms help children feel secure and comfortable”
(Ostrosky, Jung, Hemmeter, & Thomas 2008, pg1). Due to the students being familiar
with their daily morning routines, students feel comfortable and at a secure environment.
 Due to witnessing student’s misbehavior several times, I would make some
changes. According to TATS eUpdate, “daily review of classroom rules (posted with
pictures and words) will promote the understanding of classroom expectations” (TATS
eUpdate 2010, pg2). By providing a poster of rules for the classroom, it would limit
misbehaviors from students. Also, showing children to cope with their conflicts by
providing “a space for children to work through their conflict resolution strategies. This is
a method of teaching young children strategies for coping with anger, disappointment,
and frustration” (TATS eUpdate 2010, pg5). This will provide students to learn how to
cope with their problems and resolve them on their own.

IX. Post-Observation:
After a few visits at the daycare, I felt more comfortable and I was more familiar with the
daily schedule/activities. Each day I am learning more from the school, teacher, and the
students such as their planning, routine, classroom management.

X. References:
Koch, J. (2016). A History of Schooling in America. In Teach (pp. 32-53). California:
Author.

Classroom Management–Rules, Routines, and Schedules. (2010, January). Retrieved