`CSN Education Department - Field Observation Activities Packet

Your Name: >>> Viviana Vega Torres

CSN Course: EDU 201 Intro. to Elementary Education

Professor: Connie Christensen

Professor’s email: [email protected]

CCSD School: >>> Liliam Lujan Hickey Elementary School

Cooperating Teacher: >>> Ms. Yoder

THE FIELD OBSERVATION ASSIGNMENTS

ASSIGNMENT #1 (Observation)

1: What are your first impressions of the classroom environment? Is it warm, inviting, organized, etc? Describe
the physical environment in detail.
Walking into the classroom it felt very warm and she invited me right in. The first day I got the
chance to go pick up the students, before going into class all the students lined up outside the door and
gave her a high five. Seeing their face get excited about the high five made me feel warm and I even
wanted a high five. The room is very colorful, lots of posters, and the room is very interactive with each
other. It is also very well organized; Ms. Yoder doesn’t waste a second at all and keeps everything in pace
with the schedule. If a student comes in they know to be respectful and get organized before they get to
their seats. If the kids have to go to the bathroom or have anything to say they either raise their hand or
make a number with their fingers.

2: Please describe the student make-up of the class, including gender, ethnicity, ELL, students with physical
challenges, and any other apparent attributes that are important to note.
In the class there is a variety of diversity of the class. There is a total of 18 students in the class.
Each student was unique in their own way. There were so many racial groups like African American,
Asian, Caucasian, Hispanic, and etc. There are a few ELL students and students with challenges. I can
say that there were so many different types of students in the class and that made it fun and exciting. As
a student observer, I saw that in each class it contained different students with different challenges that
one has to face.

3: Are their posted class rules? If rules are posted write them exactly as they appear.
They have three different type of posted rules on each wall. One of them read, Class rules: 1)
follow instructions first time given 2) Treat others with respect 3 ) Keep hands, feet, and other object to
yourself 4) be the best student YOU can be. The second one read, Class expectations: 1) Practice
responsibly 2) Act respectfully 3) Care for others and self 4) Keep high expectations. The class
expectations spelled out P.A.C.T by the first letter of each of the four expectations. Then the last one was
if you were an earlier finisher: 1) Read a book 2) Finish other work 3) Write a story 4) Fill a bucket 5) Help
someone. These were the different type of rules I saw on posters. They were very bright and easy to see.

4: Does the teacher enforce these posted rules? What rewards or consequences are used for compliance or
noncompliance?
Ms. Yoder enforces these rules every day. The rewards she provides for compliance are sticker
stars, candy, and an extra free time slip. For noncompliance, the students get 3 chances, if by the third
chance they continue to act up, they get extra time to stay in class and they have to work on a worksheet
provided by the teacher.

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ASSIGNMENT #2 (Classroom Layout): Use graph paper or drawing software to create an accurate overhead
view, labeled drawing, of your assigned classroom. Then answer the questions below

>>>INSERT YOUR DRAWING HERE<<<

1: Describe the workflow of the room. Is the space used efficiently?

I loved her classroom. Every space in the room was used efficiently and accordingly. The
classroom was also very organized and the students knew their way around the classroom. The workflow
of the room was very fun and on task. The room provided the students and I some sort of comfort that
made me want to stay more.

2: In your opinion, how can the physical arrangement of the room be improved?
In my opinion I don’t think I would change the physical arrangement of the room. Everything in the
room was placed where it could fit according to the class size and the size of the objects. I would
personally love to have my class arrangement similar to her arrangement.

ASSIGNMENT #3 (Instruction): Observe any instructional time in your assigned classroom, and record your
observations when presented with the questions below:

1: What is the posted daily/weekly schedule for different subjects or periods?

Every day they get a certain amount of time to work on each subject in class together. They do
math and writing in class. Then they have this thing where they stay in class just different groups and
individually, they work on a subject on the I pad or in a book individually. Once it hits 9:30 the students
get sent to different classes each to work on their reading and spelling with other teachers and different
students. At 12’oclock is when they have their lunch and then from 12 down, I wasn’t able to see since I
would always leave at 12.
2: Is instruction delivered in small groups, centers, whole groups, individually?
The instruction is delivered in small groups, whole groups, and individually. They are all in groups
of 4-5, so if there is a group activity, they follow directions with their groups. If they have an individual
assignment, they work on it individually. And if they get separated, they get asked in small groups.
3: Describe your cooperating teacher’s teaching style.
She has different learning styles like Visual, Aural, and Verbal teaching style. She incorporates
her teaching style based on her students needs. She provides for all her students.
4: How does the teacher incorporate the sensory modalities (learning styles)? Give examples.
She incorporates the sensory modalities by seeing what the students need. She already knows
how they are and what works well with them, so she bases her lessons on what the students do great
with and avoids things that don’t do great with them. She has I pads that they take reading tests on,
games based on what they need to learn and lessons online. For in class she has regular worksheets and
books they can take tests on. Every student rotates every day to gain new experiences and each gets a
time to work on a different thing each day. It gives students a way to experience new methods and work
on the methods that they aren’t so great at.
5: Do the students seem engaged in the lesson(s) presented? Please explain.
They do seem very engaged. The students are very attentive most of the time when the teacher is
talking. She gets their attention by including questions they have to answer out loud. She also gives them
rewards if they answer the question and just interact. So, the rewards, knowing that they can get one if
they listen plays a big part in their engagement.
6: Are there any students isolated from the rest of the class? Explain?
There are some students that want to isolate themselves from time to time, but the students are
very interactive with each other that prevents those students to be alone. If the teacher sees that they
want to isolate themselves they isolate them, but with the teacher present with them. So if the student
wants to be alone they don’t get the change since they have people to be with them even if they don’t
want to.

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7: How does the teacher handle transitions from subject to subject or activity to activity? Are the transitions
efficient?
The transitions are very efficient. Every morning they go over the things they learned the day
before and they add on to it. Then when something new is added they have a song to memorize what it is.
After that they provide a little dance with motions that help introduce the topic so they don’t forget the
new topic. So each transition is very interactive and very fun. It’s a good way to entertain the students
and a good way to provide the students to memorize the subject.
8: List ways the teacher uses “attention getting” commands, word phrases, signals, etc. Are they effective?
She has a bell that the students use when they get a 100% on their test. The teacher uses 1,2,3
eyes on me method. She also counts down from 10 to see who gets to their seats quietly and orderly. She
also provides special treats or stickers when they listen. They are effective but most of the time students
are still rowdy but she controls them and gets them in check. I think the rewards also makes it so
effective because they know if they act right, they get something in return that benefits them.
9: What specific behavior issues does the teacher have to deal with? How does the teacher handle the behavior
issues? Be specific.
The behaviors the teacher has to deal with are talking when she’s talking, the student not wanting
to participate, students getting mad at the other students, being too loud, not sharing and etc. The
teacher handles it in an orderly and professional manner. There’s a table in the back so if they do
disrespect the classroom they sit there and the class continues to do their own thing and the teacher sits
with them and talk about what the student will do differently and how they shouldn’t do it again. I thought
it was so sweet how the student can have a bad day but once the teacher talks to them and they talk it out
you’ll find out that their either hungry or it wasn’t a good day for them. When the teacher talks it out with
them their whole attitude changes for the better.
10: Are there any policies or procedures that help or hinder instructional time? Please explain them and how they
help or hinder instructional time.
Sometimes, there may be something that takes up most of your class time that you didn’t think
would take that long so you would have to move some stuff around and adjust to it. Even if something
does hinder instructional time it all depends on how it gets handled and what can be done to prevent it
from happening again. Mandatory assemblies can interfere with the teaching lessons since they take up
most of your whole day as well. It hinders instructional time because you may either not be prepared for
something like that or it just takes up most of your time that you have to push everything back or change
it to keep your schedule organized and ready for next week.

ASSIGNMENT #4 (Culture): Using the questions below, carefully observe and evaluate the culture of the
school.. Remember you are evaluating the school for its educational culture, place of learning, sense of safety,
invitation for learning, promotion of self-actualization, development of values and socialization.

Physical Characteristics: Look at the physical areas of the school to determine atmosphere, comfort, and
feelings the school creates for students in the educational setting.

1. Consider the school property: building, grounds, fencing, equipment, landscaping, trees, parking lot,
crosswalks, gates, signs and symbols. Describe in detail.
Everything is safe and handled. There’s no trash outside and the school itself is very clean
and organized. The property is up to date, there aren’t any hazardous playgrounds preventing the
students from doing anything. The gates are closed once school starts so if you are late you have
to go through the front door. The streets are sturdy and the parking lot is efficient. You are able to
see the crosswalks and signs when you are near the school. Everything is visible to the human
eye and safe. The crosswalk people help students and parents cross safely and the whole
neighborhood itself is very clean and safe.
2. Next, study the interior of the school: halls, floor coverings, lighting, doors, windows, hall colors and
decorations and entrance security. Explain in detail.
The interior is very beautiful. It gives me a home feeling. Everything is so colorful and
organized. The school itself is very motivational. They have these posters with mirrors and on top of each
mirror it says who is in charge of your attitude, grades, self, etc. It was just so sweet and very
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inspirational. The walls are clean and the school is also. The staff is very sweet and helpful. There is
lighting provided for anything that needs light. Everything is vibrant and full of color. The posters are very
inspirational and motivational that catches the eye right away. They have security walking around making
sure everything is safe and okay. If you want to go inside the school you have to check in with the front
staff and sign in on the computer and have your picture taken.
Culture of the School: Read, listen and observe to determine the climate, values, and atmosphere within the
school.

1. Explain the school’s mission statement, motto, and mascot.

Mission: Liliam Lujan Hickey Elementary School believes in creating a challenging learning
environment that encourages high expectations for success through developmentally appropriate
instruction. Each student’s self- esteem and academic achievement is fostered through positive
relationships with students and staff. Our school promotes a safe, respectful, caring and
supportive environment. We strive to have our parents, teachers, community members, and
neighboring schools actively involved in our students’ learning.
Motto: Believe it! Achieve it!
Mascot: Huskies
2. Analyze staff and visitor interactions in the main office. Note student and faculty interactions in other
areas of the school.
They are very friendly and they are very helpful. They greet you once you enter the building and if
you need help they are willing to help you. They are very sweet and provide family like
interactions. You can feel the positive energy once you enter the room, especially since everyone
is so helpful. They are kind to the students, staff, parents, and themselves. They are very
organized so when you walk in they make you sign in and they check you in and out.
3. Observe student-to-student interactions, inside and outside of the building. Observe where students
gather to socialize – lunchroom, halls, common areas, playground, etc.
The student gather in the restrooms, lunchrooms, playground, inside and outside classrooms.
There are students everywhere and wherever a student is there is a teacher there watching their
every move. If they are not where they are supposed to be at the get called out for it and sent back
to their homeroom. Students are very fun to observe since you get to see their attitudes and facial
expressions when they do something. They are kind to one another but most of the time they do
get mad at each other. All of the students are very helpful with each other, if one needs help
reading or sounding words out the student is there to help sound them out. Especially when they
are in group activities, they want to win so watching them help each other win is so sweet. But
when they get mad at each other for the little things is quite amusing tome because of all of that
could have been prevented if they just shared the school equipment.
4. Explain how the school is organized- office, library, halls/classrooms, signs.
Everything is well organized and clean. Everything has a special place where it goes. The office is
clean and kept maintained by the staff and principal. The library is organized based on a-z and the
computers are in rows. The halls are safe and full of motivational quotes providing them nothing
but positivity.
5. Examine school traditions, achievements and awards; community recognition or community partners;
extracurricular activities/clubs and athletics. Look for and document sources of community pride and
sense of identity through ceremonies, assemblies, trophies, and artifacts.
The school traditions include a trunk or treat, a walkathon, holiday celebrations, and if they can
believe it they can achieve it. They had some trophies and certificates placed in front of the lunchroom.
Students get rewards based on grades and attendance and behavior. They are very prideful in what they
do and what they stand for is just amazing. The whole school itself provides a sense of purpose to
everyone coming in and out of the school. It really shows what great staff and a great school can do to a
student.
Culture of the Classroom: Each classroom has its own culture and way of life.

1. Look for teacher expectations for learning and success.

Ms. Yoder expects high from each of her students. She expects everyone to be a pack and work
together and not separate and against each other. She also wants them to keep high expectations
for each other. To think big. She also expects for everyone to care and help each other. If you see
some struggling then give them a helping hand.
2. Evaluate the level of student participation in the class. Who participates? Who does not?

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 Everyone participates and if they chose not to the get time added to stay in class. The level of
participation amazes me because everyone wants to participate most of the time. They are all very
sweet and helpful with each other. They all want a star to put on their name tag so they can get
prizes. In the morning they get their wiggles out but eventually they calm down and get straight to
work.
3. Evaluate the interactions between teacher and students, rapport, cohesiveness, distribution of power,
teacher personality.
The interactions between students and teachers are very professional and sweet. In the morning
some students come running up to hug their teachers. The students and teachers have a bond
that no one can break. The teachers stand up for their students if they see something wrong. The
teacher is the superior but they don’t look down on the students they have common grounds.
They treat them like little adults preparing them for the upcoming future. They both get along well
and at the end of a bad day they know that tomorrow is a new day and they can choose to pick
how they want their day to go.

ASSIGNMENT #5 (Cooperating Teacher Interview): Arrange for a convenient time to interview your
cooperating teacher. Ask the questions below. Include any school document, handouts, etc. the teacher
provides..

1: What was the primary reason you became a teacher?

“I wanted to explain things to students.” She is a very good explainer when it comes to students
not understanding things. She also helped e on how I could help the students and for that I am grateful.
2: What are the main challenges you face as a teacher?
“Not being able to meet every students’ level needs.” She explained how she can’t always help
everyone since she’s on a schedule but she does try her hardest and best to help each and every one of
her students.
3: What is the best part of being a teacher?
“Seeing the ‘aha’ moment when they understand something” When her students understand
something followed by her good explain skills, she gets the joy of seeing them understand.
4: How do you determine where students sit in class?
“In the beginning it was more of a random guess, but now it’s seeing who’s personality fits with
who and who interacts better with who.”
5: How do you select members of any flexible groups?
“I select on if they put their hands up first, but if they are always first I call on them randomly.”
6: How often do you interact with parents in person? What are the main reasons for interactions with parents?
“I interact with their parents daily, after school, every 2-3 times per year depends on the adult,
concerns for grades and behavior. The majority is all positive.”
7: How much grading do you complete on a daily/weekly basis?
She would love to have time to do it daily, and she does, when she has the time. Most of the time
it’s weekly. “I grade weekly 5-10 times a week depending on the workload.”
8: How long does it take to prepare lessons for the day/week?
“1 hour each day of week to prepare for the next week.”
9: What procedures or strategies do you use to maximize instructional time?
“By keeping transitions quick and working on a timed schedule.”
10: What positive reinforcements you used successfully? What behavioral consequences seem most effective
with this age group?
“A lot of positive feedback/comments and having a reward system for good behaviors.”
11: How are specialist teachers involved in your instructional planning and process?
“For Science we supplement science, for reading we have reading, and for P.E it’s more
independent.”

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12: How often are you evaluated, and what measurement tool is used by the administration for determining your
teaching performance?
“By principals 2 times a year, by specialist once a month, and the NEPF.”
13: What consequences are there if your evaluation is not favorable?
“The school will offer a lot of support for the classroom management and sometimes they provide
another teacher to see how the classroom is managed.”
14: What surprised you most about teaching as a profession?
“A lot of the behind the scenes that go on as a teacher and the meetings that take up your time.”

ASSIGNMENT #6 (Observing a student): Discretely observe one student in your assigned classroom during
direct instruction. Explain what the student did during the observation. Summarize the lesson given and the
student’s responses to the lesson. Make sure to document ALL behavior in relationship to what was being
presented by the classroom teacher. Please describe what you discovered about the student’s learning styles,
involvement in class, and his/her educational needs.

I observed Adrian. He’s in Ms. Yoder’s second grade class and he’s a very sweet boy. I noticed
that every day he would act out and just would not want to participate with the rest of the class.
He was a smart boy and he knew what was right and what was wrong. If the teacher called on
him, he would answer with an attitude, but it was the right answer. I would sit in the back table
of the room. When he was misbehaving, he would be sent to the back table and from there I
would try to talk to him and ask if he was okay. The first few times he would ignore me and just
stay with his attitude. The teacher would come back and talk to him and he would still have an
attitude but it was better than before. She was very patient with him even if he wasn’t with her.
One day we went to the computer lab and he was misbehaving again and didn’t want to do the
work he was asked to do, so she sent him to me so I can help him. At first, he didn’t want to talk
to me but as I kept being persistent and asking kindly, he finally talked to me. I got to help him
with his work and I figure out he was just hungry because every question he would ask me was
when was lunch? and he told me that his favorite food was chicken nuggets. We both eventually
finished his work and his attitude had gone away. The teacher was very pleased with my helping
and she told me “sometimes it’s hard to just help one student and help them with all their
needs, thank you for helping” you could see that she was happy with me helping her with the
students that give her trouble from time to time. His attitude did improve as I was there and the
teacher was happy with my help. He eventually warmed up to me and now he comes up to me
and asks me questions and gives me hugs.

Assignment #7 (Summary)
I learned so much thorough out my 10 hours observation. This really solidified my
teaching career. I now fully 101% know I want to become an elementary teacher. I got a chance
to observe 2nd grade. I fell in love with 2nd grade, even though it was the only grade I have
observed or been to, I love how my teacher Ms. Yoder explained 2nd grade. She said “2nd grade is
at the peak where they know things but they need help knowing things.” She also said, “Who
wouldn’t want to get hugs occasionally.” I learned how I want my classroom to be. The set up
and everything. I want to be an organized teacher just like the teachers I look up to. I realized
that teachers have it hard as well. Especially with the students. They not only have to take care
of their students but they also have to take care of themselves. They have to put others first
before them. Even when the student doesn’t want to listen you have to see ways you can help
them. The teachers do stuff behind the scenes that us students don’t get to see. All the grading
they have to do and many more. They also are human beings that have a life outside of school
too.
Not only do teachers go through things but the students do too. Some may come to
school hungry and with the same clothes on and you just have to be prepared to handle that in

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a professional way. They might be having family problems or they just might have trouble
learning. Either way we are there to help them succeed and we will do just that. Giving out
instructions is also a main part of being a teacher. Making sure it isn’t too long and it fits the
schedule, a well-organized lesson plan is a good way to maintain an organized classroom.
Having an interactive lesson plan also is a good way to get the students involved and
entertained. The school environment also plays a key part in school and making kids want to
come to school. Liliam Lujan Hickey Elementary School provides that positive environment
every school should have. It is very welcoming and prepares students for future success. I hope
in the future I get to work there or if not somewhere similar to that environment.
This observation helped me understand everything about the teaching profession. I only
knew about the profession by reading the chapters and learning about it in class, but actually
being hands on and seeing the real deal opened my eyes fully. I knew the career I had chosen
but I didn’t really fully know until I got to observe a teacher in that profession. The in-text
reading did talk about most of the thing going on in the teaching profession, but like I said until
you actually observe and do it, it will all make sense and fit into place. The class activities in the
text are some activities the students did in class. Ms. Yoder provide the students with all visual,
auditory, and kinesthetic activities for all the students. Seeing how she had a connection with
each of the students and had an organized classroom, I knew I wanted to have that with my
students as well.
Specific ideas on teaching that I will remember to include is to incorporate technology
with regular lesson activities. I will also incorporate motivational quotes and poster to help them
better their day. I want to include at least a kinesthetic, auditory, and visual activity each day so
I can get through all of the students needs. I want to try my best and help every one of the
students in my class. Even if it is to have them take some class work home. I also want to be in
touch with the parents of my students. School is like their second home so I want to be in touch
with their main home. I want to see how’s it like at home and if it’s bad how I can better it at
school. I want to be the best teacher I can be by the help of other teachers and methods they
taught me.

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