Education 301: Site-Based Observation Three

Brittany Rathway

3^rd Observation Paper

Education 301-002

28 November 2011

            Assessment can be defined as, “A measure of the degree to which instructional objectives have been attained” (Slavin, 2010, p. 404).  Every teacher uses assessment differently to evaluate their students understanding of a progress and progress throughout the school year.  Assessment does not have to be limited to a written exam; it can range from oral exams, computer exams, guided practice lessons, or independent practice.  At my PDS, I experienced many different forms of assessment that my host teacher used.  She differentiated her assessment along with her instruction, which helped to meet the needs of all of her students and their ability level.  Observing different forms of assessment has made me realize that it is important to assess students understanding in different ways.  Not all students learn the same way, and I believe it is important to understand that they do not display their understanding of a concept in the same way either.  When I first thought of all the responsibilities of educators, creating assessments to evaluate the students learning never crossed my mind.  Now that I have been observing a first grade classroom at my PDS, I now realize how crucial assessment is.  I have also discovered how important it is for the lesson taught and assessment on lesson to cover the same content. 

            The first form of assessment my host teacher uses is a spelling test that is given once a week.  The spelling list is given to students at the beginning of the week, and then the spelling test is given at the beginning of the next week.  Therefore, the students have one week to study the words.  The students know exactly what the instructional objective is with the spelling list; they are to learn to spell the words correctly before the test date.  An instructional objective is a statement of skills or concepts that students should master after a given period of instruction (Slavin, 2010, p. 398).  The host teacher has the students practice the words independently with worksheets or on computer programs.  The spelling list contains 10 spelling words, 3 challenge words, and 2 bonus words.  The challenge words are usually words that the students learn during the week in a literature/reading lesson.  The bonus words are very difficult words that the students also see in a literature/reading lesson.  However, these words are meant to be fun words that challenge the students.  The two bonus words for last week were “Triceratops” and “Tyrannosaurus Rex”.  As you can see, these words are difficult for middle school students, let alone first grade students.  However, the students get very excited to try and spell the words.  After grading the spelling tests, my host teacher brings the students that spelled all of the words, even the challenge and bonus words, correctly on the last spelling test to the front of the class.  She acknowledges them for their success with norm-referenced interpretations.  Norm-referenced interpretations are assessments that compare the performance of one student against the performance of others (Slavin, 2010, p. 411).  I was given the chance to give the spelling test last week.  I would first say the word, use the word in a sentence, and then say the word again.  If I was going too fast, the students had a signal to let me know by raising their hand.  If I saw a student raise their hand, I would give them a chance to finish before moving on.  During the spelling test, one of the girls started to cry; she explained that she forgot to study her spelling words and did not know how to spell any of them.  My host teacher spoke to her and explained to spell them as best as she could, because they used the words in class every day.  I believe the student felt better after being motivated by the host teacher.  The student being so upset about the spelling test showed me how important grades are to students at even such a young age.  I do wonder if assessments are being taken too seriously, and therefore, causing test anxiety and constant worrying among students. 

            The second form of assessment that my host teacher uses is through verbal and guided practice assessment.  I believe that this is the most beneficial and immediate form of assessment.  The teacher is able to assess the students understanding on the spot and can provide extra practice before the student falls behind.  My host teacher uses evaluation when she is teaching a lesson or with guided practice with the class.  Slavin (2010) defines evaluations as, “Measurement of student performance in academic and, sometimes, other areas; used to determine appropriate teaching strategies (p. 408).  She is teaching long “a” and long “i” words to her first grade class.  As she teaches the lesson, she evaluates the students understanding of the concept through questions or activities.  During a whole-class activity with long “a” words, the students were to identify long “a” words on flashcards.  The students brought their flash card to the front of the class, and they put the flashcard in either the long or short “a” column.  A few of the students placed their card in the wrong column, and my host teacher was able to identify the students who were struggling to understand the concept.  My host teacher uses many different activities in her lessons to assess students understanding.  She may use whole-class activities, worksheets that are checked immediately, or asking students questions about the content.  When my host teacher identifies students that are struggling with a specific content area that was just taught, she allows me to work with them in a small-group activity.  This allows the students who are struggling to receive extra practice with the content they are struggling in.  I am able to work with them in a small-group and give them more one-on-one attention.  This allows me to assess what part of the content the students do not understand, and provide extra instruction and practice on the content.  In the small-group activities, I can explain the content more indepth with practice worksheets or activities.  Also, I like to use flashcards or interactive activities where the students can work together with one another to better understand the content.  I believe this technique is very beneficial, because the teacher does not have to wait to grade a worksheet or homework assignment to assess the students’ comprehension of the content; the teacher can instantly assess the students understanding or lack of understanding on the spot. 

            The third form of assessment that my host teacher uses is exams.  I feel that exams or tests are the most common form of assessment.  The educator teaches the students the content through a lesson, the students practice with independent practice or a worksheet, and then, the teacher gives the students an exam on the content learned.  However, there are many different types of exams which are beneficial, because not every student learns or produces their understanding in the same way.  I feel that it is important for teachers to not use the same type of test or exam repeatedly; differentiating the exam and questions allows each student to use their strengths to display their understanding of the content taught.  My host teacher uses many different types of exams in her classroom for reading and literature lessons.  I was able to observe the students taking the long “a” words exam.  Before the exam was given out, the students put up folders for privacy while taking the test.  The test did not consist of just one type of question.  On the test there were multiple choice questions where the students had to choose the long “a” word out of a list of words.  There were also pictures along with the words to help the students identify the words.  Multiple-choice items are, “Test items that usually consist of a stem followed by choices or alternatives” (Slavin, 2010, p. 418).  Some believe that multiple-choice items are the most useful and flexible of all test forms, and I feel that multiple-choice items are beneficial because it shows the students understanding of the pattern with long “a” words (p. 418).  Also on the long “a” exam, there are completion items or fill-in-the-blank items, and with fill-in-the-blank items, there is only one possible correct answer, and (p. 422).  The teacher read the completion part of the test, because there were some words that were difficult and challenging for the students.  However, my host teacher read the directions to each part of the test, and the students completed the rest of the test on their own.  In the completion part of the test, the students would fill in the blank with a long “a” word to complete the sentence.  Some students asked me questions about words, and I helped them sound the word out after they tried to sound it out on their own.  When the students were finished with their test, they placed their test in the pink box on their teacher’s desk.  All work that needs to be checked or graded is put into the pink box.  I think this is a great idea, because it helps to keep papers that need to be graded organized.  While other students finished their tests, the students were allowed to use the computers for independent practice. 

            In the first grade classroom, one student has an IEP, and accommodations are made for him to help meet his needs for instruction and assessment.  For instruction, the male student is in the general education class, and he attends pull-out programs with the special education teacher to help meet his individual needs.  For different types of assessment, accommodations are made to help meet his needs.  For weekly spelling tests, instead of 15 words, the male student is given 5 spelling words, and 10 other words are challenge words.  I was surprised to see how far behind he is compared to his peers, but he tries to spell all 15 words every week.  For his other written assessments and exams, the exam is usually read to him, and he is given assistance when completing his exams and worksheets.  I also feel that my host teacher differentiates assessment to meet the needs of all of her students.  She understands that not every student learns or displays their understanding in the same way.  She uses different forms of assessment with the students, because she knows that some students are stronger with different types of assessment like verbal, exams with different types of questions, worksheets, or even on the computer.  My host teacher understands her students and their individual needs, and she differentiates instruction and assessment to help meet the individual needs of all of her students.

            My host teacher never used activities or lessons strictly for standardized testing.  Standardized tests are, “Tests that are usually commercially prepared for nationwide use and designed to provide accurate and meaningful information on students’ performance relative to that of others at their age or grade level (Slavin, 2010, p. 448).  The WestTest is given in West Virginia but not until 3^rd grade.  However, my host teacher explains that it is her job to teach the basics to the students well so they can build on the content and succeed on the WestTest.  She is teaching them the foundation of reading and mathematics which will help them succeed on the WestTest in the future.

            When I was observing the assessment in the first grade classroom, I was surprised to see the different types of assessment used by my host teacher.  She was able to differentiate assessment to help meet the needs of her students, while also determining their understanding of the content.  I also believe that assessing the students understanding verbally during the lesson and guided practice is very beneficial.  I was surprised to see my host teacher using this technique, but as I thought about the technique, I believe it is the most beneficial for immediate evaluation.  Another important aspect I noticed was that every assessment matched the lesson or content taught.  There were no surprises, and the students knew what to expect each week.  My host teacher understands her students and their needs, and she also understands how to assess their learning and understanding with different assessment strategies. 

Education 301: Site-Based Observation Two

Brittany Rathway

Site-Based Observation 2

Education 301

24 October 2011

            Over the past few weeks at my PDS, I have become comfortable working with the students and the teacher.  I have been observing many of the theories and terms that we have discussed in Education 301.  These terms and theories haven given me insight into teaching theories and also behavioral management theories that my host teacher uses.  Incorporating these theories into your everyday teaching strategies, has shown to be both beneficial and necessary when teaching a classroom of 26 students. 

            My host teacher has 26 first grade students to educate throughout the day, while also making sure the students are well-behaved and respectful to all.  When she is teaching, she uses direct instruction.  Direct instruction is defined as an approach to teaching in which the teacher transmits information directly to the students; lessons are goal oriented and structured by the teacher (Slavin, 2010, p. 184).  I believe that first grade is a very pivotal time in students’ cognitive development; they are developing basic, concrete theories and content that they will use throughout their lives.  Direct instruction seems to be one of the most beneficial teaching strategies to use with first grades because they have not developed enough responsibility yet to learn completely on their own.  My host teacher also uses differentiated instruction.  An approach to teaching that adapts the content, level, pace, and products of instruction to accommodate different needs of diverse students in regular classes is differentiated instruction (Slavin, 2010, p. 259).  In the first grade class, there are students of all abilities; they learn in different ways and at different paces.  By using differentiated instruction when teaching, my host teacher is able to meet the needs of all of her students no matter how diverse they may be. 

A very interesting aspect of my host teacher’s teaching strategy is her calling order.  Our book defines calling order as the order in which students are called on by the teacher to answer questions during the course of a lesson (Slavin, 2010, p. 197).  When the teacher asks a question, I noticed that all of the students raise their hands, even if they do not know the answer.  The teacher calls on the student that is sitting correctly in their seat without jumping around or making noise; she makes sure they are waiting patiently.  Also, my host teacher does not call on the same student twice or during the same lesson.  She tries to give every student a chance to answer.  If a student is not paying attention or talking during the lesson, the teacher will call on the student to get them engaged in the lesson again.  When the students have extra time during the day or after a lesson, the teacher provides them with seatwork.  Seatwork is defined as work that students are assigned to do independently during class (Slavin, 2010, p. 199).  The seatwork is usually a math or writing assignment.  The students are developing their addition and subtraction skills, and I believe that the independent seatwork gives them the chance to practice their skills. 

Every week when I visit the first grade classroom, they break up into their Literacy Groups.  There are multiple small-groups of students that work together at a different literacy station.  Some of the stations are computer reading activities, listening to a story and a writing worksheet, creative writing, and literacy reading terms.  They are fun activities that engage the students, but they still enhance the students’ literacy skills.  When in the groups, the students use cooperative learning.  Cooperative learning is instructional approaches in which students work in small mixed-ability groups (Slavin, 2010, p. 229).  The students enjoy working together and they help each other throughout the activities.  They are very creative when writing their own sentences or stories.  Learning Together is a cooperative learning model in which students in four- or five-member heterogeneous groups work together on assignments (Slavin, 2010, p. 233).  The teacher uses the Learning Together model during the literacy stations, and I believe it is very beneficial for the students to work in small-groups independently from the teacher.  Also, during the Literacy Stations, one of the groups is a Title 1 group that works with a Title 1 teacher.  Title 1 is defined as compensatory programs reauthorized under Title 1 of the Improving America’s Schools Act (IASA) in 1994; formerly known as Chapter 1 (Slavin, 2010, p.263).  I believe that this is a great time for Title 1.  The students are not pulled out of class; instead, they are in their own group during Literacy Groups.  It does not make them feel different from their peers or lower their self-esteem.   My host teacher does a great job of teaching diverse learners in her classroom and making every student feel comfortable no matter their ability level. 

When students are sitting in a classroom for six to seven hours a day, learning difficult concepts and skills, motivation helps the students to be engaged in the lesson and their own learning.  Motivation is defined as the influence of needs and desires on the intensity and direction of behavior (Slavin, 2010, p. 286).  The motivation can be from a teacher, peers, parents, or even personal.  My host teacher is a great motivator; she does not have a candy jar or a treasure chest.  However, she rewards behavior that is acceptable with a reinforcer.  A reinforcer is a pleasurable consequence that maintains or increases a behavior (Slavin, 2010, 119).  On the board, she has a list of pictures.  The pictures represent acceptable behavior that she expects the students to display during the school day.  The pictures are: lips that represent quiet and not talking during a lesson, eyes that represent paying attention to the lesson and the teacher, ears that represent listening to the lesson and the teacher, a student to represent the “model” student, and a ram to represent Ram Bucks.  When the teacher notices a student representing one of the pictures on the board, she will write their name under the picture.  By doing this, the other students try to model that student’s behavior; it is like she is making an example from the student’s positive behavior.  I believe my host teacher is using operant conditioning with this behavior management strategy.  Operant conditioning is the use of pleasant or unpleasant consequences to control the occurrence of a behavior (Slavin, 2010, p. 118).  The pleasant consequence is when the student gets their name written on the board, and the behavior that the teacher tries to control is the positive behavior the student displayed.  I believe the students strive to get their name on the board because of achievement motivation.  The desire to experience success and to participate in activities in which success depends on personal effort and abilities is achievement motivation (Slavin, 2010, p. 295).  The students know that getting their name on the board and praise from their teacher depends on their own actions and effort put into being prepared for the lesson. 

Earning a good grade on an exam or activity is important to most students; they are trying to gain praise for their hard work from their teacher, their parents, and themselves.  These students can be classified as possessing performance goals.  Performance goals are the goals of students who are motivated primarily by a desire to gain recognition from others and to earn good grades (Slavin, 2010, p. 295).  My host teacher provides an extrinsic incentive for the students that spell every word on their spelling exam correct.  An extrinsic incentive is a reward that is external to the activity, such as recognition or a good grade (Slavin, 2010, p. 301).  If the students correctly spell all of the words correct on their spelling exam for the week, the teacher recognizes them in front of the class and the student receives a Ram Buck.  The Ram Buck can be used in the school for small rewards such as sunglasses, notebooks, or a school bracelet.  My host teacher also gives feedback to the students on their homework or exams.  Feedback is defined as information on the results of one’s efforts (Slavin, 2010, p. 306).  I believe that this is beneficial for the student, because they get one-on-one advice from the teacher on how to improve on a concept.  It also makes the student feel that the teacher truly cares about them and their education.

Throughout my observation, there were no serious discipline situations the teacher had to deal with.  My host teacher seems to have great classroom management with her first grade class.  The students understand what behavior is expected of them throughout the day, and they respect their teacher.  The only time I observed my host teacher using an aversive stimulus is when a student was not paying attention during a lesson or talking while she was teaching.  An aversive stimulus is an unpleasant consequence that a person tires to avoid or escape (Slavin, 2010, p. 124).  The teacher does not yell at the student; however she makes them responsible for their own behavior.  She allows them to acknowledge their own behavior and correct it.  I think this is a more effective behavior management skill than yelling.  It allows the student to account for their own behavior without being embarrassed by being yelled at in front of their peers. 

Observing my host teacher and her teaching strategies along with her students and their different learning methods, I was able to discover how different instructional strategies and behavioral management methods create a positive environment in the classroom for the students to learn and develop in.  Incorporating these teaching strategies and behavioral strategies in my future classroom will provide me with the ability to better teach a classroom of diverse learners while also creating a positive environment to teach and learn in.  My host teacher has also provided me with insight on how to motivate students to succeed and make them responsible for their own behavior. 

Education 301: Site-Based Observation One

Brittany Rathway

Site-based Observation One

Education 301-002

26 September 2011    

During my site-based observation, I was observing a male student in the first grade.  The teacher of this classroom paired me with him on my first day.  I am studying elementary education and special education, and the teacher thought it would be beneficial for me to work with a student that has an IEP.  On the first occasion, I observed that the boy was wearing casual clothes and had a cartoon character on his shirt; it was a superhero. His clothes were similar to his peers’.  However, he was one of the bigger students in the classroom.  The male student wore Velcro Spiderman shoes that he continually took off and on during my observation.  He also wore glasses.  On my second day of observation, I noticed that he was wearing a similar shirt with another superhero on it, but he did not have his glasses on today.   

On my first observation day, I observed at the beginning of the day.  The student that I was observing sat in the first column of desks and the second row.  First I observed that the students were supposed to have two pencils sharpened before the day started, and they were also asked to work on a math worksheet.  The male student that I was observing only had one pencil without an eraser, and he did not sharpen it.  When his pencil broke as he was working on his math worksheet, he had to explain to the teacher why he did not have another one sharpened.  He understood that it was his fault and was visibly upset.  The teacher gave him another pencil to use, and he began to work on his math worksheet again.  After a few minutes, he got up out of his seat and asked the teacher for an eraser.  He got out of his seat a few times during the time he was working on his math worksheet.  Then, I began to help him with his math worksheet.  He was distracted easily during the time I was working with him.  However, once he focused on the problems, he was able to complete them correctly.  The first grade class has not fully learned addition and subtraction.  Nevertheless, the student was able to correctly complete the problems with some assistance from me and a tens chart.  He was very excited after I praised him for completing the addition and subtraction problems.  It was then time for the class to attend gym class.  When the class returned, the teacher started the math lesson for the day.  The lesson was on “fewer” and “more”.  The teacher used an overhead to teach the lesson, and the class seemed very involved in the lesson.  The male student spoke out multiple times during the lesson, and the teacher had to ask him to stop talking out during the lesson.  After he did not comply, the teacher had to stop the lesson and firmly discuss the behavior issue with him.  He was clearly apologetic after being reprimanded in front of his peers.  During the rest of the lesson, he answered when called on and respected the teacher.  I could tell that he respected the teacher and did not enjoy upsetting her.  After the teacher finished the lesson, she passed out a math packet on the lesson.  I was standing in the back of the classroom, and the male student called for me to come up and help him with the worksheet.  My worry was that I did not want to help him too much, but then I also wanted him to know he could depend on me.  Forming a comfortable bond with him was important to me.  As I was helping with his math packet, he kept leaning over and touching the computers that were next to him.  I had to ask him three times to stop touching them.  On the third time, I addressed the issue firmly like the teacher did.  After this, he stopped touching the computers.  I believe that he was testing me to see how far he could push me and bend the rules.  When I asserted myself as an authority figure, his behavior changed, and he went back to focusing on his math packet.  When it was time for me to leave for the day, he was evidently disappointed and begged me not to leave.  I explained to him that I had to go to school also to learn like he did.  He understood and gave me a hug.  I explained that I would be back next Monday, and he gave me a thumbs-up before I left. 

On my second day of observation, I observed the classroom in the afternoon.  Observing the students in the afternoon was very different than observing them in the morning.  They had already eaten lunch and were much more active than in the morning.  When I entered the classroom, the male student I was observing shouted my name and was waving excitedly.  It made me feel very good that he remembered me and was happy to see me.  The male student I was observing was active and distracted at this time of the day.  The teacher had to ask him to take his seat multiple times before he actually listened and sat down.  He was pulled out of the class for a title one class.  When he came back, the teacher started an English lesson.  Today, she was discussing subject and predicate.  I noticed that the students were a little less focused in the afternoon.  The teacher put sentences up on the overhead, and the students had to pick which one had the correct sentence order.  The male student I was observing got called on to go up to the overhead to answer a question.  He was very eager to go up in front of the class.  When asked to choose the correct sentence, he answered correctly.  He circled the correct answer and wanted to stay in front of the class; the teacher had to ask him to sit back down.  For the rest of the English lesson, he sat in his seat and was respectful of the teacher.  At the end of the day, I passed out a math check for the students to complete.  However, the male student had an accident and wet his pants.  He was very upset and kept asking for new pants.  The teacher explained to the student that since he did not use the restroom when the rest of the class did, that he would have to wait until he went home.  He was very distraught and could not focus on his math check.  I tried to keep him focused on his work, but he could only think about his accident.  I felt very bad for the student, but I knew that I had to be an authority figure and try to keep him focused on his work.  At the end of the day, the students’ father came to the school to talk to the teacher.  I stayed with the students while they were talking.  The male student was very excited to see his father but got upset again after his accident was brought up.  He was excited to leave with his father, but before he left he said good-bye to me.  The second day of observing the male student was a much more eventful experience.  However, I was able to learn a lot about teaching in a classroom, and how to deal with difficult situations in a classroom.

As I observed the first grade male student, I noticed many things that I have never seen before.  I actually observed the student and his reaction to different situations and teaching strategies.  Also, I noticed the way he wanted approval and praise from his teacher.  This goes along with Erikson’s Stages of Personal and Social Development.  According to Erikson’s stages, the male student would be in the Industry vs. Inferiority stage of 6 to 12 years old (Slavin, 2010, p. 54).  In this stage, teachers and peers take on increasingly important roles for the student (Slavin, 2010, p. 55).  The student tried very hard to please his teacher and to hear her praise him for a job well done.  However, when he did something wrong or “failed” in the teachers’ eyes, this caused great distress.  Erikson states, “Failure creates a negative self-image, a sense of inadequacy that may hinder future learning,” (Slavin, 2010, p. 55).  When the teacher had to reprimand the student or discuss behavior issues, this was seen as failure in his eyes.  He craves her approval and does not want to “fail” at something in the teachers’ perspective.  I believe that this ties in with Stage 3 of the Conventional Level in Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Reasoning (Slavin, 2010, p. 59).  Kohlberg’s Stage 3 is defined as “Good Boy-Good Girl” Orientation; good behavior is looked at to be behavior that is approved by others and pleases others (Slavin, 2010, p. 59).  Just like in Erikson’s stages, the male student was trying to please the teacher and behave well, and when he did not, he felt as if he failed.  As I was observing, I also noticed that the male student worked more efficiently when working cooperatively.  In chapter 2, Vygotsky’s theories support cooperative learning (Slavin, 2010, p. 42).  When the student was able to think out loud and work with his peers, he accomplished more and worked through the problems more efficiently. 

This first observation experience opened my eyes to many new things.  I know realize that I have observed a classroom as a whole, but I have never been given the chance to observe one student and how they react in an everyday classroom.  This experience gave me the opportunity to observe how a student learns and deals with their strengths and weaknesses in the classroom.  I look forward to observing more intensely and discovering new strategies and ideas in the classroom!