Classroom Observation 1

Subject/Grade: Language Arts, 8th grade

I enter the classroom and immediately notice that the day’s activities are outlined on the chalkboard in the front of the room. One particular assignment, regarding persuasive writing, is explained clearly on a paper easel at the front of the room. The classroom is well organized and not cluttered. Wall space is used effectively, with some banners for Team Hampton to boost student morale, and other wall hangings to reinforce classroom expectations (one paper outlines Proper Heading procedure). Also, student projects are displayed along the walls. These are “author projects” from the previous year.

Students enter the classroom quietly, for the most part, and take their seats. Mr. R stands outside the doorway, greeting them as they arrive. When the last student arrives, Mr. R moves to the front of the classroom and immediately jumps into a discussion about the book they are reading, Travel Team. The students listen and call out responses. Mr. R jokes a bit and they laugh. Most are engaged, and it seems Mr. R has a nice rapport with the students. He moves around the front of the classroom some, though he is bound to a podium holding the book. As he begins to read Travel Team aloud, he sits leisurely on the front of his desk.

Most students seem to be paying attention to the reading. One student turns around at one point to talk to another student. He is mouthing words quietly. Mr. R catches him, looks at him and says his name. The student goes right back to listening and the other students are not phased by it.

Mr. R finishes the chapter and tells the students to silently read their individual books they will use for a book project. This time is listed on the chalkboard as Reading Workshop. He prepares at his desk for the next assignment. One student, in the back of the class, does not read at all for a few minutes. He finally starts to read. Other students are off-task, silently “goofing off”. Mr. R calls them on it individually, but as some get back on task, others are off-task again. One student is signed out to use the lavatory.

He moves them into the next lesson. They are to read a short persuasive article about brain “exercise” and long-term effects. They take about ten minutes for this, and as Mr. R sees them finishing up, he opens a discussion about the article. He uses the questions at the end of the article to lead the discussion. They discuss the main ideas of the article and also how the author used persuasive writing techniques to convey those ideas.

Mr. R provides a classroom environment that is well suited for student success. Through use of wall hangings reinforcing classroom expectations, outlining the day’s activities on the chalkboard in the front of the room and explaining the persuasive writing assignment on the easel, directions, procedures and expectations are communicated clearly to the students. He also values safety and order, in the arrangement of the classroom. By displaying student work, the students’ pride is their work is enforced. Mr. R also models positive interaction with the students, by greeting them at the door, joking with them and portraying comfortableness in the classroom.

Mr. R does a good job of monitoring and responding to student misbehavior during Travel Team reading, without disrupting the lesson. Also, Reading Workshop time allows for a smooth, and useful, transition between lessons. That is critical, being that his classes last through two periods.

Mr. R reinforces the unit goals with the activity regarding brain “exercises”. The activity and lesson clearly convey persuasive writing techniques to the students. Mr. R's classroom is a very good example of a successful classroom environment, as the room is organized, procedures and expectations are posted, and student work is displayed. Mr. R also has a nice rapport with his students, as he jokes with them and there is a feeling of comfort and trust between them. Unfortunately, it seems that this can backfire at times when joking is unwanted. I would try to be more strict and firm early on in the year, so that students can meet that expectation before I opened myself up to a looser environment.

I too would use Reading Workshop time to do paperwork, but I would move among the students for a least part of the time to keep them on-task. The students seem mostly engaged during the double period, and have assimilated the major goals of the lesson, which were assessed during the question/answer session at the end of the period.