ContextualFactorsAnalysis

SpencerHodge
Spring2016
NobleHighSchool11thGrade
NorthBerwick,ME

Introduction

Asaneducatorofthetwentyfirstcentury,Iunderstandthat,inordertogivechildrenthebest
educationpossible,itisimportantformetoknoweachandeverychildtothebestofmyability.Ineed
tomakethemostoutoftheeducationalresourcesthatIamofferedasateacher.Imustalsotobe
awareoftheenvironmentalfactorsinwhichmystudentswereraisedandhowtheywerepreviously
educated.ObtainingthisinformationpreparesmeforofferingthebesteducationIcanforeachstudent.
Forthisreason,IhavecreatedacontextualfactorsanalysisinwhichIlearnabouttheaboutthe
studentsinmyclassroom,theschoolinwhichmyclassroomresides,andthegreatercommunity
aroundtheschool.
ThefocusofthispaperisNobleHighSchoolinNorthBerwick,Maine.Morespecifically,this
paperfocusesonMrs.Perkins11thgradesocialstudiesclassroom.Thissemester,Iwillbeastudent
teacherinMrs.Perkinsclassroom.Theresearchfoundinthisanalysiswillhelpmetobethebest
teacherthatIcanbe.

Community,District,andSchoolFactors

GeographicLocation

NobleHighSchoolislocatedinNorthBerwick,Maine.However,thehighschoolisacentral
schoolforthreeMainetowns,includingNorthBerwick,Berwick,andLebanon.Allthreetownsare
locatedinYorkCounty.AccordingtotheUnitedCensusBureau,thethreetownshaveacombined
totalareaof131.85squaremiles,ofwhich130.54consistofland,and1.31squaremilesconsistsof
water.
NeighboringtownsincludeWells,SouthBerwick,andSanford.(MaineDemographics)

CommunityPopulation

The2010censusreportsthattherewere17,857peopleresidinginthetownsofNorthBerwick,
Berwick,andLebanonatthetime.Theaverageracialmakeupofthethreetownswas96.8%White,
0.9%Asian,0.5%Black,0.3%NativeAmerican,and0.2%other.24.4%ofpeoplelivinginNorth
Berwick,Berwick,andLebanonwereundertheageof18.7.1%werebetweentheagesof18and24,
25.4%were2544,31.1%were4564,and11.9%were65yearsofageofolder.Theaverageageof
thepeoplelivinginthesethreetownswas40yearsold.Femalesmakeup50.4%andmalesmakeup
49.6%ofthepopulation.Inthe2012PresidentialElection,57%ofvotersvoteddemocrat,42%voted
republican,and1%votedother.(CityData)

SocioEconomicFactors

Theestimatedmedianhouseholdincomein2013was$59,609.Thisnumberishigh,compared
tostatemedianof$46,974.Theestimatedpercapitaincomein2013was$24,496(CityData).Asof

2013,5.4%ofNorthBerwickresidentswerelivingbelowthepovertylevel.Thiswassignificantly
lowerthanthetwoothertownsinthedistrict,with10.4%ofLebanonresidentsand17.5%ofBerwick
residentslivingbelowthepovertylevelin2013.Thewholestatepovertyratewas10.9atthetime.In
thethreetowns,4.0%ofresidentsovertheageof25arecurrentlyunemployed.(CityData)
EducationinNorthBerwick,Maine

(citydata.com)

EducationalAttainment(%)ofAllResidents

NorthBerwick(2013)

StateAverage(2013)

LessthanHighSchool

5.0

8.2

HighSchoolorEquiv.

34.7

33.8

Lessthan1yearofCollege

3.2

6.1

1ormoreyearsofCollege

24.8

14.1

AssociateDegree

9.6

9.6

BachelorsDegree

14.1

18.1

MastersDegree

8.4

7.1

ProfessionalDegree

0.0

1.7

DoctorateDegree

0.0

1.4

ThetownofNorthBerwickispartofMaineSchoolAdministrativeDistrict60(MSAD60).Theschools
inNorthBerwickinclude
NorthBerwickElementarySchool(K5),NobleHighSchool(812),and
MaryHurdAcademy(612).MaryHurdAcademyisanalternativeschoolthatcombinescore
academics,experientiallearningopportunities,andpositivebehaviorsupport.

EducationinBerwick,Maine

(CityData)

EducationalAttainment(%)ofAllResidents

Berwick(2013)

StateAverage(2013)

LessthanHighSchool

6.0

8.2

HighSchoolorEquiv.

30.5

33.8

Lessthan1yearofCollege

9.0

6.1

1ormoreyearsofCollege

13.8

14.1

AssociateDegree

7.5

9.6

BachelorsDegree

28.8

18.1

MastersDegree

4.4

7.1

ProfessionalDegree

0.0

1.7

DoctorateDegree

0.0

1.4

ThetownofBerwickispartofMaineSchoolAdministrativeDistrict60(MSAD60).Theschoolsin
Berwickinclude
VivianE.HusseyElementary(K3),EricL.KnowltonElementarySchool(45),and
NobleMiddleSchool(6,7).
EducationinLebanon,Maine

(CityData)

EducationalAttainment(%)ofAllResidents

Lebanon(2013)

StateAverage(2013)

LessthanHighSchool

24.8

8.2

HighSchoolorEquiv.

37.9

33.8

Lessthan1yearofCollege

6.7

6.1

1ormoreyearsofCollege

14.0

14.1

AssociateDegree

7.3

9.6

BachelorsDegree

7.3

18.1

MastersDegree

1.5

7.1

ProfessionalDegree

0.0

1.7

DoctorateDegree

0.6

1.4

ThetownofLebanonispartofMaineSchoolAdministrativeDistrict60(MSAD60).Theschoolsin
Lebanoninclude
HansonElementary(K3),LebanonElementarySchool(45).

NobleHighSchool
StudentsfromalloftheelementaryschoolsinNorthBerwick,Berwick,andLebanonallfilter
intothesameschoolforgrades8through12,NobleHighSchool.Thereareabout1,100studentsand
91fulltimeteachers.Inthe20132014schoolyearthestudenttoteacherratiowas11.8:1.Inthesame
schoolyear,34.3%ofthestudentsatNobleHighSchoolwereeligibleforfreelunchand8.7%were
eligibleforreducedpricelunch.(NCES)

Race/EthnicityBreakdownfortheschoolyear20132014atNobleHighSchool:
White

96%

Asian/PacificIslander

1.5%

Hispanic

1.3%

Black

0.9%

Other

0.3%

(NCES)

ClassroomFactors:
PhysicalFeatures
Mrs.PerkinsclassroomislocatedonthefirstfloorofNobleHighSchool.Herclassroomis
locatedinthe11thgradepodinthefarleftcornerofthebuilding.Eachpodisdividedupbygrade
levelandhasasocialstudies,science,math,andlanguageartsclassroom.Inherclassroom,thereare

personaldesksandchairsforeachstudentlaidoutintheshapeofaU.Theclassroomisanearly
perfectsquareinshape.Oneofthewallsisfullofwindowsandlowbookshelves(shownontheright
sideofthegraphiconthenextpage).Thereisalargewhiteboardandprojectorscreenlocatedatthe
frontoftheclassroom.Oneofthebestfeaturesoftheclassroomisthebackwallwhichisoccupiedby
studentwork.Theseworksrangefromposterstotimelines,andareupdatedwitheverypassingunit.


Mapcreatedat
http://classroom.4teachers.org/

(4Teachers)

Technology
NobleHighSchoolhasa1to1laptopprogramwhereeachstudentisissuedalaptopforschool
workduringtheacademicyear.Studentscanonlyreceivetheirlaptopwithpermissionfromtheir
parents,andcanbemonitoredbyadministratorsatanytime.Bothteachersandstudentsareconnected

virtuallythroughgoogleclassroomandcancommunicatethroughemail.Theclassroomisalso
equippedwithaprojectorandprojectorscreenthatisuseddaily.

ExtentofParentalInvolvement

Parentinvolvementinthehighschooldoesnotseemtoplayahugefactorinthestudents
education.NobleHighSchoolhostsparentteacherconferencesbiannually.Basedsolelyon
discussionswithotherteachers,itappearsthatonlyabouttwentyfivepercentofparentsattendthe
meetings.Themajorityofthoseparentswhogototheparentteacherconferenceshavestudentswho
arealreadyachievingfromaveragetohighlevels.Veryfewofthestudentsthatstrugglemeetingthe
standardshaveparentswhoattendtheparentteacherconferences.AccordingtoMrs.Perkins,parents
arenotveryactivethroughemaileither,gettingonaverageoneemailperweek.However,email
involvementdoesincreaseifastudentsprogressreportshowstheyarenotmeetingthestandards.

Scheduling
NobleHighSchoolsscheduleissetuptoaccommodateeightacademicblockspersemester.
Daysalternatewithfourblocksaday,referredtoasDayOneandDayTwo.Withinthoseblocks
eachstudenthasatleastoneguidedstudyblockwheretheycanworkfreelyonassignmentsforany
class.Inadditiontothesefourblocksthereisadditionaltimeforstudentstoworkonassignmentsfor
classesandgototheirteacherstoreceiveextrahelp.ThisisreferredtoasKnightTime,anditisa
commontimethroughoutthewholeschooleverydaywiththeexceptionofThursday.EveryThursday,
studentshaveatwohourlatestartwhichisdesignedtobreakuptheirscheduleandletthemrest,as
wellasgiveteachersprofessionaldevelopmenttime.ThursdaysschedulealternatesbetweenDayOne
andDayTwofromweektoweek.BelowisachartdepictingthescheduleforMrs.Perkinsclass.


RegularSchedule
Block

Time

DayOne

DayTwo

7:409:00

TeamMeeting

U.S.History

9:0510:25

U.S.History

Prep

KnightTime

10:3011:15

KT

KT

11:2012:40

U.S.History

Sociology

Lunch

12:401:00

Lunch

Lunch

1:052:25

GuidedStudy

U.S.History

ThursdaySchedule
Block

Time

9:5510:55

11:0011:59

Lunch

12:0212:22

12:271:23

1:282:25

StudentCharacteristics:
Day1Block3U.S.Historyhas20students.Ofthese20students,5arefemaleand5aremale.
ThemajorityoftheclassisCaucasian.TwostudentsareChineseandareonanexchangeprogram
fromChina.Allofthestudentsareeithersixteenorseventeenyearsold.Thereisavastspanof

abilitiesinmyclassroomduringthisblock.TheseabilitiesrangefromstudentsintheAcademicExcel
programtostudentswithIEPs,504s,orRTI.TwostudentsareintheExcelprogram(giftedand
talented),onestudenthasanIEP(speechandlanguage),onestudenthasa504forherepilepsy,and
onestudentreceivessmallgroupinterventionforbothmathandreadingonceaday.Throughpersonal
conversationswithstudentsaswellasconversationswithMrs.Perkins,Ihavefoundthatmanyof
thesestudents(notlimitedtothosereceivingspecialeducationservices)havepoorparental
sponsorshipand/orpoorhomelives.
BelowisacumulativeclassMultipleIntelligencegrid,compiledfromtheresultsofthe
BirminghamMultipleIntelligencetestthatthestudentstookinJanuary2016.Thisgriddemonstrates
themultipleintelligencesofthethe20studentsinDay1Block3USHistory.

MultipleIntelligencesClassBreakdown:
Student
Number
1.EB

IEP/ELL/OtherInfo
none

MIStrength
Musical

MIWeakness
Logical

Interests
Schoolband

2.KB

none

Logical

Interpersonal

Sports

3.TB

AcademicExcel

Kinesthetic,Linguistic Naturalistic

Learning,history

4.AB

ParentalAlert

Kinesthetic

Intrapersonal

Softball

5.CC

none

Intrapersonal

Linguistic

Videogames

6.RC

IEP

Visual,Intrapersonal

Linguistic

Videogames

7.BD

BeeAllergy

Kinesthetic

Visual

Basketball

8.DD

none

Musical

Visual,Logical

BingingonNetflix

9.JH

none

Visual,Interpersonal

Naturalistic

Deepconversations

10.SH

none

Kinesthetic

Linguistic

Workingoncars

11.KK

none

Kinesthetic,
Naturalistic

Logical

Videogames

12.RL

Exchangestudentfrom
China

Musical,Intrapersonal

Naturalistic

Listeningtomusic

13.JM

none

Musical

Intrapersonal

Science

14.KR

none

Visual

Musical

Wrestling,art

15.TS

none

Musical

Naturalistic

Listeningtomusic

16.AT

RTI,ParentalAlert,
BeeAllergy

Kinesthetic

Musical

VolunteerFirefighting

17.CT

AcademicExcel,
Asthma

Interpersonal,
Linguistic

Logical

Videogames,History

18.PW

ShellfishAllergy

Kinesthetic

Naturalistic

Drawing

19.BW

504Plan,Epilepsy

Visual,Logical

Interpersonal,
Linguistic

Reading

20.SW

Exchangestudentfrom
China

Intrapersonal,Logical

Linguistic,Visual

Mathteam

StudentswereaskedtogototheBirminghamMultipleIntelligencewebsiteandanswerabout
fortyquestions.Afteransweringthequestions,thestudentsindividualmultipleintelligencegraphs
wereimmediatelygeneratedforthestudentstoview.Studentswerepleasedtoseetheirownresults

andcomparethemtowhattheyhadpreviouslythoughtofthemselvesandmanywereexcitedtoshare
andcomparetheirresultswiththeirfriends.Whenthestudentscreatedtheirgraphs,theywereeach
givenauniquecode(example:
hz76gf77704mf).Iaskedallofthestudentstosendmetheircodesvia
email.Iwasthenabletocompileallcodesusingtheclassresultsfeatureonthe
Birmingham
website.
Aftercompilingallofthestudentresults,Inoticedclearstrengthsandweaknesseswithinthis
classasawhole.Amongthesetwentystudents,thereseemstobeaweaknessinvisualandspacial
skillsandalsonaturalisticskills.Asawhole,theclassstrengthsarekinesthetic,musical,and
intrapersonal.Interestingly,theresultsdidseemtomatchupwithmypreviousobservationsofthe
class,asInoticethatthestudentsinthisclassgenerallydotheirbestworkwhentheyworkalone.
Usingthedatafromthemultipleintelligencetest,Icandeveloplessonsthatcanplayonstudent
strengths,butbuildontheirweaknessesaswell.Allofthesecontextualfactorswillhaveadirectaffect
onhowIwillneedtoplanandassessthelearningthathappensinmyclassroom.Consideringthese
factorswhileplanningwillultimatelygivebalanceinthestudentslearningaswellasaidthemto
becomewellroundedcitizens.
Althoughplanninglessonsaroundthestrengthsoftheclassasawholeisimportant,Imust
rememberthatthereareseveralstudentsinmyclasswhosstrengthsandweaknessesdonotmatchup
withtheclassaverage.ItisimportantthatIdesignlessonswithallstudentsinmind,notjustthe
majority.IalwaysattempttotouchonasmanymultipleintelligencesaspossibleineverylessonI
createsothateachstudentfeelsexcitedaboutthelearning.

References:

CityData(2016).
NorthBerwick,ME.
RetrievedonJanuary10,2016,from
http://www.citydata.com/city/NorthBerwickMaine.html

CityData(2016).
Berwick,ME.
RetrievedonJanuary10,2016,from
http://www.citydata.com/city/BerwickMaine.html

CityData(2016).
Lebanon,ME.
RetrievedonJanuary10,2016,from
http://www.citydata.com/city/LebanonMaine.html

NCES"SearchforPublicSchoolsSchoolDetailforNobleHighSchool."
SearchforPublicSchools
SchoolDetailforNobleHighSchool
.N.p.,n.d.Web.12Jan.2016.

"BirminghamGridforLearningMultipleIntelligences(Secondary)."BirminghamGridforLearning
Multiple
Intelligences(Secondary).N.p.,n.d.Web.20Jan.2016.