Stiles 1

Chase Stiles
EDU242 Field Assignment 1
Dr. Wince
3 March 2017

For my Field Placement, I am placed at Gotwals Elementary School in Norristown,

Pennsylvania. My cooperating teacher, Mrs. Roethlisberger is a second grade teacher and reading
specialist at Gotwals. Within her classroom, there are a lot of technical enhancements I never
thought I would see at a public school with predominately students of Mexican decent that speak
Spanish as their primary language.
Within this classroom, there is internet connection for the teacher to use and the students
to use when in need. The teacher has a 2014 Dell desktop computer at her desk that she uses for
her own email, ideas for lessons plans, Youtube videos, and any other learning based materials.
Ms. Roethlisberger does not have a printer in her room, the group of second grade teachers have
a communal printer in the teachers lounge where they print their papers. Every child in the class
has their own iPad mini to themselves that they use applications that enhance their learning. The
most frequently used app is known as Brain Blast which the students use every time they
complete an assignment early and have free time to spare. This app enhances mathematical skills
by asking the students to answer as many basic math problems as they can in a certain amount of
time. Another very common application the class uses is Lexia Reading Core 5 which
enhances the students vocabulary, spelling, and reading skills. I noticed that the children are
very engaged in the content that the iPad apps are reviewing and every time Mrs. Roethlisberger
asks the students to take out their iPads the children get very excited. This truly shows that the
enhancement of technology in the classroom brings out a lot of benefits to the children and the
teacher. This classroom also has a SmartBoard with a projector as well. The SmartBoard is used
very frequently to show many instructional videos and is used to instruct children in their
learning. I found this to be very interesting because I was not sure how much the technology was
going to be put to use with such basic level content, although the technology is used very
frequently.
Microsoft Word is not used very often at this age level. The students have written one
poem thus far of me being there and they were able to type it on a Microsoft Word document.
The technology in this classroom is very advanced from when I was a student in the second
grade. Although, as time progresses I do expect even more technology to be enhanced in the
classrooms of younger students. This classroom does not use clickers as participatory tools or
any cameras. Cell phones are prohibited in the classroom, although that isnt up for much
discussion given the students are too young to really even have their own cell phone. Many
search engines are blocked for students to use because of their age it is a risk of where they may
end up. Much of the students work is still done on pencil and paper, and I think that in certain
subject areas that it still important at such a young age. I know for me as a learner, I still grasp
content better when I write it down and I think children at younger ages do too. I do see the
importance of enhancing them at a young age because in this era, technology has thrived. When
reaching a higher level education, much of the education is taught technically based and it is
important for the children to be exposed to that in order to succeed.