Journal Table Two
Name: Mariah Tweed
Important Societal Factors/Significant
Observations from Field Notes
A)What are the specific important-
societal-factors-edfd-460-461-462
that serve as resources and
challenges impacting the learning
of the learner(s) you are studying
in your clinical setting (See the
following document: important-
societal-factors-edfd-460-461-462)
(Remember to focus on
resources, not just challenges!!!).
Gender: Ive noticed that the classroom
teacher sets a high expectation regarding
respect. Since teaching is such a female
heavy field, I think his presence as an
involved male teacher helps the male
students feel comfortable.
Socio-economic status: I think that some
of the students are impacted by their
home life, and that they struggle to make
friendships with classmates that dont
necessarily come from the same
backgrounds. I notice that most of the
kids that hang out together wear the
same type of clothes, and have similar
hair styles.
Course Content
C)How do specific arguments made
by Eric Jensen or any other
scholars used on ANY OF the 6
Poverty Analyses (located in the
D2L Discussion section) shape
your present thinking about
working with impoverished
learners? (Cite specific author
arguments, examples, and page
numbers here!!)?
Eric Jensens article How Poverty
Affects Classroom Engagement make a
very clear point that there is a difference
in the educational availability between
students who struggle with poverty, and
those who dont. The article outlines
differences such as health and nutrition,
cognition, and stress. This article helped
shape my thinking by putting in
perspective the advantages students
have if they dont struggle with poverty.
It helped me see that my students will
be focused most on what they need to
be healthy and safe, and learning will
come second. This will help remind me
to see how I can help my students meet
their needs before learning.
D)How do you see your Cooperating
 Journal Table Two
Name: Mariah Tweed
B) What developmental and/or
learning theorists learned in
EDFD 400/401 can be used to
argue why these specific
Important Societal Factors are
significant?
Piaget is an educational theorist that can
be used to explain why societal factors
are significant for students. One of his
biggest contributions to education is the
concept of schema, or the things a child
already knows. Schema and funds of
knowledge can be compared, and both
relate to the experiences the child has
had of society. B.F. Skinners theory of
behaviorism can also be tied to societal
factors by concluding that these factors
could be seen as positive or negative
reinforcements of choices. For example,
student A might not want to play
basketball because his grandpa said that
sports were for people who couldnt
learn or do anything difficult. Student B
might have a different outlook, because
their uncle played in the NBA. This
example combines schema and
behaviorism.
Teacher addressing (or missing the
opportunity to address) students
development of soft skills (Be
specific with concrete examples of
these soft skills Closure to the
Poverty Analysis Discussion) and
any specific 21st Century
Framework Skills discussed in the
following resources: P21
Framework Definitions and
Descriptions
My cooperating teacher handles
questions from students that might be
insensitive, by helping them learn to
be more sensitive. For example, one
of the students asked why another
student got to chew gum while taking
a test. The teacher responded by
saying that each student gets what
they need to do their best learning.
The class takes attendance on the
smart board by moving a basketball
with their name on it to a hoop that
says hot lunch, or another hoop that
labels cold lunch. One of the students
started to move the basketballs for
the students that were still in the hall,
and Mr. Martin explained that if he
moved the balls for the students, that
the students might forget on other
days. He also explained that it helps
the students get ready for the day,
 Journal Table Two
Name: Mariah Tweed

because it forces them to see that

they are in class and following
routine.
E) How do you see (or fail to see)
how your cooperating teacher
demonstrates any of the concrete
strategies for working with
impoverished learners that you
learned from your outside social
class scholar
The classroom that Im in sometimes
has as many as 7 adults to help the
students. Many of the adults choose to
work individually with students who
seem to be needing more help picking
up on the content. Because of this, I
havent noticed any specific strategies
that the teacher has used to help
impoverished learners.