Field Assignment 2

I wish there were actual windows in more classrooms. In this particular classroom I would
include more learning centers and some student computers. It also would be helpful to have a
smartboard for better student interaction. The students are easily seen by the teacher from
wherever he is in the classroom, but it seems very crowded. There are a lot of desks and
students, however in most classes many of the desks go unused.

The classroom arrangement seems to be fit for instructional goals and activities set by the
teacher. The front of the room is clear so it is easy to enter and exit and easy for students to see
the board and teacher. The areas in between desks are wide enough for easy passage. The
areas around the frequently used materials are also clear and the items are easy to access.
The teacher is able to easily see the students from any position in the classroom. All students
are able to see the front of the room, the whiteboard, the projector, and the teacher with ease.

The average number of students in each class is 27. The Students ages range from 14-18 and
the ratio of female and male students is fairly equal.
There are a few students in each class who seem to be isolates. They stay quiet, don’t
participate out loud, and do their own work.
Students who participate more and are louder in class tend to do so without raising their hands.
These students seem to be the more confident or “popular” ones and participate even if they are
unsure that they are correct.
The students who sit in the back of the classroom seem to be the average or quiet student.
Some participate and work together with peers and ask questions often, while others seem to
keep to themselves.
The students who participate often and who have the correct answers seem to get the most
praise, while the isolate students tend to be more ignored unless they ask a question.

You can tell that there are definitely “cliques” of students within the school, however in the
classroom it tends to disappear and everyone interacts together. One of the days I observed
was during a spirit week and many of the students seemed to participate. Most of the students
seem to have plenty of school spirit. From what I could tell the classrooms are mostly cohesive
environments even for a school where students seperate themselves outside of the classroom.