Service-Learning Journal #2

What? So What? Now What?

This observation model for reflection will help you make connections and deeper meanings from your observations. Be sure to
include 4 sections below by answering each of the 16 reflective questions and any extensions completely to guide your
writing.

I. FIELD OBSERVATION – NOTES

Make sure you include: Grade/Subject - 2nd Grade

Lesson Topic - Teaching procedures, routines and rules for the first week of school

Take notes about what you observe in a notebook or sheets of paper. Keep in mind the questions below. The observation
notes are not turned in with this journal reflection. The notes are yours to keep.

Your written responses that has the following 4 sections is what you submit on Canvas.

I. What? (Reporting what happened, objectively --- not interpretation in this section). 5 questions
1) How did class begin?
The video became with Patricia Mondragon setting up for the first day of school. She was explaining how she still gets
nervous after 12 years of teaching. Mrs. Mondragon was preparing the kids and enforcing rules from the beginning to ensure a good
school year.
2) What are students doing?
The students were listening to Mrs. Mondragon while she was setting the ground rules. She was going over procedures and
routines for the students. The students were listening to the tasks that Mrs. Mondragon was asking of them. Mrs. Mondragon asked the
kids to get their task blocker and showed positive reinforcement to the kids who were doing the task correctly.
3) What did the teacher do?
Mrs. Mondragon was going over the procedures, rules, and routines for the kids since this was their first week of school.
When the kids were lined up outside and getting ready to come inside the classroom, Mrs. Mondragon gave a student a role of being
the back leader where she made sure none of the other students got lost along the way. Mrs. Mondragon went over the broken pencil
procedure and went over how important it was for the students to be respectful.
4) What behaviors do you see from the students?
I saw the students listening quietly to Mrs. Mondragon while she went over the rules. I did notice some of the students
looking around the classroom distracted while the teacher was going over the rules but for the most part, the students were engaged
and listening.
5) Describe the room.
The room had about 5 desks with 5 students at each table. In the beginning of the video, Mrs. Mondragon was stapling different
banners and cards to the bulletin board that went over a writing lesson. The classroom walls seemed to be full of different pictures of
different lessons and age appropriate learning pictures. There was a large whiteboard which is where Mrs. Mondragon stood by that
she had wrote on to help give the students a visual of the rules and procedures.

III. So What? (What did you learn from the observation? What important ideas immerged from observation? –
interpretation: describe your feelings, ideas, and analysis of what you observed in the classroom.) 8 questions

· The Classroom Environment:

1) How was the room set up for the lesson?
The room was set up with 5 desks with 5 students sitting at each desk. The students were positioned to face the
white board and Mrs. Mondragon to listen to the rules and procedures for the first week of school.
2) Did the set up play a part in the success of the lesson? How?
Yes, Mrs. Mondragon set up the kids name card that told which student where their seats where for the school year.
Mrs. Mondragon also set up all of the books and appropriate papers inside their desks for easy access for the students. The students
where positioned to view Mrs. Mondragon at the white board while she went over the rules.
 · The Students:
1) Do you think they learned what they were trying to learn?
As I watched Mrs. Mondragon teach the kids about the rules, I could see that most of the students where engaged
and listening. I noticed that some of them where distracted and they were looking around the room possibly not really listening. They
did a good job being quiet with no talking while Mrs. Mondragon was explaining the rules.
2) What did you notice that signaled learning or not learning from students?
I liked how Mrs. Mondragon would explain to the students what was needed from them and then she would also act
out what she needed. Mrs. Mondragon explained how she likes to model what she needs from the students because this helps them. So
I think by her modeling what was needed, this helped them learn better.

· The Teacher:
1) How did the teacher use his/her voice/body language and how did students react to it?
Mrs. Mondragon’s voice and body language was strong and stern. You can tell she is in charge and she makes it
very clear what is needed from the students. I think the students reacted well and they listened to her better because that is how she
came off.
2) Did he/she manage the class well in your opinion?
Yes, I do believe that she managed the class well. You can tell that she has been doing this for a while. She was firm
and strong which are good qualities to have when you are a teacher. I do think that she could have smiled more and have tried to come
off more approachable. To me, she seemed almost too stern where the kids might have a hard time approaching her.

· The Lesson:
1) What parts of the lesson worked? Why do you think that?
When Mrs. Mondragon was going over what she expected from the students regarding the pencils, I think she did a
great job showing the kids what she expected of them. Mrs. Mondragon acted out what she needed from the students and I think by
showing what is needed rather than just explaining, this will help the students understand better.
2) What parts of the lesson didn’t work? Why do you think that?
I did not see any parts of this video that did not work. The video went over the procedures, rules, and routines for the
kids. I did not see very much student interacting because they were listening to the teacher go over what was expected from them.

IV. Now What? (How does this impact you in your future activities as a teacher? What do you need to learn more
about?). In this part, you should consider how this information and observation impacts your future as a potential teacher. 2
questions

1) How did this experience impact your views about education, teaching, or learning?
Since it is a weird time right now to go supervise at a school, I really enjoyed being able to watch videos of teachers and
students in action in classrooms. When I watched the video, I really could visualize myself as a teacher. I want to teach between
Kindergarten and 3rd grade so this gave me an idea of what my age group would be like. I liked see how the classroom was set up and
how the teacher interacted with the students. I liked see how the teacher gave positive reinforcement and how it is important to model
instead of just telling the students what is expected of them. Both of these, I have noted them for my future self as a teacher.

2) What things would you like to learn more about as a possible professional in this field?
I would like to learn more about the lessons and what is expected of the teachers. I have an idea of how to work with kids
because I was a preschool teacher. I really want to see how hard the paperwork is for the teacher such as lesson planning, prepping,
and grading.

Only for those using the ALTERNATIVE Service-Learning Assignment: Question 16: What strategy did you see/hear in
the blue-shaded second video or article that was seen in the first video or could have been used in the first video? How would
you implement it?

For my shaded blue video, I watched Steve Brostowitz who is a teacher for Pre-K students transitioning to kindergarten and
first grade. Mr. Brostowitz went over how to maintain positive energy for the classroom management. This video went hand in
hand with some of the messages that the first video went over. In the first video, Mrs. Mondragon explaining how important
positive reinforcement is. For example, Mrs. Mondragon would say, “I like how Mary has her test blocker up on her desk and
her hands are on her desk.” By pointing out how anther student is doing something right, this encouraged other students to do
the same. This second video that explaining positive energy, went over similar strategies. Mr. Brostowitz gave some tips on
how to use positive reinforcement with groups or the students individually. He came up a reward system for when the kids are
doing something right rather than telling the kids what they are doing wrong. He mentioned a sticker system with sticker box
which is exactly what I had for my students when I was a preschool teacher. The strategies that he showed are very simple and
cost effective ways to incorporate a positive classroom.