Mayra Martinez

TCHLRN 321

Dr. Kelley

13 February 2020

Layout:​ When you first enter into the classroom, there is a big alphabet laid out on the

wall straight ahead with words that begin with that letter, including student names. Toward that

same back wall there is a reading area/library. In the library there is a bookcase and around it

there are bean bags and a little bench for the children to read at. At the front of the classroom

there are shelves with bins for each student and in those bins are a set of books that line up with

the individual reading level of each student. On the left wall there is a big shelf above the counter

that also has books for units that the teacher is working on with different groups. On the right

wall there are computers for literacy and math games that the children can work on.

Field notes:

● 8:30 am- ​Mrs. N has the students gather around for circle and while at circle they go

over/learn a new concept, like the one worked on today which phoneme substitution.

● 8:45 am- ​Mrs. N has the students go to their reading rotations. The reading rotations

consist of computer literacy games, teacher-led reading group, reading-to-self, partner

reading, and “choice” which is a choice of reading games or book.

● 8:45- 10:00 am-​ Students rotate every 15 minutes between the different literacy

activities. At the back table, Mrs. N sits with a group of students who are at or around the

same reading level. At this back table reading group Mrs. N guides a reading
 comprehension discussion. Meanwhile, the rest of the students are working through their

reading activity until the literacy time is over.

Reflection:​ I have gotten to experience and learn so much while being in Mrs. N’s first grade

class for the past few weeks. When I first entered her classroom I noticed how many books,

words, and literacy elements she had up throughout all of her classroom. One of the things that

stood out to me were the shelves/cabinets that she had above the counter. On this shelf there

were an endless amount of books which later she explained to me were all a part of her reading

groups unit. As I observed her literacy block, I noticed that first she had all of the students sit at

carpet and there she wrote words on the board with missing parts of the word and letters that fit

into it which is called phoneme substitution. Mrs. N drew sticks and allowed students to come up

and fill in the missing parts of the words, only if they wanted to come up, and as a class we

would blend the word using segmenting with our arms. After all of the students seemed to

understand the activity it was time for rotations. Mrs. N put up a slide which showed the names

of the students and where they were to begin for rotations. For the first rotation a student asked

me if they could read to me and as they read to me I helped them sound out words that were new

to them. For the next rotation, Mrs. N asked me if I could help a student who needed extra help

with a piece of writing. The writing was “my favorite part about me” and the student had to

make sure that they had a topic sentence and 2 details. The student and I worked together until

the 15 minutes of rotation were up and at the next rotation I was able to sit at the back table with

Mrs. N and listen to the individual reading groups. As Mrs. N began the reading groups the

students who were at the 39/40 reading level came to the back table, and at this point they

already know their own reading group. As they sat down Mrs. N handed them each a book, a
small chapter book. Mrs. N provided reading tools which included fun finger pointers (alligators,

sharks, monkeys, etc.) to use while reading and also a reading phone that they used for silent

reading. The teacher had them review what they had read about in their book the day before and

then they began a new chapter and each of the students silently read to themselves. While they

read they would ask for help from the teacher when they came across difficult words. After the

students were done reading Mrs. N brought out her guiding book and in the book there were

comprehension questions and she would ask the students about what happened in the chapter and

they even practiced using different voices for each emotion while reading aloud. Other students

worked at computers where they played literacy games and read short passages. Lastly, some

students played with one another and there were literacy games that helped them practice their

reading and literacy skills. I have learned so much being in Mrs. N’s classroom, and I can’t wait

to continue learning new teaching methods.