Isabelle Senn

Professor Saladino

EDU 201

16 November 2021

Field Observation Packet Notes

• Pages 1 through 12 of Field Observation Packet

• Pages of notes for Assignments 1-7 posted below on pages 14-24

Your Name: Isabelle Senn

CSN Course: EDU-201

Professor: Saladino

Professor’s email: steve.saladino@csn.edu

CCSD School: Sunrise Acres Elementary School

Cooperating Teacher: Rhonda Valladares

Assignment 1 (Observations):

Observation #1: The classroom is highly organized though it is quiet, and students were spaced

out due to covid-19 safety protocol. The environment of the classroom was friendly, though I

would not say it was warm. Students kept to themselves and were to remain quiet until there was

a whole group activity where the classroom participated as a whole.

Observation #2: There are 11 boys and 7 girls. About 90 percent of the classroom's students

were Hispanic, while the rest were African American with 1 white student. ELL students have

their own classroom and section of the school.

Observation #3: The posted rules for Mrs. Valladares’ classroom are as follows:

1. I will be kind and respectful to all adults and children.

2. I will help my school environment stay safe by walking in a straight and quiet line with

my arms folded.

3. I will follow directions and use my time in school for learning and completing all

classwork.

4. I will practice active listening and not shout out or talk during lessons.

5. I will always wear my mask.

Observation #4: The teacher does enforce these rules, if the students follow them, they are

rewarded with prizes at the end of the month. Students have a chance to win a prize from a

variety of items, they spin a wheel to see what they get. However, if they do not follow the rules,

they are punished with a lunch detention. The students will spend their lunchtime with the

teacher in the classroom without socializing. The students will also lose classroom overall prizes

if the entire class is not following the rules.

Assignment 2 (Classroom Layout):

(See page 4 for classroom layout drawing png).

Classroom Layout Question #1: The workflow of the room is exceptionally smooth and time-

efficient; it moves at a steady pace and transitions nicely between subjects. The space in the

classroom is not large but it is used as efficiently as it can be for a portable.

Classroom Layout Question #2: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I do not feel like the room can

improve any more than it already has. The desks in the classroom are evenly spaced out, and

each desk is equipped with a protective plastic frame for the front and sides of the desk that the

student is not seated at.

Assignment 3 (Instruction):

Instruction Question #1: The posted daily schedule for different subjects is as follows:

8:40-9:00 – Arrival and breakfast

9:00-10:30 – Reading

10:30-10-50 – Science/Social Studies

10:50-11:40 – Specials
11:45-12:20 – Lunch

12:20-12:40 – Language

12:40-1:20 – Writing

1:20-2:30 – Math

2:30-3:00 – WIN (Intervention)

3:00-3:05 – Dismissal

Instruction Question #2: Instruction is done individually; Students go to the teachers' desk to

receive help/assistance and form a line if there are multiple students seeking help as well. Most

of the lessons are done online and alone, with minimal group and student-teacher interaction.

Instruction Question #3: My cooperating teachers' teaching style I would say is very hands-

free, she does not often get involved with the students. Students work at their own pace, on their

online programs for each subject. She will help show how to do things in front of the class as a

reminder before an exam for math and will read with the class for social studies.

Instruction Question #4: This teacher does not incorporate the sensory modalities (learning

styles).

Instruction Question #5: For the most part, every student is engaged in the activities/lessons

being presented. It is reading time for the class, and every student is quietly reading a chapter on

their selected book. When they finish reading, they take a quiz on it for points, which rewards

them later.

Instruction Question #6: No students are isolated more than the other; each student is isolated

equally due to Covid-19 safety protocol. Students are spread out a reasonable distance from one

another to stay safe.

Instruction Question #7: Yes, the time is used efficiently. The teacher has a very time efficient

schedule setup that allows adequate time for each subject throughout the day. The teacher also

uses a timer system to keep everything on track and when it goes off students put away their stuff

and prepare for the next subject.

Instruction Question #8: As partially answered in question number seven, the teacher uses a

timer system to keep everything on track so that students know when it goes off, it means it is

time to prepare for the next subject. The transition is very effective, it gives students time to

prepare, and it works out smoothly without the classroom getting loud and wild.

Instruction Question #9: She does not really have any attention-grabbing commands; however,

she does use timers often for just about everything. She frequently reminds the class to be quiet,

and there are consequences in place for misbehavior on repeated offenses to discourage breaking

class rules. They are effective enough and work with a 3rd grade classroom.

Instruction Question #10: The teacher typically deals with students getting up without

permission, socializing when they should not be, and occasionally a loud classroom. If the

classroom is loud for example, she will remind them that they are being too loud and need to

quiet down. However, if the classroom continues to be loud ignoring the rules and not following

directions, she will deduct points (one or more) from the whiteboard. These points decide how

many prizes are available at the end of the month for her auction (reward system). If an

individual student is misbehaving the teacher will put the student on lunch detention, as well as

place the student closer to their desk for better and closer supervision.

Instruction Question #11: No, there are no policies or procedures that hinter the instructional

time. However, from observations, the environment of the classroom is not very hands-on and I

feel it hinders the learning process for the students.

Assignment 4 (Culture):

Physical Characteristics:

1. The building is very large, although there is not enough room for the full student body.

Because of this, there are quite a few pods outside of the main building. The school

appears to be very safe and secure; it is walled off tall fences, especially where the

children play. The playground is quite vast, there is a lack of grass and dirt though; the

playground is mostly, if not entirely, asphalt. There are almost no trees near, around, or

inside the school grounds. The parking lot is average sized for a school, slightly smaller.

There are no crosswalks near the school grounds, however, on both ends of the street

there are crosswalks to cross four-way streets. There are no gates to the school, but there

are many signs throughout the school to tell you where to go.

2. The halls are narrow, blue, and decorated with class achievements and seasonal

decorations. There is no security at the entrance, but every visitor must sign-in and out as

well as do some paperwork at the office before they can proceed to their destination.

There are a few windows outside of an exceptionally large one on the way to the pods

and the ones at the entrance of the school. There are many doors sometimes multiple to

reach a location. The school is very well lit, with a lot of ceiling lights throughout the

school. The flooring is exclusively carpet outside of the tile flooring inside the lunchroom

and on the way to the hallway bathrooms.

Culture of the School:

1. Sunrise Acres Elementary school’s mascot, mission statement, and motto are:

• Mascot – Jaguar
 • Mission Statement – Increase academic achievement through accountability, pride

and grit to ensure success in college and beyond.

• Motto – Work hard, get smart.

2. Staff mostly keep to themselves at the office, they are however very polite and work fast

with visitors. Student and faculty interactions are very mild, the only time they really

interact is when a student is misbehaving or not in class when they are supposed to be.

3. There is no school bell schedule, I found it a bit surprising. Students are also separated by

grade level, and every class has a different daily schedule routine to follow which could

be why there is no bell schedule. Special education students have their own section of the

school, they are not integrated into the general classroom.

4. Inside the building students usually interact with one another or with teachers during

lunch or bathroom breaks and sometimes during recess. When they are outside the

building the interactions usually happen after school is over, or when they are having

recess outdoors on their playground.

5. Several school traditions are designed to strengthen staff and student relationships, as

well as staff and parent relationships. For example, they are very prideful and have many

trophies lining the halls as well as posters, they also do food events to get people

together. Their most recent event was a shaved ice gathering, and they have a wide that

have become less common due to the pandemic, though some variety of events including

assemblies to honor community and school pride.

Culture of the Classroom:

1. The cooperating teacher likes a quiet classroom and will consistently remind the class to

quiet down if there is too much noise. Students are prohibited from socializing during
 class time and are to go to her if they need help. The teacher is stern, she keeps

everything on a strict schedule and uses timers as well.

2. Every student but one thus far has participated fully in the lessons presented for them for

the day(s), that student is fooling around and not doing their work. The student was told

on multiple occasions to sit down and raise their hand if they have any questions or they

will lose recess time.

3. The interactions between teachers and students are short and straight to the point, in a

typically friendly manner. There is a definite distribution of authority over the students.

Rules are always frequently followed and reinforced while walking in the hallways as

well as in the classroom.

Assignment 5 (Cooperating Teacher Interview):

Interview Question #1: The primary reason my cooperating teacher became a teacher was

because she is a mom, she has worked with kids, she likes being in the company of kids, and it

suits her schedule preference.

Interview Question #2: The main challenges she has faced as a teacher is time management and

difficulties speaking a second language. Being bilingual is beneficial to teachers, especially with

so many students speaking Spanish all around the US especially in Las Vegas, Nevada. She feels

there is not enough time to effectively teach the students what they need to learn.

Interview Question #3: My cooperating teacher feels that the best part of being a teacher is

making a difference. She states that it is a wonderful feeling to see and help them feel successful

and watch them succeed.

Interview Question #4: Student seating arrangement is determined by student records or history

of socializing.

Interview Question #5: Members of any flexible groups are determined by test scores.

Interview Question #6: Outside of standardized testing, the teacher/students use I-Ready

Mastery checks for reading, enVision Math, and writing rubrics for writing regularly.

Interview Question #7: The teacher sends home a pamphlet of rules, students' grades for the

week, behavior in class, and homework turn-in scores. If the parents sign it and the students

return it the next week then they will receive a hole punch in their card for good behavior.

Interview Question #8: Interactions between teachers and student’s parents in person varies, it

is sometimes daily, weekly, or even online. The typical conversations the teacher experiences or

deals with is about the student and how they behave in class, their grades, and how to improve.

Interview Question #9: The amount of grading that is done each week, or day, changes by

subject. With reading it takes two hours to grade everything by the end of the week, with math

the AI does the grading, writing takes four hours to grade on average each week, and lastly,

social studies and science takes an hour at best to fully grade for the week.

Interview Question #10: On average, it takes 2 hours to prepare lessons for the entire week. All

of the third-grade teachers who specialize in certain subjects all make a lesson plan for their

students, and the third-grade teachers share their lesson plans for their subject with the other

third-grade teachers, which in turn makes the workload less for everyone.

Interview Question #11: Mrs. Valladares (my cooperating teacher) uses timers and a strict

schedule to maximize instructional time for each subject throughout the day.
Interview Question #12: Some positive reinforcement programs she has had success with is

creating homework passes, class dojo, and toy auction. Some behavioral consequences seem

most effective with this age group is lunch detention and parental enforcement.

Interview Question #13: Specialist teachers are not involved in the instructional planning

process. They have their own standards and curriculum.

Interview Question #14: Teachers are observed once a year unless their overall review as a

teacher is poor. Mrs. Valladares is reviewed once a year by the administration and NPEF is what

is used to determine the teacher performance.

Interview Question #15: The scale of favorable to unfavorable is 1-4. Three is standard, 4 is

exceptional, and 2 or less is supervised more often or even terminated.

Interview Question #16: No PTA, the financial support for the school is 100% free breakfast

and lunch for students. Principal helps supply essentials for classrooms if requested, plus there is

extra state/federal fundings provided. The curriculum is also provided for free.

Interview Question #17: Mrs. Valladares states there were not really any surprises about

teaching as a profession, however, she did note that recently it was a bit of a surprise that

Calendars were no longer a “thing” in classrooms. She also mentioned the change in report

cards/parent meetings was reduced to once a year.

Assignment 6 (Observing a student):

The classroom instructions were to sit quietly, read, and take a quiz on the book they were

reading. However, the student did not do as they were told and did quite the opposite. They got

up without raising their hand and asking for permission, walked around the classroom, played

with their book, talked to other students in blind spots from the teachers' point of view; the
student was very disruptive to the classroom. Transitioning into mathematics the student appears

to be more focused and on better behavior. They are raising their hand, and asking questions, and

seeking help on questions they get stuck on. Her better behavior did not last long, for she is also

impolite when talking to other students who are waiting for help as well or students who follow

the rules. She began ignoring the rules again, proceeding to get out of her seat and socialize

while the teacher was busy. The student also pushed aside another student to cut in line for help

just so she could talk to her friend. On multiple occasions, the student has asked for help only to

create a scenario where she can socialize with friends or ask for answers rather than receive help.

She does not care to follow safety rules by always wearing their mask properly; she leaves her

mask below the nose or off. She has picked up a book and mishandled it, ripping a page out of

the book, and putting it back on the shelf. She has asked other students for test/quiz answers

when the teacher as turned her away telling her she cannot receive answers on tests and quizzes.

She decided to continue talking with her friends, making silly facial expressions and harassing

other students who were doing as they were told. She has tried getting students in trouble for

things they did not do, as well as complained about pencil tapping annoying her.

Assignment 7 (Summary):

I personally feel like I did not learn much from the experience, the classroom seemed quite

different from how it was when I was growing up. It was incredibly quiet and strict; it was

mostly done online without much teacher involvement. When I had gone to school, teachers

were more hands-on, and the classroom was involved as a whole. Seeing how completely

opposite it was, I feel that it would not be how I would run a classroom had I been given an

opportunity. I enjoyed the observations, some of the kids would even try to socialize with me but
I told them to pay attention in class to not get in trouble. I think the way the classroom was

designed was very advanced, all the students had laptops and the teacher had a smartboard.

Because everything was mostly run on its own through online programs (self teaching) with no

real teacher involvement, from an outside perspective it feels like school is not how it used to be,

or my experience is a poor example of what it could be like. I hope that in the future when I am

doing my internship, I can create an environment with the students where they feel more

comfortable and excited to be in class and learn. I want to be a teacher that can make a change,

and on my observations it just felt as though the teacher did not enjoy teaching very much.