Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers Task 1 Contextual Factors Chart

This chart is designed to help you to understand that many factors affect teaching and learning. They include the community, classroom procedures, the students, and the physical environment in which you will be teaching. All this information will help you to determine teaching strategies and approaches that will support your students learning. In this chart, address each of the characteristics listed as they pertain to your teaching assignment. (You must attach this document as an artifact in response textbox . . .! Source of Factor Contextual and Environmental Factors The community of the Laurens county area is one that contains rural and urban areas, as well as varying in economic status. There are families with medium leveled household incomes and others with very low incomes. As of 2012, Laurens County population is ,0!", with "# of the population living in urban areas and $# living in rural areas. The estimated median household income for Laurens residents is appro%imately &2$, "', compared to the estimated state household median income of &(2,")$. Laurens *istrict '' is a school district that serves 11 public schools. The district serves a total number of ',')2 students and "") teachers. Laurens +chool *istrict '' has an attendance rate of '. # and a retention rate of 2.$#. They were rated an Average Absolute ,ating and a -ood -rowth ,ating in the year 201". The on time graduation rate is $".!#. The per pupil e%penditure is &!,0$1. Laurens .lementary +chool is a Title / school in Laurens +chool *istrict ''. /t is the recipient of a 0almetto +ilver Award which recogni1es schools for high levels of performance. The school offers both traditional classrooms and 2ontessori classrooms for ages (3 through 'th grade. Laurens .lementary also offers an after school enrichment program and a summer program. There are ')! students that attend having, )."# served by gifted and talented program, and 1).2# with disabilities. Laurens .lementary has a )."# attendance rate versus the state ob4ective of

Community Urban, suburban, or rural; socioeconomic; census data on families

District Enrollment, percent free and reduced lunch; graduation rate; ethnic breakdown; percent with IEP; percent ELL; per pupil expenditure

School Enrollment, percent free and reduced lunch; achievement scores; ethnic breakdown; percent with IEP; percent ELL; recognitions; teacher student ratio

(.0#. 5There are nineteen students in the third grade class that / am performing my student teaching in. The students are heterogeneously mi%ed including6 ten females 7five African American, four Caucasian, and one 8ispanic9Latino:, and nine males 7four African American, three Caucasian, and two 8ispanic9Latino. ;ne of the students is new to Laurens .lementary. 5There are three .+;L students in the class. ;ne student receives "0 minutes pull5out individual intervention, another receives "' minutes pull5out small group instruction five days a wee<, and the last receives the push5in model for "0 minutes, one day a wee<. 5/n my class, eighteen students receive free lunch and one student pays the full student lunch price. ;n average, / have three to four that may bring their lunch on an average day. 5Laurens .lementary +chool uses the *ominie ,eading 0rogram to test and monitor their students reading proficiencies and progress. At the beginning of the year, my class had four students that performed below the average *ominie level of for third graders 4ust entering the school year. ;ne of those four students were at a "= 7beginners first grade score:. This student is one of my .+;L students who receives individual intervention two days a wee< as well as e%tra reading help through the +tudy /sland 0rogram during Academy time each day. The other three students below the third grade reading level, were at levels $, !a, and !b 7beginning second grade levels:. 5The students in my class en4oy drawing, reading, playing outside, swimming, playing video games, sports, and watching television during their spare time. 5/ did a student interest poll and the ma4ority of my students indicated that 2ath was their favorite sub4ect and +ocial +tudies and >riting was their least favorite sub4ect areas. 5As a whole, the students love music and they all mentioned various favorite genres including6 ,ap98ip58op, Country, ,oc<, and -ospel.

Classroom Demogra hics Ethnicit!, language needs, gender, identified special needs including gifted, ph!sical needs, and cultural characteristics

!no"ledge of Students Learning st!les, prior learning experiences, academic proficiencies, behavioral differences, and areas of interest

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