Classroom Context Description

Brookdale Elementary school is located in Orangeburg S.C. It serves 350 students. The majority of these students are African American. For the past four years Brookdale has implemented single gender classroom for grades 4th-6th. Mr. Hodgess is a fourth grade teacher who I have been assigned to this year for field experience. He has been an educator for 10 years. He has been doing singled gender instruction for 4 years. His all boys classroom is composed of 21 African American males. His girls classroom is composed of 21 African American females and 1 Indian female who is an ESOL student. Mr. Hodges classroom is located in the main building. Upon leaving the main office you make a left and continue down until you get to the third classroom on the left. His name is displayed outside the door. My first day there I instantly noticed how put up and neat the entire class was. The classroom is a fairly small yet very inviting. There was student work and the classroom rules displayed on the bulletin boards. Materials such as the smart board are located at the front of the classroom. Mr. Hodges has also

created a makeshift desk at the front of the classroom. There was also a word wall located over the classroom computer lab. Mr. Hodgess storage area and classroom bookshelf is located at the back of the classroom. The materials Mr. Hodges used on a daily base were all located on his makeshift workstation/desk that is positioned at the front of the class room. This includes textbooks, student worksheets, and any other resource or curriculum materials that are being utilized that day. On the work station there is a lab top, projector, and in front of the entire class is a smart board. The classroom television is located in the front right corner of the classroom. The classroom is one of the most important aspects of education. This is where students spend the majority of their day and time at school. Teachers must ensure that the classroom is an effective learning environment. Mr. Hodges has arranged his classroom in a way that is inviting and student centered. The small classroom size gives the room a more cozy and family like atmosphere. It was very evident that his classroom is effective and that the young ladies enjoy learning there.

Mr. Hodges 4th Grade Classroom

Mr.Hodges bulletin board. Student work is located on the left, and the classroom rules are located on the right.

The Smart board is located at the front center of the classroom. The classroom television is located in the top right hand corner.

The standards the students will be covering are located on the black board.

Mr. Hodges desk. Located in the back right hand corner of the classroom.

The classroom word wall is located on the over the classroom computer lab.

Classroom bookshelf

Mr. Hodges working one on one with students.

Ladies at work! Their writing essays on what they would do if they were millionaires.