Stephanie Gutierrez

Engelhardt
EDUC 450
6 September 2016
Tour de Rocky
While exploring the classrooms and halls of Rocky my group learned a little
bit about the setting and context of Rocky Mountain High School. During our
adventure through the halls and classrooms we observed instruction and classroom
management, the behavior of the students, and differentiation and assessment
methods used within various classrooms. My group went to the following
classrooms; We the People, Advanced Chemistry, Elective Reading, Winds, and 2D
Art. Going into the classrooms gave us a great opportunity to see first-hand what
Rocky Mountain High School is all about. One of the first things my group noticed
about the teachers is the varying types of instruction and management used within
the classrooms.
We the People was the first classroom we went into. When we entered the
class was watching a movie that supplemented their lesson of Native American
rights. Every student was engrossed in the movie while the lights were dark. Not a
single student had a head on their desk during this first hour movie day and it was
incredible to see the engagement the entire class had in this movie. Many students
had their phones laying on their desk, but every student seemed more interested in
the movie than using their phones. This experience starkly contrasted what
happened during movie days in the high school experiences of my group. The level
of engagement and classroom behavior really demonstrated the classroom

management and community of Mr. Knierims classroom. This was a preview of

what the rest of Rocky Mountain High School was like.
In each classroom students knew how they should behave and had a clear
respect for their teachers. In the AP Physics and Advanced Chemistry classes we
went into students worked in groups of four to discuss content and work through
their class assignments. In the 2D Art class we visited the students also worked in
groups of four. They chatted while completing their art assignments, but were still
extremely productive. This allowed students to get to know their classmates and
build their own learning communities. In Elective Reading students chose whether
they want to work individually or in small groups. The teacher then went around to
each individual/group to check in and see the progress on their work. This was one
strategy I did not like as much because when he would check for their
understanding he did not give them enough time to fully answer him, and he would
then just tell them the answer. We witnessed a lot of great teaching strategies and
many different styles of teaching that we liked and disliked. It was easy to tell Rocky
Mountain High School is full of talented teachers. The behavior of the students
toward their teachers and each other was also interesting to see.
Students demonstrate great respect toward their teachers and all other
students. The students in Winds all knew each other well since they have been in
band classes together for a while. It was still easy to tell they all knew each other,
but also that they had a great relationship with their director. The atmosphere was
really relaxed and in the beginning while students were setting up everyone was
chatting, but as soon as the director gave them a signal they immediately began
their warmup song in unison. During the chaos of passing period students were not
unruly. There did not seem to be a lot of cliques and most friend groups over all

seemed very kind to one another. Students also held a high regard of respect for
their teachers as a result of the student-teacher relationships in Rocky. The
Advanced Chemistry class we went into visibly enjoyed they were learning.
Whenever their teacher began speaking they listened in silence. In every class there
was little to no interruptions. Each and every classroom we visited the students
exhibited respect toward their teachers as well as to each other because it is the
Rocky way.
Teachers also exhibited various forms of differentiation. In the Elective
Reading class the students were allowed to choose if they wanted to work
individually or in groups and whether or not they wanted to listen to their own music
during class. Some students with disabilities also had paras walking with them and
helping them through the class when necessary. Rocky also offers many
accommodations for students in the area of mental health. They have school
psychologists, counselors, and the wellness room. The wellness rom is an area
where kids can go to decompress if they are really overwhelmed or in distress.
There is an area of complete silence, a physical activity room, and larger area where
there are pillows and cushions everywhere. This is one of the most important
accommodations Rocky offers because student mental health should be an
important part of education.
Tour de Rocky was an excellent way to preview the setting and context of
Rocky Mountain High School During this experience my group was able to see the
different teaching styles of various teachers and different ways of management,
relationship building, and accommodation/differentiation. During our exploration of
the classrooms of Rocky we saw methods we want to use in our own classroom, as
well as tactics we did not like or agree with. Tour de Rocky was an invaluable

experience to see students and teachers demonstrate the Rocky way before we are
exposed to the classrooms.