Florentino Juarez

EDU 203

Field Observation Packet

Professor Ricki Rieger

Assignment 1

Observation 1:

The classroom has a friendly environment. Walking into the classroom you’ll see a large

poster if “raining words” a-z. In the ceiling there are cut out shapes representing the stations.

The classroom has two big bulletin boards for students in classroom creations and the student’s

birthdays. On the floor there are two car patterned floor mats for sitting when they read or see

videos. On the walls there are subject based posters such as geography, social skills, science,

and math.

Observation 2:

There are 5 students in the classroom that are all boys. The boy’s ethnicities are two

Latinos, two African Americans, and one Caucasian. There are no ELL students in the classroom.

The class however is a severe autism classroom where the boys all are in the autism spectrum.

The class is kindergarten including one 1st grader.

Observation 3:

 Listen

 Stay on Task

 Participate in Class

Observation 4:

The teacher has a token behavior system. When students listen and are behaving

politely they are rewarded a token and vice versa if not paying attention or interrupting, the
teacher will take away their token. Once students have accumulated five tokens they are

rewarded a superhero cape at the end of class when they are having snacks.

Assignment 2

Layout Question 1:

The students have a plenty of space to move around in the classroom. The class size

helps being that there are five students. If a student wishes to work alone they’re able to work

on a station by themselves.

Layout Question 2:

The room can use some rearranging for instance, the storage and classwork shelves

occupy space that is unused and blocks half of a whiteboard. However aside from the shelve

and storage the classroom is big enough for the students to move around in so they do not feel

so congested in a smaller room.

Assignment 3

Question 1:

7:25am - 8:40am: Breakfast, Pledge, Welcome, Asses

8:40am - 9:10am: Letters

9:10am - 9:40am: Fine motor, Social

9:40am - 10:10am: Writing

10:10am - 10:30am: Computers

10:35am - 11:10am: Lunch

11:10am - 12:05pm: Reading

12:05pm - 12:55pm: Specials

1pm - 1:30pm: Math

1:30pm - 1:45pm: Science. SS, Social Skills

1:45pm - 2pm: Snacks

2pm - 2:20pm: Clean up

Question 2:

Instruction is done both as a whole and individually. There are stations where students

work individually and their teacher will assist them one on one as she walks around the

classroom. During circle time Ms. W called students individually to the smart board to answer

questions to match shapes, count candy, and tell the date.

Question 3:

My cooperating teachers’ teaching style is strict Being in a special ed class with students

who’s learning disability is autism you cannot afford to lose student’s attention or they not

respecting you as a teacher. Being a special ed teacher comes with students interrupting, not

keeping their hands to themselves, and having trouble paying attention. Ms. W having a big

family of her own she has a motherly touch of teaching and caring for her students. She is full of

school spirit as the day was crazy hair day and she had worn pencils on her hair showing the

students the spirit of the school.

Question 4:

During reading Ms. W read to the students and along she would display the pictures

asking them if they knew what the picture was and some asking what some words meant for

example, emergency. Ms. W also put up the video of green eggs and ham as students were able

to see the story in motion. Students sang songs counting from 1 to 10 then 10 to 20. Student

also worked with their hands cutting story sequences and placing them in order from beginning

to end.
Question 5:

Students are engaged in the lessons just that it is difficult for students to sit still and stay

focused. Students are easily distracted by each other as they would grab each other, start their

own conversations, or possible being to have behavioral outbursts.

Question 6:

The only time a student would be isolated is when they went into time out. On certain

occasions like playing with scissors, not keeping their hands to themselves, or talking too much

would result in time out.

Question 7:

Time is managed efficiently as students and teacher stay on schedule as it’s planned out.

Class instruction from 8:40am - 10:35am, lunch 10:35am - 11:10am, and specials 12:05pm -

12:55pm. There is no dead time as students are moving on to numerous of subjects through the

day.

Question 8:

Transitions are handled vocally after the timer is up. The teacher will dismiss the

students individually to their station. It’s easier for the teacher to move students around since

the classroom is consisted of five students.

Question 9:

One attention getter Ms. W used was shouting, “criss cross apple sauce, peanut butter

hands”, then as students sat quietly on the floor she asked to touch their nose then their head.

Students showed to be relaxed after following instructions.

Question 10:

There are various behaviors the teacher deals with, students grabbing and hitting each

other. One student has outburst for when things don’t go his way such as when he doesn’t get

to wear the cape for the end of the day of changing his performance smiley face from happy to

sad. This student will throw his body around, kick, and swing his arms. Students interrupt while

teaching is giving instructions for the lessons or reading out loud.

Question 11:

There are no policies or procedures that hinder instruction time. The teacher has plenty

of time for instruction and ability to perform their tasks as wished. Giving that the students

have trouble focusing for a long period of time the teacher can go into multiple lessons for a

short period of time, introducing new activities for the students to attempt.

Assignment 4

Physical Characteristics

Question 1:

The school is an old structured building. There is fencing around the whole school. The

school is surrounded in a high working, low income, Latino populated area. There are two
parking lots on school’s grounds, one southwest and the other north east of the school. There

aren’t many trees at the school but one really nice that is near the pre k and kindergarten areas

that provides a nice amount of shade. There are tarps that cover the playgrounds. There are

two crosswalks at the southeast corner. Prior to entering the school there is a gate that is open

to enter into the main office.

Question 2:

The school is an outdoor halls school with roof covering over. On the floor is a white line

for the students to follow in a single file line. On the outside walls you’ll see motivating quotes,

murals of families that represented the student population, and educational paintings such as

the solar system. Majority of the walls had a checkered pattern of different colors. The

classrooms have small windows that are covered by diamond security bars.

Culture of the School

Question 1:

Mission Statement: Our mission is to educate every child while honoring diversity and

uniqueness.

Motto: Do and be your very best!

Fay Herron’s school mascot is a Tiger.

Question 2:

The school staff are very friendly and welcoming upon entering the school. The school’s

staff is well able to communicate with the families of the students which are majority Spanish
speaking backgrounds as the staff is bilingual in Spanish and English. Student and teacher

rapport is well established as students are excited to see teacher as they walk past each other.

Question 3:

The bell schedule is only utilized for begging of classes, lunch, and dismissal. The school

has a pull out program for students that need more assistance on math, English, and social

intervention. Special education students have their own classroom. There are three lunches

that are 1st and 2nd grades, 3rd and 4th, then 5th.

Question 4:

Student to student interaction happens outside of the buildings. There is a black top

where students play four square and walk around. There are two playgrounds where majority

of the students play, a basketball court, tetherball, and a huge open grass area. In the grass

area students play tag, pass a soccer ball around, or just stroll.

Question 5:

Fay Herron has talent shows in which students can display their talents to their peers.

Fay Herron has a traditional Mexican Ballet Folklorico after school program who participates

with nearby middle schools mariachi bands and performs in competitions along with other

schools in the valley.

Culture of the Classroom

Question 1:

Ms. W expectations for the students is mainly that the students behavior is controlled

and participation in class. Her personality has the motherly caring for the students to learn. Ms.

W also has a strict manner for the students as they may get out of hand and begin to cause a

distraction to the rest of the students.

Question 2:

All of the students participate in class. Being a class of five, each student can be helped

individually. When given small white boards as they wrote letters and sounded the letters off all

of the students enjoyed them. Each student was called upon to sound off a letter. The student’s

favorite activity was when the smart was turned on and they had to interact with the board,

touching the screen to answer questions as it made fun sounds for getting the right answer.

Question 3.

Interaction between teacher and students is traditional teacher student relationship.

The rapport is well established, students listen and show to be learning from their teacher. The

power of the classroom is all on the teacher. If students misbehave they go to time out or

tokens taken off they daily performance. In a special education class with behavioral issues, the

teachers tone is important, being strict and checking the student’s behavior. As a special

education teacher you cannot afford to lose your student’s ability to listen to you.
Assignment 6 (Observing a student)

All of the students had returned from specials so reading and counting on the rug was

next. During reading this student listened well and comprehended they story, understanding

the characters and their feelings. Next was counting gumballs on the smart board, this student

wanted to go first but the teacher reminded him that’s not the way how students are picked

and he must sit quietly and wait for his turn. When the student was told to sit and wait

patiently he had an outburst, swinging his arms, kicking, and throwing his body hitting the

teacher. Took couple of minutes for the teacher to calm the student. Shortly after he was called

to the board and answered correctly, as the celebratory music played he celebrated as well

smiling for getting the question correct. When the student did not behave politely the teacher

would change his smiley face to a sad face and he absolutely did not like the changing of the

face. Again out bursting when received warning about his performance and changing his

performance face.

Teacher Interview

Q1. Lifelong dream, given an opportunity, loves kids, Has 12 of her own.

Q2. Support of parent’s involvement. Special Ed is thought of the afterthought. The elephant in

the room nobody really wants to address.

Q3. Tiny light bulb moment. The excitement of small accomplishments.

Q4. Behaviors and personalities.

Q5. Doesn’t apply small class.

Q6. Core phonics, iReady, computer assessment.

Q7. IEP’s at the moment only requirements. At times sends written notes. Progress reports

before report cards.

Q8. Whenever possible, where ever there is a need. Discuss behavior, if affecting teaching,

progress educationally.

Q9. Grades once a week, mainly focused on IEP goals.

Q10. Hours, still new takes a few hours. For a day about 3 hours.

Q11. Classroom management, token board, snacks, smiley faces, timeouts.

Q12. Token economy, for target behaviors. Having faces work well. The kids don’t want their

smiley faces taken away.

Q13. They’re not, specialist do their own.

Q14. Long term, sub not evaluated as a regular teacher, vice principal comes in 2-3 times a

week to help out.

Q15. No Answer

Q16. No PTA, from school got books that classes weren’t using, received some money from the

state.

Q17. Knew there was a lot of work, but it’s even more work than thought of.
Assignment 7 (Summary)

Special education students really need to be cared for. It’s unfortunate that these

students are born with learning disabilities. As said best, we educators must look at the child for

him/herself rather than the disability itself. Learning disabled children deserve a great

education just as any other child. As educators it’s our responsibility to provide our students a

warm welcoming feeling in the classroom for a great learning experience.

In a special education classroom you must be attentive of the children at all times. In

some cases children have a difficult time keeping their hands to themselves and because of

their disability they may have a behavioral impulsive reaction and may result to the student to

harm him/herself or others in the classroom. Teachers who deiced to get into special education

must possess a great virtue of patience. Special education students will interrupt discussions

and have behavior outbursts. However, the most rewarding aspect of being a special education

teacher is the small light bulb moments as my cooperating teacher mentioned. Self-fulfillment

comes with the job for reaching the small victories in the student’s educational and personal

developmental goals.