Classroom Documents
Photographs of Classroom Arrangement
When I walked into the fifth grade classroom for my IMB experience, the first thing I noticed was the format and arrangement of the classroom. It excited me to see a formation of
desks that I had not yet seen before in a classroom. There are four rows of desks in all in this particular classroom. Two rows face one direction, and the other two rows face the other direction. In all, the two rows on each side of the classroom face each other. There is space between the two rows for walking. The set up of desks in the classroom is conducive to the learning environment. The teacher can easily divide the class into not only two large groups, but also four smaller groups. The teacher can easily walk around the classroom, and teach in the center of where both desks face. Additionally, there is a teacher desk in the front of the classroom. The location of the teacher desk is just as conducive to teaching as is the placement of the desks.
In the middle of the front of the room, there is a teacher desk. There is an additional teacher desk, with a computer, along the side of the classroom. In the reading area of the classroom, there is a small circular
table. This table is hardly used, except to turn in assignments. Along one wall in the room there are cubbies, which students utilize daily. Across the room on the other side, there are computers for student use. I like the arrangement of the classroom overall and find it supportive to student learning. The teacher of the classroom made a point to tell me that the arrangement of the student desks in the room actually changes from quarter to quarter. This change of scenery may better support students in the learning environment.
Photocopies of Materials Distributed by Teacher
Prior to the teaching of my literacy mini-lesson, students received an article to read on the topic of the Emancipation Proclamation. Students were to read this article the night before the carrying out of
my mini-lesson. This article is written in what can be considered to be "old English." The students were to both read the article and to, for one of the paragraphs in the article, re-write it into their own words.
During the mini-lesson, students were to collaborate on the paragraph's meaning and write down on a note card the translated ideas.
Photograph of Classroom Management Materials
From the first day I observed in the classroom, I took note of the various classroom management materials that are present in the room. The teacher on a daily basis utilizes the color chart where each student can either be on green, yellow, or red. If a student's behavior becomes inappropriate throughout the school day, they may be asked to change the color of the card that is next to their
name. Different colored cards have different consequences. In addition to the color card chart, the teacher has a word wall that comprises the many qualities that students are expected to exhibit in the classroom. The various qualities include good citizenship, responsibility, honesty, and fairness. The teacher may reference these characteristics when students act out or disrupt the classroom climate.
Photographs of bulletin boards, white boards, Smart Boards, Word Walls, ect.
The front of the room houses a white board and a SmartBoard. Both are equally used in the classroom to better the learning environment. The white board lists the various objectives for the lessons of the day and the homework that students are to complete. The SmartBoard is utilized when sharing powerpoints, pictures, videos, and websites. Additionally the teacher chooses to utilize SmartBoard programs to better student motivation and enthusiasm to learn in the classroom. Bulletin boards are present in the classroom, which house various items that are being studied in content areas. For example, one bulletin board in the classroom has magazines that students are reading. Next to each magazine page are sticky notes that hold comments students have made about the various article. The bulletin board is looked at by students to not only reference materials that they have read, yet also see what it is that their peers are saying about the articles.
When I walked into the fifth grade classroom for my IMB experience, the first thing I noticed was the format and arrangement of the classroom. It excited me to see a formation of
desks that I had not yet seen before in a classroom. There are four rows of desks in all in this particular classroom. Two rows face one direction, and the other two rows face the other direction. In all, the two rows on each side of the classroom face each other. There is space between the two rows for walking. The set up of desks in the classroom is conducive to the learning environment. The teacher can easily divide the class into not only two large groups, but also four smaller groups. The teacher can easily walk around the classroom, and teach in the center of where both desks face. Additionally, there is a teacher desk in the front of the classroom. The location of the teacher desk is just as conducive to teaching as is the placement of the desks.
In the middle of the front of the room, there is a teacher desk. There is an additional teacher desk, with a computer, along the side of the classroom. In the reading area of the classroom, there is a small circular
table. This table is hardly used, except to turn in assignments. Along one wall in the room there are cubbies, which students utilize daily. Across the room on the other side, there are computers for student use. I like the arrangement of the classroom overall and find it supportive to student learning. The teacher of the classroom made a point to tell me that the arrangement of the student desks in the room actually changes from quarter to quarter. This change of scenery may better support students in the learning environment.
Photocopies of Materials Distributed by Teacher
Prior to the teaching of my literacy mini-lesson, students received an article to read on the topic of the Emancipation Proclamation. Students were to read this article the night before the carrying out of
my mini-lesson. This article is written in what can be considered to be "old English." The students were to both read the article and to, for one of the paragraphs in the article, re-write it into their own words.
During the mini-lesson, students were to collaborate on the paragraph's meaning and write down on a note card the translated ideas.
Photograph of Classroom Management Materials
From the first day I observed in the classroom, I took note of the various classroom management materials that are present in the room. The teacher on a daily basis utilizes the color chart where each student can either be on green, yellow, or red. If a student's behavior becomes inappropriate throughout the school day, they may be asked to change the color of the card that is next to their
name. Different colored cards have different consequences. In addition to the color card chart, the teacher has a word wall that comprises the many qualities that students are expected to exhibit in the classroom. The various qualities include good citizenship, responsibility, honesty, and fairness. The teacher may reference these characteristics when students act out or disrupt the classroom climate.
Photographs of bulletin boards, white boards, Smart Boards, Word Walls, ect.
The front of the room houses a white board and a SmartBoard. Both are equally used in the classroom to better the learning environment. The white board lists the various objectives for the lessons of the day and the homework that students are to complete. The SmartBoard is utilized when sharing powerpoints, pictures, videos, and websites. Additionally the teacher chooses to utilize SmartBoard programs to better student motivation and enthusiasm to learn in the classroom. Bulletin boards are present in the classroom, which house various items that are being studied in content areas. For example, one bulletin board in the classroom has magazines that students are reading. Next to each magazine page are sticky notes that hold comments students have made about the various article. The bulletin board is looked at by students to not only reference materials that they have read, yet also see what it is that their peers are saying about the articles.