Haley Wilson

Haley Wilson
TWS #1
Contextual Factors
Fall 2014
A) Classroom Factors:
Physical Features of the school: Merrywood Elementary is a welcoming school, with
both teachers and students greeting students and parents as they arrive in the morning.
The school is divided hallways, with different grades on each one. For instance, 2nd and
3rd grade are own there own hallway. Each hallway has a teacher workroom that contains
a copier and a laminator, although only one hallway has a color printer.
In the middle of the school, there is the computer lab and the library. Down the activity
hall is the art room, music room, lunchroom, and the door to the older grades recess area.
Learning Environment: Mrs. Landreths third grade classroom is composed of twentyfive students. You can tell the students feel comfortable in the environment, because they
all interact openly with each other. Students work more frequently in small groups or
with partners than as the entire class. The students get along very well with each and with
Mrs. Landreth. There is one student who has a shadow in the class, and does not like the
girls to touch him. He will stand near the girls and normally does not have a problem
unless one accidently touches him.
Classroom arrangement: As you walk into the classroom, you notice that the students
do not sit at traditional desks, but they sit at tables, two students at each table. There are
five groups of tables that students sit at. At the front of the classroom, there is a rug, the
smart board, and a teachers station. In the back of the classroom, there is a teachers desk
for group lessons and a rest room. In the middle of the class, there are five sections of
tables where the students sit during their independent work. Along one wall, there is a
bookcase where students can book shop, and on the other wall are cubbies where students
can store their science bags, book boxes, and book bags.
Resources: One of the resources that are available for the students in Mrs. Landreths
classroom is an ESOL teacher that comes into the room to help the student with daily
vocabulary. One student in her class has a shadow that contributes to the overall
wellbeing of that one child, but also helps when the noise level gets too high, or a student
isnt doing what he or she should be doing. A resource teacher is also available for the
two students who have IEPs. There are many resources available, including apps on the
iPads for the students and Mrs. Landreth to use, money for book sets this year, and also
many math manipulatives that the school bought.
Equipment: Equipment in the classroom includes a smart board, online programs, as
well as iPads. The teacher has an iPad she uses for grades and activities. Other equipment
that is available is playground equipment for students to play on.

Haley Wilson
Availability of Technology: The only form of technology in the classroom is the smart
board and the teachers computer. The students do have computers in the classroom that
they can do work on. Technology plays a large part in this classroom. The class has its
own set of iPads that they work on daily. Mrs. Landreths classroom is a model classroom
for technology in Merrywood.
Parent Involvement/Community: Mrs. Landreth has a grandmother who comes in
twice a week to copy her handouts, cuts materials for lessons, and laminates anything she
needs. There is an online social account that parents can check for updates, and also see
pictures of what the class did that day. Many parents volunteered for the field trip that is
coming up soon, and also stay in contact with Mrs.Landreth via Email. Many parents
pack lunch for their children, so one can assume that there is parent involvement at home.
Mrs. Landreth has several apps her students parents can communicate with her through,
including Remind, Instagram, Twitter, along with a class website.
Classroom Management/Classroom Rules: Rules can be found in Mrs. Landreths class
hanging on the wall; so all students can see them. There are five rules that are displayed
for students to see.
1. Be an active listener when your teacher talks
2. Follow directions quickly
3. Raise your hand for permission to speak
4. Keep your hands and feet to your self
5. Respect others, respect yourself, respect your school
If these rules are not followed, then the first offense will be a warning, the second will be
a loss of a privilege determined by the teacher, the third offense will be a note home, and
the fourth will be an office referral.
Routines and Scheduling: The routine for Mrs. Landreths third grade class is to come
in during the morning between 7:50 and 8:10 and work in a morning work packet, while
the teacher gets the lunch count and takes attendance. At 8:10, the students go to related
arts, and return at 9:00 for Math rotations. Around 10:00, they begin their writers
workshop and work on mini-lessons or independent writing until 11. At 11:00, the
students go to recess until 11:20, and from 11:20 to 11:50 they have lunch. After lunch,
the students have readers workshop until 1:10. In readers workshop, they work on
Interactive read-aloud, reading mini-lessons, RTI, and independent reading. Reading
workshop lasts until 1:10, and then they do their word study. From 1:30 to 2:30, the
students are either in South Carolina history or Science with Mrs. Andrews. They will
complete two weeks of South Carolina history and then two weeks of science.
Grouping Patterns: Students in Mrs. Landrethss class are not grouped in any particular
order while at their desk. Although the desks are in groups, they are not in any particular
ability level within their desk groups. The students are only grouped by ability level when
pulled out for reading and math group lessons.

Haley Wilson

B) Student demographics and Characteristics:

Description
Number of
Students:

Female
13

Male
12

Total
25

Age

Eight years old

Nine years old

12
1

10
2

Race/ethnicity

African
American
White
Hispanic
Mixed

6
3
0

6
1
1
Total

12
4
1
25

ESOL

Gifted and
Talented

Special needs/
IEPS

25

Learning Styles: Many students have different learning styles. Many students learn well
with hands-on lessons while up moving around. Also, a lot of the students are visual
learners, so Mrs. Landreth uses charts, graphs, and the map to help visual leaners. Many
of the lessons are taught in small groups so that the teacher can use manipulative and
receive more one on one instruction.
Culture: Since Merrywood Elementary is a Title I school, 60%-70% of Mrs. Landreths
students are on free/reduced lunch. In the classroom, many families live a traditional
lifestyle, while others come from backgrounds that are disadvantaged. Five students
come from families that speak Spanish at home.
Students Interest: During interest inventories, many students answered that they are
interested in sports like football, basketball, and baseball. Many of the girls take dance.
One big interest they all have in common is using the iPads while in class.

Haley Wilson

Testing: To determine what skill level students are at in my classroom, Mrs. Landreth
uses Map testing, being tested two times a year. Students who have IEPs are tested three
times a year. For reading levels, they use Developmental Reading Assessment to test the
students. For this school year, some of the students have completed their first testing for
their reading running records.
Running
Record
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Student 4
Student 5
Student 6
Student 7
Student 8
Student 9
Student 10
Student 11
Student 12
Student 13
Student 14
Student 15
Student 16
Student 17
Student 18
Student 19
Student 20
Student 21
Student 22
Student 23
Student 24
Student 25

2nd Grade
Reading Levels
34
-24
30
14
34
28
-30
30
50
44
44
30
38
34
30
34
20
28
30
24
28
-30

Beginning of
Year 3rd Grade
Reading Levels
32
12
-30
14
38
28
50
28
30
---30
34
34
28
-14
24
30
24
28
28
30

MAP Math
Scores- Fall
(goal 190)
191
183
-185
181
210
185
202
177
209
217
196
196
187
191
193
181
193
181
180
188
170
197
176
203

MAP Math
Scores-Winter
193
185
180
195
191
213
193
205
183
206
214
200
184
200
192
192
205
188
199
176
188
191
181
208
216

Language: All students speak English while theyre in the classroom, but there are five
who speak Spanish at home.

Haley Wilson

C) Instructional Implication: From the contextual information I have observed in Mrs.

Landreths classroom, I would try to teach my lessons in small groups. During her normal
instructional time, she teaches most of her lesson while students are in small groups.
Since this is also a technology class, I would also try to incorporate technology into my
lessons, by either having the students use the iPads, doing a web search, or by showing
videos on the smart board. The ESOL students can speak English fine, but have a hard
time understanding definitions of words. To help them, I would make sure to explain
what new word means. Also, since one student in the classroom has a shadow, I would
not plan anything that the shadow couldnt participate in with him.
School and community Factors: Merrywood Elementary is a Title I school. The school
has roughly 542 students, and 34 teachers. With many of the kids being on free or
reduced lunch, one can assume the community around Merrywood is in a lower economic
class. Merrywood has many programs in place to help their students succeed. One of the
biggest programs is an after school program that helps children with schoolwork and
offers free tutoring. During the school year, they host several fundraisers to help the
school earn money for new items, such as the iPads and chrome books. The PTO at
Merrywood is very involved in planning events for the school. Overall, Merrywood
Elementary is a great school that tries to help each and every one of its students succeed.