CSN Education Department - Field Observation Activities Packet

Greetings Future Educator,

One of the most rewarding aspects of EDU 201, EDU 202 and EDU 203 is the opportunity you’ll have to observe
in a school classroom where students are actively engaged in learning. Each of these three CSN courses require
all students to complete a 10 hour "Field Observation" in a Clark County public school.

Once your placement is processed, you will receive details regarding your assigned school from your CSN
professor. Only then, will you contact the school and meet with your CCSD “cooperating teacher”. Both you and
your cooperating teacher will design a mutually agreeable schedule to complete your required contact hours once
you meet for the first time.

Within this packet, you will find the required field experience assignments and other documents that you must
complete in order to pass this class.

Your Name: >>> Darcey LaRance

CSN Course: >>> Educate 203

Professor: >>> Dr. Dale Warby

Professor’s email: >>> dale.warby@csn.edu

CCSD School: >>> Dorothy Eisenberg Elementary

Cooperating Teacher: >>> Mrs. Erin Rolfe & Mrs. Christina Munoz-Plaza (Mrs. M.P.)

Save this completed packet for this class, and your Education Capstone Course, (EDU 299). Your CSN instructor
will let you know their required format for submitting the observation assignments within this packet.

BEFORE ARRIVING ON THE FIRST DAY...

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 1

1. Locate your assigned school on a map, or via the CCSD website, and arrive during the Initial Visitation Week
dates provided to you by your CSN instructor. This initial visit will be your chance to gather information about your
assigned cooperating CCSD teacher. School locations and other information can be found on the CCSD web site
at http://ccsd.net/schools/contact-information/

2. Pre-plan for an on-time arrival, and make sure that all interaction with CCSD employees and students is
respectful, courteous, and professional. You are a guest in their school, and a representative of this class and the
college. CCSD is allowing you to visit their school to further your understanding of the teaching profession. It is
imperative that your actions reflect a willingness to learn, and are reflective of a future professional educator.

3. The first half of your field observation/experience will be centered around learning about the school you were
assigned, and focusing on the general and unique characteristics of its culture. You will be looking at and
reflecting upon things that are going on in the classroom at the school level that you were assigned. You are
simply observing during this time. Your cooperating teacher will give you guidance on how your experience can
be expanded beyond simple observations, when he/she feels comfortable with your professionalism and skills.

UPON ARRIVAL THE FIRST DAY…

Check in at the school office and let the Office Manager know that you are a CSN Education student who has
been placed with a cooperating teacher at their school for Field Observation. Be patient while the information
you’ll need is located by the Office Manager. The request for placement came through Interact™ from our Field
Observation Coordinator, and has been pre-approved by the school’s administrator. During this initial visit, some
of you may be sent directly to the classroom to meet your cooperating teacher, some of you may be given contact
information for the cooperating teacher, and then will return on a different day for your first classroom visit.

UPON ARRIVAL TO THE CLASSROOM…

Introduce yourself to your assigned Cooperating Teacher. Since this is your first visit, ask the teacher where
he/she would like you to sit while you complete your observation hours for this CSN Introduction to Education
class. Show the teacher this “Field Observation Activities Packet”, as well as the last 3 pages which contain the
“Cooperating Teacher Information”, the “Time Log” and “Field Observation Student Evaluation” pages.
Let the teacher know that you will be taking notes during the observation for your packet assignments, and that
you will be asking him/her to verify your hours of attendance, and evaluate your participation once the total
observation hours are complete.

DEPARTMENT OF TEACHER EDUCATION FIELD EXPERIENCE GUIDELINES

Standards of Conduct
You are student representatives of the CSN Education Department and the teaching profession. Candidates are
expected to maintain high standards of personal and professional ethics.

Attendance and Punctuality

Regular attendance and punctuality are mandatory. Once you plan a schedule with the
cooperating teacher, this becomes an agreement in which you are expected to adhere to. You are expected to
sign in and out at the school (as required by the school office and/or program). In case of illness or emergency,
you must contact the assigned school and let them know you will not be in attendance on that day so they can
notify your cooperating teacher.

Relationships
You should exercise respectful discretion when voicing your personal views. It is important that your demeanor
and opinions remain confidential. Under no circumstances can information about any students be released to, or
discussed with, any unauthorized person. It is forbidden to have any contact with students outside of the
classroom you are assigned. This restriction also includes CSN students contacting CCSD students using any
electronic means or through the use of social media.

Dress Code
CSN Department of Education wants you to be a success. Therefore we have established a dress code for
students fulfilling their observation requirement in the assigned school district. Appearance creates credibility;
make a good first impression by dressing professionally.

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 2

Required Acceptable Attire:
Males:
• Shirts with collars
• Ties (optional) with button down shirts
• Khakis, trousers, slacks; belts if pants have loops, (no sagging, rips or tears)
• Simple jewelry
• Shoes and socks that cover the toes and heels

Females:
• Shirts or blouses that cover the shoulders & waist; no see-through or mesh
• Sweaters worn over shirt
• Pants, pantsuits, khakis, trousers, slacks (no sagging, rips or tears)
• Jumpers, dresses, skirts (in length from 2" above the knee to the ankle)
• Shoes and socks that cover the toes and heels
• Leggings worn under dresses/skirts/jumpers
• Simple jewelry or none
• Little (daytime) make-up

Not Acceptable Attire: jeans, shorts, tank tops, halter tops, muscle T-shirts, tight fitting clothing, warm-ups,
sandals, flip flops, stilettos; no cleavage showing, no sagging or frayed hems; no head covering except for
religious reasons, such as a yarmulke or turban-like. No nontraditional hair colors/styles. Undergarments and
tattoos should be covered. Remove facial jewelry. No perfume. *School principal/supervisor has the sole
discretion on questionable clothing or appearance that distracts from student learning.

Classroom Conduct:
At all times, the cooperating teacher maintains legal responsibility for pupils in his or her classroom. You should
never assume that responsibility and be left unsupervised with children. You should not discipline students. You
are an observer, who should take notes to discuss during your next education class meeting, or to record in your
Field Observation packet.

Professional Conduct:
Never speak to staff or students in an abusive manner.
Never touch or be alone with a student for any reason.
Never give a student food, drink, or other items without the teacher’s permission.
Never take photos/video of students or staff without written permission from the principal.
Never make or accept calls/text using any communication device.

REVIEW THE TERMS of the CCSD Waiver Forms you agreed to:
“Student Statement of Responsibility” (Exhibit B)
“Student Confidentiality Statement” (Exhibit C)

These 2 waiver documents MUST be agreed to during the Field Observation registration process in order to
secure your placement. Completion of the Field Observation is a PASS/FAIL component of the course.

ASSIGNMENT 1 (Observations): After arrival, take a seat in a nonintrusive location to begin your classroom
observations. Complete the questions below:

Observation 1: What are your first impressions of the classroom environment? Is it warm, inviting, organized,
etc? Describe the physical environment in detail. >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe room was organized with cabinets and bookshelves stationed against walls. The
students were arranged by numbers that were given out alphabetically. The seating was set up
with three long tables that seat 6 students. At the top of the rows is a smaller table for one to
CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 3
 two students to sit. At the back of the room are two tables for group activities. Mrs. Rolfe’s desk
is tuck in a corner facing the students. There was no clutter of paper due to the kids using
laptops for most of their work. 35 kids fill this room, so it feels a bit tight to get around behind
student’s chairs.

 Mrs. M.P.’s room was set up in a similar matter but with individual desk. Bookshelves were
organized on the back wall. Cabinets and blackboards filled in the rest to the walls. The room is
tight due to 38 kids that fill this room. Mrs. M. P. has 17 laptops to share. She has cabinets with
drawers set up as a charging station. The kids are numbered in alphabetical pattern and
assigned two students to a laptop. The kids know where everything is and how to maneuver
around the room. There is a wheelchair-bound student who has an electric wheelchair. There is
a basic wheelchair if the student’s wheelchair should not work

Observation 2: Please describe the student make-up of the class, including gender, ethnicity, ELL, students with
physical challenges, and any other apparent attributes that are important to note. >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe’s class has seventeen boys and eighteen girls with a mix of African American, Latino,
Asian and Caucasian students. There are no physical challenged students in this class. There
were three ELL students. Four students attend speech therapy.
 Mrs. Munoz-Plaza class a total of thirty-eight kids. There are input and pull out students in this
class. One student that uses a wheelchair. The special education resource teacher, Miss
Johnson, comes into class and pulls a few students at a time to a back table to work with them.

Observation 3: What are the posted class rules in the room? (exactly as written) >>>

Mrs. Rolfe: Good Manners Mrs. M.P. Good Manners

1. Wait your turn. 1. Wait your turn.
2. Use polite words. 2. Use polite words.
3. Listen carefully. 3. Listen carefully
4. Cooperate with others. 4. Cooperate with others.
5. Show your appreciation. 5. Show your appreciation.
6. Give compliments. 6. Give compliments.

Observation 4: Does the teacher enforce these posted rules? Are rewards or consequences being used for
compliance or noncompliance? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe’s class was filled. With thirty-five students there is not much room to maneuver
around. There was not much room to move between tables and the students often pushed back
chairs into the opposite chairs behind them. The students started to learn to look before pushing
the chair back. Because tablets were used for most of class lessons, paper was not seen laying
around at all. The computers were put away at the charging stations. Kids kept very little at their
part of the table.
 Mrs. M.P. class was busier with thirty-eight students. The desk was signed up in three rows with
two working tables in the back. All children had a good visual of the whiteboard. One wheelchair
person sat towards the back at a higher desk to accommodate his wheelchair. He often had
help going out and in the door. The charging stations were set up in two different areas to allow
a better flow for when the kids did get up to get the tablets. There was not much more you could
do in this space. All the kids were seated in such a way that they can see the whiteboard, the
teacher desk was facing towards the class and the door was visible for the teacher to see who
was coming in and out.

ASSIGNMENT 2 (Classroom Layout): Use graph paper or drawing software to create an accurate overhead
view, labeled drawing, of your assigned classroom before answering the questions below

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 4

Classroom Layout Question 1: Describe the workflow of the room. Is the space used efficiently? >>>
 Mrs. Rolfe’s class was filled. With thirty-five students there is not much room to maneuver
around. There was not much room to move between tables and the students often pushed back
chairs into the opposite chairs behind them. The students started to learn to look before pushing
the chair back. Because tablets were used for most of class lessons, paper was not seen laying
around at all. The computers were put away at the charging stations. Kids kept very little at their
part of the table.
 Mrs. M.P. class was busier with thirty-eight students. The desk was put into three rows with
each row facing each other. Two working tables in the back are used for group activities and
when a student needs alone time. One wheelchair person sat towards the back at a higher desk
at the end of a row to accommodate his wheelchair. He often had help going out and in the
door. The charging stations were set up in two different areas to allow a better flow for when the
kids did get up to get the tablets. There was not much more you could do in this space. All the
kids were seated in such a way that they can see the whiteboard, the teacher desk was facing
towards the class and the door was visible for the teacher to see who was coming in and out.

Classroom Layout Question 2: In your opinion, how can the physical arrangement of the room be improved?

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 5

 The standard way of entering the school is through the office, checking in on the
computer, printing a visible name tag with your photo, and then be buzzed into the
hallways. With the recent shooting at a High School in Florida, our school district is
getting more serious about protocol and procedures. I happened to be at the school
during a “soft” lockdown. It was towards the end of the day and the announcement
came through the loudspeaker. The teacher immediately locked the door, pulled down a
small window curtain, called the office to report any missing children, (one went to the
bathroom), and the kids hid under their desk. The class went quiet. Apparently, the kids
do not need to hide under the desk until it is a “hard” lockdown. Someone came by and
tried opening the door only to find it locked. It took about 20 minutes of us being quiet
and the teacher continuing her lesson in a soft-spoken voice. Once the lockdown was
over, the teacher took the remaining time to explain why the need for lockdowns and
why we should be very quiet during the duration. The kids shared any experiences or
concerns. As far as fire concerns, there is only one door to get out of the classroom.
The hallways are large enough to get a crowd out quickly if needed.

ASSIGNMENT 3 (Instruction): Observe any instructional time in your assigned classroom, and record your
observations when presented with the questions below:

Instruction Question 1: What is the posted daily schedule for different subjects or periods? >>>

Mrs. Rolfe Class: 8:00 – 8:30 Walk to Read Mrs. M.P.: 8:00 – 8:30 Walk to Read
8:30 – 10:20 Reading 8:30 – 10:20 Reading
10:20 – 10:45 Writing 10:20 – 10:45 Writing
10:45 – 11:35 Specials 10:45 – 11:35 Specials
11:35 – 12:05 Lunch 11:35 – 12:05 Lunch
12:05 – 1:15 Math 12:05 – 1:15 Math
1:15 – 2:11 Science 1:15 – 2:11 Science
Social Studies Social Studies
Health Health

Instruction Question 2: Is instruction done in small groups, centers, whole groups, individual? >>>
 Mrs. Rolfe does whole groups instructions with centers with a few individuals. Most of the work
is done on the laptops and the kids follow along on the white board.
 Mrs. M.P. does whole group instructions. Then groups are formed and given colors to go to a
groups table to work on writing and other projects. There are about 8 in this groups. The Special
education person comes in at certain times and brings a few students to the back tables to help
them.

Instruction Question 3: How would you describe your cooperating teacher’s teaching style? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe says she doesn’t have a specific style. What I observed was a direct way of teaching.
She had given instructions and the kids did the work. Of course, I was only there for one day
and they were testing most of the day. She does emphasize that mistakes are good, and we
can learn from them. She gives a positive attitude toward the class. The kids are given the task
to pick items up, put items away, pass supplies out. This gives the students time out of the chair
to walk about.
 Mrs. M.P. has a very soft voice when she speaks. She teaches in a loving way. I observed the
teacher reviewing a math test. She would break the math problem into parts and review. Kids
CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 6
 are asked to come to the whiteboard and help participate. When the class gets loud, she puts
her hand up and counts to five. She does have the special education teacher come in and work
with certain kids one on one. I liked her calming soft voice. I believe it helps with the behavior of
certain children such as ADD, ADHD, and emotional behavior.

Instruction Question 4: Does the teacher incorporate the sensory modalities (learning styles)? If so, give
examples. >>>
Neither one of these teachers use sensory modalities in the days I observed.

Instruction Question 5: Do the students seem engaged in the lesson(s) that are being presented? Please
explain. >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe’s class were testing most of the day. She did give a worksheet on the whiteboard that
the class went over together. The kids went over the vocabulary words and definitions
pertaining to a story that the class was reading. The book seemed to get the kids excited about
the definitions of the vocabulary words. The teacher often referred to the story to make it clearer
to the students. Due to the subject, the kids were engaged.
 Mrs. Rolfe’s class was reviewing chapter’s in Charlotte’s Web. Worksheets were being done in
groups and brought to the back table to review the answers. Most of the kids understood, there
were a few lost in instruction and did not retain what they learned in the book. After a quick
review with classmates and the teacher’s comments, all seemed to have the assignment mostly
completed.

Instruction Question 6: Are there any students isolated from the rest of the class for any reason? Why? >>>

 In Mrs. M.P.’s class there were two students sitting off to the side. The reasoning was they need
less distractions to concentrate.
 Mrs. Rolfe’s class had one student that was invited to sit with the teacher at her desk. The
student was distracting others and needed to be facing the wall in order for him to concentrate.

Instruction Question 7: Is instructional time managed efficiently? Please explain >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe’s class size is too large to have individual time for each student. The students are
paired up in groups. They are asked to help each other in groups before coming to the teacher.
The kids are not paired up in any order of high and low mixtures of students. Every now and
then students will trade places when the teacher sees who works well in certain groups.
 Mrs. M.P. has 38 students with a Special Education teacher coming to help provide assistance
to a certain group of students. There is no time for one on one instructional time but does group
instruction to assess the needs of students.

Instruction Question 8: How does the cooperating teacher handle transitions from one subject or period to
another, and are these transitions efficient? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe’s kids seemed to know the transitions quit well. One student had to remind the
teacher it was time to leave for special.
 Mrs. M.P. uses a timer to let the kids know it was time t switch into the next subject. The
students take turns setting the timer.

Instruction Question 9: List ways that the teacher attempts any “attention getting” commands? (Ex: Countdown,
Light flicker, Heads on Desk) How effective are they? >>>

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 7

  Mrs. Rolfe uses the counting to five with a hand in the air. Once the kids realize a hand is up
they also put their hands up. All are quit then the teacher will resume.
 Mrs. M.P. also does the hands up, counts to five in a soft calming voice. The student’s hands
are up as well. Not everyone gets to five at the same time. Classmates usually tell the wonderer
that it is quiet time.

Instruction Question 10: What specific behavior issues does the teacher have to deal with? How does the
teacher deal with these behavior issues? Be specific. >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe has a student with a hyper student that gets invited to sit with her at her desk to
remove him from the group table that he is assigned to. This doesn’t always calm him down but
gets him away from the other kids at the table. There was one child that came with anger
issues, and over time has learned to control his temper. I believe it is the kindness and love his
teachers shows towards him that gives him a safe place to be calm.
 Mrs. M.P. class has a few special education students along with speech therapy issues. One
student has MS and is wheelchair bound. One student stood out to me that has ADHD and
could not sit in one place for long. He often wondered around the room and did not know what
his task was at any given time. His group tried to get him back in the group, but he still wonders
off. The teacher keeps two tables free for those who need to get away from their groups to
concentrate and for those that need to be taken away from a group, so the group can
concentrate. With the teacher's soft calming voice and patients, the students never feel threaten
or in danger, but she can be stern in what the students need to be doing at the moment’s may
have to hand old a few of them at times.

Instruction Question 11: Are there any policies or procedures in place that help or hinder instructional time? If
so, explain them and how they help or hinder use of instructional time. >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe’s class runs smoothly with the time though the time lessons could always use more one on
one time, but the size of the class will not allow that. She relays on students helping each other. She
is fortunate to have laptops for all of her students.
 Mrs. M. P.’s class uses a timer that the kids are allowed to set when starting a unit or lesson. Lack of
tablets leads her to have groups sharing on lessons and splitting the class so one group can test on
math or reading while the other group does another assignment.

ASSIGNMENT 4 (Culture): Using the information provided below, carefully observe and evaluate the culture of
the school where you are assigned to observe. Remember you are evaluating the school for its educational
culture, place of learning, sense of safety, invitation for learning, promotion of self-actualization, development of
values and socialization.

Physical Characteristics: Look at the physical areas of the school to determine atmosphere, comfort, and
feelings the school creates for students in the educational setting.

1. Consider the school property: building, grounds, fencing, equipment, landscaping, trees, parking lot,
crosswalks, gates, signs and symbols. >>>

The school is set in a single home community. Two blocks are used to house the school
the street in between blocked off from traffic. The grounds are all fenced off and locked. The
landscape is desert trees rock landscape except for the fields which have grass. The
playgrounds are good quality and the asphalt is in good condition. Doors are locked except the
entrance to the front office. Parking is available for the staff, visitors can park at the surrounding
streets. Crosswalks are freshly painted.
CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 8
 2. Next, study the interior of the school: halls, floor coverings, lighting, doors, windows, hall colors and
decorations and entrance security. >>>

The color scheme of the school is a light blue with some gray. The front of the
school has a mural that related to the mascot of the explorer. From the sea to the moon
is shown. The halls are wide with smooth laminate flooring. Bulletin boards line the
hallways with work from all classes. Hallways are marked with the room numbers,
cafeteria, office, bathrooms, and exits. There is plenty of lights in the hallways and
doors have windows that stream natural light in. There are no windows in the rooms I
observed. The classrooms had carpet that is easily vacuumed. Overall the school was
not busy with too many decorations, a clean straight hallway with decorated bulletin
boards. I did see a mural in one hallway. A local artist did it for the school.
Culture of the School: Read, listen and observe to determine the climate, values, and atmosphere within the
school.

1. Identify the school’s mission statement, motto, and mascot. >>>

Mission Statement: Dorothy Eisenberg Elementary is committed to providing a safe caring,

supportive environment, where responsibility for academic achievement and productive
citizenship is shared by all.
Motto: An Eisenberg Explorer come to school to learn, always does what’s right, and never
says “I can’t” because Eisenberg Explorers” Believe to Achieve”.
Mascot: Explorer

2. Analyze staff and visitor interactions in the main office. Note student and faculty interactions in other
areas of the school. >>>
The front office receptionist was quite friendly and bubbly. The office manager was
friendly and a bit overwhelmed with her duties when I was there. I was introduced to the
principle and she was very hospitable. Offered to show me the school but seemed very busy.
Another office worker walked me to the classroom that I was to observe. I saw lots of greetings
towards the students by adults. Manners are used at this school.

3. Look at the formal practices: School bell schedule, and the grouping of students. (ie. grades, block
scheduling, periods) Does the school use inclusion, or a pull-out program for special education students?
>>>

The school uses inclusion for most of the time. In the fourth grade level, in special
education teacher comes into the class room to help the students. There are a few that are pull
out for a short period of time and placed back into the general classroom.

4. Observe student-to-student interactions, inside and outside of the building. Observe where students
gather to socialize – lunchroom, halls, playground, etc. >>>

A big push to use manners and acts of kindness are rewarded by coupons throughout
the school. If a child receives one from outside his/her classroom they give it to the teacher who
collects them. I am not aware of the reward of receiving them, but the students appear happy to
get one. The lunchroom is seated by classes. The clicks gather together and if one is left out,
someone is there to include them. The playground is open, and all fourth graders seem to play
with other classmates well enough. One girl stood out, she had brought her book to the
playground. The teacher says she is a bookworm and hardly puts a book down.

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 9

 5. Examine school traditions, achievements and awards; community recognition or community partners;
extracurricular activities/clubs and athletics. Look for and document sources of community pride and
sense of identity through ceremonies, assemblies, trophies, and artifacts. >>>

The GATE program is all I know about for this school.

Culture of the Classroom: Each classroom has its own culture and way of life.

1. Look for teacher(s) expectations for learning and success, interactions with students, and his/her
personality. >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe dressed as a professional. Her appearance was clean, well put together. Her
learning technique is it is ok to make mistakes, that is how we learn. Kind words are used to
encourage the students. Encouraged students to work as a group to get the answer before
coming to the teacher. The teacher always says” I Love You” when ending the conversation
with a student. The teacher likes to joke around with the kids and get at their level of humor.
 Mrs. M. P. is soft-spoken and patient. She gets the kids attention with the raising of her hand
and counting to five. The students know her routine and respect it. She encourages
conversation among the tables to figure out the problems, which can raise the voices, and
then her hand goes up and the counting begins. The class will have one person speak for
all. You can tell the teacher loves her job.

2. Evaluate the level of student participation in the class. Who participates? Who does not? What
modifications, accommodations, and/or inclusion techniques were observed? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe’s class are not divided into high – low groups. They are assigned numbers then seated
by their numbers. Throughout the year she has switched them when she see who works well with
each other. The girls seemed to participate more when answering questions about a book the
class was reading together. My time in this class was short due to the class testing most of the
day.
 Mrs. M.P.’s class had a few wondering around students who needed to be redirected back to their
seats. It seemed the same kids answered most of the questions and the majority of the students
listened to the answers.
3. Evaluate the interactions between teachers and students, rapport, cohesiveness, distribution of power,
tone, frequency and reinforcements. >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe’s interaction is good. When a student is in trouble, they don’t feel excluded.
She tells them they need to sit somewhere else or think about their behavior. I witness a
note being passes amongst some girls. One of the girls that were got was just passing it
along. The others were called out on passing notes and the girl who was caught was
advised to think twice before agreeing to pass the note. The girls apologized and class
went back to normal. The teacher did not have a problem to nip things in the bud before
the class would get unruly
 Mrs. M.P. class has more behavior type students. Kids are coming and going with
speech therapy, seeing the nurse for treatment, having the special education teacher
come in at certain times, and overall crowded classroom. She amazed me with her soft-
spoken voice and overall calmness. With a busy classroom with a variety of issues, I
believe it is her quietness that helps calm the rest of the class. At the end of the day, a
lockdown had accord which got to some of the kids. She opened discussions after the
lockdown to let the kids ask questions and share their thoughts. She handled the
situation in a calm, effective way.

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 10

ASSIGNMENT 5 (Cooperating Teacher Interview): Complete the questions below by interviewing your
cooperating teacher during a convenient time. Include any school documents that your cooperating teacher will
allow you to photocopy for your packet.

Interview Question 1: What was the primary reason you became a teacher? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe likes to teach how do stuff and see the kid’s reactions.
 Mrs. M.P. came from a family of educators and loves to see the kids reaction when they finally
get it.

Interview Question 2: What are the main challenges you face as a teacher? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe’s biggest challenge is the number of students. She has thirty-five this year in her
room.
 Mrs. M.P. challenge is the number of students (38) and lack of supplies.

Interview Question 3: What is the best part of being a teacher? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe loves the kids, especially the bigger kids.

 Mrs. M.P. loves it when they learn.

Interview Question 4: How do you determine where students sit in class? >>>
 Mrs. Rolfe has too many kids and very little room. She started out by assigning a number alphabetically
and seating them up and down the three rows of tables. Throughout the year she has paired up kids who
work well together.
 Mrs. M.P. is in the same situation, too many kids and not enough space. She also assigned numbers in
an alphabetical order to the students. The wheelchair bound child sits near the door and has a higher
desk. He is at the top of the row so he can maneuver without any obstacles. The special education
students are placed amongst the general education students. Two students are set off to the side to help
with concentration. Tables are in the back for group activities or when the special education teacher
wants to work with the students one on one or in a group.

Interview Question 5: How do you determine the members of any flexible groups? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe has her kids at levels. She changes her groups quarterly according to reading and
math levels.
 Mrs. M.P. has her flexible groups at levels as well.

Interview Question 6: Beyond standardized testing, what assessments do you use regularly? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe keeps her students at levels and uses homework to help assess their levels
 Mrs. M.P. also keeps her students at levels.

Interview Question 7: What requirements are placed on you for reporting progress to parents? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe uses the report cards as a standard way to communicate to the parents. A few
parents have asked for weekly progress report. She has used the DOJO application for the
phones in the pass. She does not feel that she has time to use this with just a large class.

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 11

  Mrs. M.P. uses the DOJO app. Also, parents can log on line to Infinite Campus to the school
and check grades. Not a lot of her parents signed up to use the DOJO app, but for those who
did she can give a good or bad report on how the students are doing.

Interview Question 8: How often do you interact with a student’s parents in person, and what type of discussions
do you typically have? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe says she talks to parents every day in person or by phone. Some have emailed her.
But every day she is talking to someone’s parents. Parents are mostly concern with grades and
behavior.
 Mrs. M.P. it is never or days all the parents want to talk. She feels she is very accessible.
Parents are mostly concern with grades and behavior.

Interview Question 9: How much grading do you complete on a daily/weekly basis? >>>
 Mrs. Rolfe completes very little of the grading daily. Since most all the math is done on line, it is
automatically corrected. The kids have Google accounts and if she used google form it would
help by grading automatically. It just needs to be set up. She spends hours on her won time
doing grading for her thirty-five students on a weekly basis.
 Mrs. M.P. uses online google class and the grades are easily graded.

Interview Question 10: How long does it take to prepare lessons for the day/week? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe has it down with a good system, so it doesn’t take long at all for her to get her
lessons plans done.
 Mrs. M.P. has been at the school for five years and has the lessons ready to goo with a few
tweaks here and there.

Interview Question 11: What procedures or strategies do you use to maximize instructional time? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe uses attention grabbing technique, “Give me 5”, as well as helpers to hand things out
and collect items. Procedures that the students are taught in the beginning of the year helps to
save time, such as lining up quietly, putting things away quickly and obeying the rules.
 Mrs. M.P. uses a timer that the kids will start and the grabbing technique “Give me 5”.

Interview Question 12: What positive reinforcement programs have you had success with, and what behavioral
consequences seem most effective with this age group? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe only uses words of encouragement for positive reinforcements. Behavioral problems
are dealt individually and usually solved within the hour.
 Mrs. M.P. uses DOJO app to report to parents whether it was points for a kindness act, good
grades, or reporting behavioral problem. One student fell asleep in class and the teacher did not
wake him up, put did let the parents know that he might need more sleep.

Interview Question 13: How are specialist teachers involved in the instructional planning process? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe does not have specialist involved with instructional planning.
 Mrs. M.P. does not have specialist involved with instructional planning but does have Special
Education teacher assist with certain students.

Interview Question 14: How often are you evaluated, and what measurement tool is used by the administration
for determining your teaching performance? >>>

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 12

  Mrs. Ralph just passed her three probation in the CCSD. She was evaluated three times a year.
She has never experienced a negative evaluation. She will be evaluated once a year now. The
CCSD uses NEP system for evaluations.
 Mrs. M.P. has been evaluated once a year and has never had a negative evaluation. Again, the
CCSD uses the NEP system for evaluations.

Interview Question 15: What consequences are there if your evaluation is not favorable? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe suggested that perhaps a probation period would be reinstated and more classes on
teaching techniques might be available or a coach for teaching to help.
 Mrs. M.P. also suggested probation period maybe reinstated.

Interview Question 16: What types of support do you receive instructionally, financially, or professionally from
the school, parent organization or school district to enhance instruction? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe does not receive any support from the parents or PTO. She is given what she has for
lap tops and technical support from the school.
 Mrs. M.P. just recently found out that she could turn in receipts and get reimbursed from a small
fund the principal has for supplies. Not all of her supplies would be covered, but anything helps.

Interview Question 17: What surprised you most about teaching as a profession? >>>

 Mrs. Rolfe is excited about seeing the students flourish when they finally understand the lesson. It gives
her a satisfied feeling.
 Mrs. M. P. comes from a family of educators and felt comfortable coming into teaching. What surprised
her most is the lack of parental support for the majority of students.

ASSIGNMENT 6 (Observing a student): Discretely observe one student in your assigned classroom during an
extended period of direct instruction. Detail what was going on in the environment, and what you observed the
student doing while the lesson was being given. Make sure to document ALL behavior in relationship to what was
being presented by the classroom teacher. Please describe the setting, the lesson that was given, if the student
was on task and engaged in the lesson, and what you uncovered about putting yourself in a lesson from the
student’s point of view.

My observation of one student is a girl of Latino ethnicity. She is a small girl compared to her
classmates. She sits quietly at her table. She wears her hair in a ponytail, wears glasses and sits with
her legs curled up on the chair. She uses her hand to rest her chin as she reads. She appears to be in
her own world as she is engaged in her book. The noises around her do not phase her at all. She is told
to start a math test and takes her tablet out and begins. Once she is done, she closes her tablet and
opens up her book to begin reading again. She is curled up again to read the rest of the class continues
to finish the math test. An announcement comes through the intercom “It’s time to read”. She smirked
because she was already reading. Time is up for the math test and all students put their laptops away
to charge. Mrs. Rolfe starts a review of vocabulary words from a Percy Jackson book the class has
been reading. She and other students take the opportunity to get out of the chairs and sit on the floor by
the whiteboard. Mrs. Rolfe begins with the first word and starts to use it in a sentence. The kids are to
choose from four choices what the meaning of the word is. The girl sits on the floor with a few other
girls. She does not seem to interested in following the lesson. Her hands are folded around her knees
and she sits still. No fidgeting at all. I thought she might be daydreaming. Then the girl beside her
asked her a question. With a cute smile, she replied to her neighbor. This seemed to wake her up out of
her trance. She begins to raise her hand and give a correct answer. I believe she loves to read and her
vocabulary might be above most of her classmates. The lesson is now over and the kids return to their
seats. The bell rang and it was time to line up. She was the first to line up. She did not engage in

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 13

conversation. She looked as she was in deep thought about the book she was reading. The class all
lined up and it was a long line, she was the leader that lead them to their special for the day.

ASSIGNMENT 7 (Summary): Thoroughly summarize and reflect upon your entire 10 hour Field Observation
Placement.

The Field Observation did not seem long enough for me. I would have loved to spend more time
observing the classroom activities. At Dorothy Eisenberg Elementary School, the staff was very friendly
and helpful with getting me placed on my educational needs. The front office was polite and kept me
informed of everything I needed to know. I was paired with two individual classes. Both are fourth-grade
levels and dealing with the kids of different diversities and educational needs. There are three fourth
grade levels; high, medium and low. I went to visit the medium level class on my first day.
Mrs. Rolfe class was crowded with thirty-five students from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.
American African, Latino, Asian, and Caucasian. One boy arrived from Puerto Rico at a second grade
age without knowing the English language. When I heard him speak, I would not have guessed that he
was not raised in the United States. The teacher says he is above the reading and math levels. The
teacher states that the parents are actively involved in his education and push him to do well. As I
observed the flow of the day, I noticed that the teacher had a good sense of time and knew when to
transition to the next event of the day. I arrived during a testing day. All of her students have a laptop
assign to them. They used folders that are taped together to create a shield to separate them
individually for privacy while they are taking their test. Since the students did most of their work on
laptops, I did not see papers around the tables. The teacher is transitioning into a Google Classroom.
The whiteboard was used during a vocabulary review. I had not seen the whiteboard used as a
touchscreen. Her give me 5 methods worked quite well and the kids were eager to please the teacher.
Mrs. Rolfe also encourages mistakes because “that is how we learn”. With thirty-five kids in the room, it
is hard to teach one on one, so groups are formed. As the year has progressed, Mrs. Rolfe has paired
students that work well together at the group sessions. There was movement in the room as kids would
get up to leave for bathroom privileges or a visit to the library to get a new book. Mrs. Rolfe uses a
magnet board with the students’ assigned number is placed on the board where they are going to. Not
more than two students can go to the bathroom or the library at a time. This allows her to know where
all of the students are at a given time. During “specials” and lunchtime, Mrs. Rolfe would catch up with
grading, preparing for the next section of study or returning parents emails. What I found most useful
from observing Mrs. Rolfe is her time management skills. She flows effortlessly from one subject to the
other.
On my second day, I observed Mrs. Munoz-Plaza’s class. The students and faculty refer to her
as Mrs. M. P. due to her long name. Mrs. M.P. comes from a family of educators and earned her
teaching certificate in California. She has been teaching at Dorothy Eisenberg Elementary for five years
and loves working in this area of town. My first impression of Mrs. M.P. was that she was very soft-
spoken and the kids must walk all over her. To my surprise, the kids respond to her peaceful methods.
This class has thirty-eight lower level kids. All the special education kids are in this class at Mrs. M. P.’s
request. She has a calming nature and feels that she can educate them easier than other teachers if
they were split up. Some of the boys had behavioral problems when they came into her class at the
beginning of the year. One boy, in particular, was removed from his zoned school and know gets bused
into this school. He is considered a rough, angry and hard to handle. I believe the soft-spoken calming
personality of this teacher made a difference in this boy. It was not easy according to Mrs. M.P. to get
this student on board to participate, but he has come a long way from his first day at Eisenberg
Elementary. He appeared eager to help his partner during an assignment. This class has seventeen
tablets to share among the thirty-eight students, so they double up as partners (a few are tripled up) to
do assignments on the computers. The math test is separated into time intervals. One group will test on
math while the other group will read quietly. Mrs. M. P. uses the “Give me 5” method to control her
class. I observed a math review on the whiteboard. The kids had taken the math test the day before
and did not score well. Mrs. M. P. wanted to review so all the students can learn how to read the
CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 14
question probably and then work out the equations together. As the class was participating in the math
review, a “soft” lockdown was announced on the loudspeaker. The kids quickly hid under the desks as
the teacher locked the door and pulled down the window cover. Mrs. M.P. called the front office and
reported one student out of the room at the bathroom. Mrs. M. P. told the kids that it was not necessary
to hide under the desk because it was a “soft” lockdown. Only a “hard” lockdown requires hiding under
desks. She quietly went back to the whiteboard and continue the review. I heard someone come to the
door and jiggle it. Twenty minutes later the drill was over. Mrs. M. P. had an open conversation about
the drill and how important it is to obey the rules and be quiet. The kids opened up with questions,
suggestions and personal stories.
Mrs. Johnson, the special education teacher, joined me as the class was dismissed for the day
to answer questions I might have had about the kids. She explained the variety of situations within the
classroom. ADHD, emotional behavior, speech issues to name few. She does take a few of the kids out
of class to work with them, but spends most of her time in class at a back table to work with certain
students. She is well liked by all the students.
I felt comfortable with all three of the teachers. I was impressed with Mrs. Rolfe and her style of keeping
the flow going. I was also impressed with the soft-spoken teacher, Mrs. M.P., who got a lot of
behavioral problems students and was able to reach out and get through to them. I felt the love she had
for her students. Mrs. Johnson transition in and out of the room did not disrupt the teaching of Mrs. M.P.
The team teaching of sorts worked well for them. If I could have spent more time in the classroom
observing, I might have learned more from these

Before final grading for EDU 201, EDU 202, EDU 203 courses can occur, the CSN student must submit their
completed Field Observation Activities Packet, Time Log, and Student Evaluation to their CSN instructor for
grading. The student must also provide the CCSD cooperating teacher with their CSN professor’s contact
information, so the cooperating teacher can send a quick email validation that the student completed their 10
hours before the final exam date.

The instructor’s email can be found on the first page of this packet, and on the next page.
Remember to save this completed packet in digital form, or as a hard copy for the
Education Department’s capstone course, (EDU 299)

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 15

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 16
Dear Cooperating Teacher,
CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 17
Thank you for assisting in the preparation of a new generation of Nevada teachers. Our education majors are
required to complete 10 field observation hours in these courses:

EDU 201 Introduction To Elementary Education

EDU 202 Introduction To Secondary Education
EDU 203 Introduction To Special Education

This class is where many of our students actually make the decision whether they will continue further study of
the profession. We appreciate you joining us in providing these students with a wonderful first experience in the
classroom. If at all possible, please utilize the student to assist you in supervised classroom instructional
activities if you deem them ready.

We are hopeful that the information we have enclosed with this letter, which has been approved by the Nevada
College Consortium, will help you with a clear sense of how this field experience works.

When the student has completed his/her required observation hours, please complete and sign the “FIELD
OBSERVATION TIME LOG” and “FIELD OBSERVATION STUDENT EVALUATION” (along with the student).
Then, return these two pages to the student who will submit them to his/her professor. For your convenience, the
student has provided you with CSN contact information below. Please contact the CSN instructor if there are any
questions or concerns.

Also, before a final grade for EDU 201, EDU 202, or EDU 203 courses can be assigned, the CSN professor
MUST receive your official email verification that the student successfully completed his/her 10 hours. Please
also “cc” the student on this email as soon as the student has completed the 10 contact hours. The student WILL
NOT receive a final grade in the course until the email is received from you.

CSN Course # & name: >>> Educate 203 Introduction to Special Education

CSN Professor: >>> Dr. Dale Warby

CSN Professor’s phone: >>> 702-651-4189

CSN Professor’s email: >>>dale.warby@csn.edu

Student’s name: >>> Darcey LaRance

Student’s email: >>> lealarance@yahoo.com

Should you have any concerns or questions about this process, please feel free to contact the instructor directly,
or the CSN Education Department at: (702) 651-4400.

TIME LOG - CSN Field Observations

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 18

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 19
CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 20
CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 21
CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 22
CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 23