Running head: OBSERVATION #1 SETTING 1

Observation #1 Setting

Allison Gerlach

Raritan Valley Community College

Professor Kimberly Schirner

February 26, 2019

SETTING 2

EDUC 230 Education Field Experience

I. Observation #1:
Setting

II. Grade Level and Subject Area:

Third Grade

III. Setting:
The Third-Grade classroom is located in the half circle building at the Willow School.
This building is where the Preschool to Fifth-Grade classrooms are as well as the
Library. There are six students, ages 8-9 years old, with two girls and four boys in
this class. There is one teacher in this classroom where the children learn Math,
Writing, Reading, and Social Studies. Science is taught by a different teacher in a
different building as a special.

IV. Pre-Observation:
Prior to my observation in the classroom I expect to see the typical elementary
school setting with elements of the Willow School’s unique environment. The school
is described as being sustainability based with natural features at the heart of every
classroom. Each classroom has floor to ceiling windows and a door to the campus
outside to allow for immersion in nature. This is said to encourage mindful learning
and a growing interest in the world around the students (The Willow School, n.d.).
From my research, I understand that classroom set up can have a direct
correlation to students’ behavior. Traffic should be free flowing in the classroom to
enable the teacher to walk freely as well as to give the students access to the whole
room without conflict. All supplies in the room should be within reach so the students
get all the materials that they need. Teachers should have students’ work displayed in
and outside of the classroom to promote pride and expectations of successful work to
strive for (4Teachers, n.d.). The classroom or school rules should be displayed so that
all students have clear expectations set for them. The schedule should also be clearly
displayed so that students as well as the teacher can stick to the routine. Structure
helps the day stay on task and cuts down on ideal time, so the schedule is important
(Trussell, 2008).
Another aspect I found through my research is the concept of Universal
Design. Classrooms will have a diverse set of learners and even if you do not have a
student with a diagnosed special need, there has to accommodations in place to assist
all the learners. The room should be a safe space that all children can use regardless
of ability. For example, papers should be low enough for the children to reach on
their own, the environment should not be over stimulating as to distract the students,
the posters or learning materials should be presented in a way that all learners can
understand (Hitchcock and Stahl, 2003). These physical accommodations that should
be in place in the classroom can also be reflected in the inclusive teaching techniques
that teachers should incorporate in their daily lessons (Darby, n.d.).
SETTING 3

V. Data:
 Children come in in the morning and automatically go to their cubbies
 Get their notebooks from the storage bins in the front of the room and begin
their word work
 Morning Gathering is in the studio Announcements, themed discussion,
sing a song together- Parents are invited to attend
 Chromebooks are plugged in at the counters behind the teacher’s desk and
students are free to access them when they finish their individual work
 Math manipulatives are accessible in the front of the room
 All writing materials are at the front of the room as well as in organizers on
their tables
 Gratitude journals, math challenge folders, word work folders, genius hour
boxes all in labeled bins with student’s names clearly printed on each item
 Students follow along a story about Ruby Bridges on the carpet and they all
stretch out
 Cursive alphabet posted around the back of the classroom
 Sign of the Beaver is read to the students during snack time as they sit at the
round tables.
 Reading nook is where the students go when they are done with their math
work
 Key phrases that signal addition and subtraction in math problems are posted
on the wall next to the board
 Cabinets above the counters at the back of the room have extra snack, forks,
spoons, and knives that the students can use when they need
 The teacher has a lot of filing cabinets around her desk with lessons, readings,
projects, and testing data
 Teacher’s chair on the rug for read alouds but most of the time the teacher just
sits on the carpet with the students
 Clipboards are readily available for lesson that take place on the rug or for
children who would feel more comfortable not sitting at the table
 Chairs are moved around for different types of lessons (i.e. lined up on the rug
for fractions lesson, put around the tables for independent writing, moved to
other tables for fraction puzzle time when all the students are around one
table)
 Reading nook has pillows for students to use during independent reading time
 Student work is displayed on the door and on the bulletin board in the hallway
 Writing process is posted clearly
 The Willow School Virtues are displayed clearly at the back of the room
 The class picture is posted above the teacher’s desk
 Legos are located in bins under the counters in the back
 Sharpeners, erasers, papers, construction paper, glue sticks, scissors and
staplers are all located in drawers under the counter
SETTING 4

 Creation Corner is located around the rectangle table in the back of the room.
There are sketch books, yarn, wood, and various other crafting materials all
accessible to the students.

VI. Analysis:
This classroom was very well set up. Not only is the classroom design consistent
with the mission statement of The Willow School, but it also lent itself wonderfully to the
students and teacher alike (The Willow School, n.d.). The use of varied teaching
locations and options allows the students to learn the way that best fits them (Darby,
n.d.). Another positive aspect of this classroom was the diversity of the different areas in
the classroom. The Creation Corner, the reading nook, the cubby area, the round tables
and the rug all have different atmospheres. Again, this diversity and source of choice
allow students to find a space that is comfortable for their learning style while
encouraging learning and exploration. The flexible grouping that is available in such a
small class allows the teacher to provide the best education for each individual (Earp,
2017).
The setting of the classroom is a little cluttered. The surplus tables are not needed
for the students and they serve as a barrier to the flow of the classroom. This is
specifically evident in the entry way of the cubby area. This lead to some behavior
problems for the children when they enter the room in the morning because this space
feels a little disjointed from the rest of the classroom. As my research proves, the uneven
flow of the classroom can directly be pointed to as the root of poor behavior habits in
SETTING 5

certain areas of the classroom (Trussell, 2008). That being said, the inclusion of such a
varied set of spaces encourages interaction amongst the students and helps the teacher to
facilitate learning (4Teachers, n.d.) (Hitchcock and Stahl, 2003).

VII. Recommendations:
Based on the things that I observed, there are only a few things that need to be
altered to make this classroom fully-accessible and functional. The removal of one
round table and the rectangular table in the entry way would allow the traffic flow to
be much freer. The table in the cubby area stops the students when they walk in in the
morning instead of allowing them to flow straight into the learning environment. This
would not only encourage more learning but it would also cut down on behavior
problems that occur there (Trussell, 2008).
A minor issue that I would address, is the location of the utensils in the
classroom. They are slightly out of reach of the shorter students because they are on a
higher shelf in the cabinet above the sink. If they were placed on the counter this
would enable the students to be more self-sufficent and fit with the Universal Design
of Learning (Hitchcock and Stahl, 2003). Another small adjustment that could be
made to the classroom, is the amount of student work that is displayed. While there
are some porjects on the door to the hallway, there is not really any evidence of
student work in the classroom. By showing off the projects that your students make,
you are encouraging pride as well as setting expectations for the level of work that
you expect from them (Trussell, 2008) (4Teachers, n.d.).
SETTING 6

VIII. Post Observation:

During this observation, I was receiving a lot of data about very valuable
teaching techniques from my cooperating teacher. Because I was only collecting data
about setting, I feel like I was missing useful time that I could have been developing
teaching strategies and observing the way she constructs a productive learning
environment. During my next observation, I am going to try to be more present in the
classroom and less concerned with my note taking. It is important to focus on the
learning process that I am seeing rather than recording things in the moment. This
would help me to become a more mindful practitioner in the future as well as help my
growth as an intern.

IX. Citations:
4Teachers. (n.d.). Classroom Architect. Retrieved from

http://classroom.4teachers.org/floorplan_info.htm

Darby, A. (n.d.). Understanding Universal Design in the Classroom. Retrieved from

http://www.nea.org/home/34693.htm

Earp, J. (2017, March 17). Classroom Layout- What Does the Research Say?. Retrieved from

https://www.teachermagazine.com.au/articles/classroom-layout-what-does-the-research-

say

Hitchcock, C., & Stahl, S. (2003). Assistive technology, universal design, universal design for

learning: Improved learning opportunities. Journal of Special Education

Technology, 18(4), 45-52. Retrieved from

https://ezp.raritanval.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.ezp.raritanval.edu/docview/228483843?accountid=13438

Trussell, R. P. (2008). Classroom universals to prevent problem behaviors. Intervention in

School and Clinic, 43(3), 179-182. Retrieved from

https://ezp.raritanval.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.ezp.raritanval.edu/docview/211715843?accountid=13438
SETTING 7

The Willow School. (n.d.). Campus. Retrieved from https://willowschool.org/mission-

philosophy/