Journal #1 Domain #1 Teaching and the Environment

How is the classroom physically organized? Do children seem to know where things are?
The classroom I was in was very organized. There were six large tables that sat four students. The tables were arranged in a “U” shape around the room. On the right wall there were two chalkboards and two white boards. The left side of the room had a row of computers.

Every student knew where everything was. For example, on the teacher’s desk there was a plastic divider that had a spot for each class period’s homework. At the beginning of class they were supposed to have their reading logs all done and ready to hand in. All the students knew to place their finished reading logs in the plastic divider that belonged to their class period.


How do learners and teacher’s use the classroom space?
From what I have observed so far, the classroom space really isn’t utilized that much. The children are mostly in their desks for the whole class period. The class space is utilized at times. For example, on Friday’s after their vocabulary quiz they are given silent reading time. During that time they are able to get up and sit wherever they want around the room. Another time the classroom is utilized is when they read aloud as a class they form a circle in the middle of the room.
Is the room more child-oriented or teacher-oriented? Give examples.
The room was both child-oriented as well as teacher oriented. The back half of the room was more child-oriented whereas the front half was more teacher-oriented. Meaning, the back wall had books and all the student’s binders. Also, there were pillows and cushions for the children to sit on and use during silent reading time. In the front of the room near the door was the teacher’s desk and behind her desk on the front wall were her teaching books, textbooks, dictionaries, and other books that belonged to her.


What resources are in the room? How do children and adults use them?
There are chalkboards and dry erase boards. There are also several dictionaries and many books that can be used for their silent reading time. Also, there is are several bins that hold markers, glue sticks, scissors, looseleaf paper, construction paper, and extra folders. So far from what I have seen, the teacher Ms. Sorensen, has not used the blackboard or whiteboards at all. The other resources such as the markers and glue sticks and things are for the students use only because the teacher has her own supplies. It is put there in case a student needs access to looseleaf paper that he may have run out of or forgot to bring to class.


What techniques are used to get students’ attention, to transition them from one activity or place, to another?
The teacher I’m observing, Ms. Sorensen, gives her students a lot of independence. Meaning, she explains the plan for the class period and what assignments are due; therefore, when students are done with one activity they can independently transition from one activity to another. When she does need to grab the students attention she usually just stands up at the front of the room silently until the students start to quiet down.


What examples of technology are available?
Emerson Middle School is a relatively new school and is located in a middle to upper middle class neighborhood. Therefore, Emerson’s classrooms are up to date with technology. They have a wall lined with computers, there are TV’s in every classroom, and overhead projectors. Also, there are SMART Boards in some classrooms. Unfortunately, the classroom I was in didn’t have one, but the room next door did. However, the technology is rarely used. One student told me that they only use the computers to work on projects.



From my observations I learned a couple things about Teaching and the Environment. First of all, resources are crucial and a key to the student’s success. However, these resources need to be organized and easy for the students to locate. Maniates, author of Teach our children well: Essential strategies for the urban classroom, states: “A classroom that uses student investigation, projects, and student initiated activity needs to have clearly defined areas where students can find the materials they need and have space to work” (37). In the classroom I was in, students knew where the resources were in the room. This made class time flow easier and student’s got their work done a lot faster. For example, the students had a separate take home quiz and they were given time to complete in class. The quiz required the students to pick one of the five civil behavior words (self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills) and one boy needed to look up a word so he went right over to where the dictionaries were and found the definition. Then when they completed their take home quiz they went right to the divider and found their class period and handed in their homework. If the classroom did not have resources or organization that simple assignment would have been hectic and stressful for the student as well as the teacher. Another thing I learned about Teaching and the Environment is that it is important to have students work displayed throughout the classroom. Besides organization and resources, students also need confidence. This can be accomplished by showing off their work. Maniates agrees and believes that “Displaying students’ names, photos, and work prominently throughout the room underscores their ownership of space.” The teacher, Mrs. Sorensen, must also agree with this statement seeing that in her classroom she had the students’ work hanging from the ceiling. When I asked a couple students how they feel about seeing their artwork out for everyone to see and one student, Kyle, said “It’s really cool because I feel like the teacher is proud of my work and that I am part of the classroom.” Therefore, showing off student’s work is a simple way for students to feel included in the classroom as well as confident and proud.