Elementary Classroom Observation

Each week in elementary school, the students within my cooperating classroom would delve into a new topic or subject area. One week it was money. Another week it was time. Depending on the topic, each subject area would correlate accordingly. The students would learn to count money in math. They would read about how money is made in Reading Comprehension. One thing did remain the same during the duration of my student observations in Ms. F’s classroom. During the entirety of my field experience at the elementary school, my cooperating teacher Ms. F, would hang the specific focus for that week on the focus wall. Accompanying the theme on the focus wall, the spelling words were displayed as well, along with a poster describing respect and the

Ohio Standard 4 states that “Teachers plan and deliver effective instruction that advances the learning of each individual student” (OSTP). Meaning, teachers are using a very precise and effective teaching method in order to accommodate and promote the best learning for each particular child. This standard exemplifies my evidence to a T. The focus board used in Ms. F’s classroom is an exact replica of this standard. Her focus board, displaying all the main focuses of the week’s lesson plan, is a way for Ms. F to deliver information and advance the learning of each individual student. Within Ohio Standard 4, element 2 most clearly exemplifies the duty of my evidence. Element 2 of Ohio Standard 4 states, “Teachers use information about students’ learning and performance to plan and deliver instruction that will close the achievement gap” (OSTP). Meaning, teachers are picking up on the different learning styles and capabilities of each of their students, and using this to deliver instruction that would place children on an equal playing field. Using my evidence, it is clear to see that Ms. F is doing just that. Like previously stated, the focus board within the classroom greatly benefits all learning styles within the classroom. The visual applies to the visual learners, speaking the content of the board with the whole class helps with repetition and auditory learners. Finally, the ability to take the posters

F’s class. Being able to recognize that different learning styles benefits the students in the classroom. Because each student is unique, it is important to acknowledge this when creating assessments or just teaching in general. My understanding of my evidence benefits the students as well. At times I found them telling me to go check the focus board, when I was struggling with helping them. I was able to see before my very eyes that this repetition and their ability to reintroduce the concepts for that week to themselves was helping them immensely. As for myself, as a future educator, I will make it my duty to promote an interactive and adaptable environment for children, perhaps using different assessments and learning styles to benefit each child. My understanding of the standard helps me as a future educator because it allows for me to acknowledge the importance of planning and understanding the various types of information, learning styles, and teaching. Perhaps in my future classroom, I will implement the use of a focus board. This evidence relates to the textbook. In relation to my evidence, the focus board and closing of the achievement gap by the elementary school make it apparent that parent involvement must be evident outside the classroom. A direct quote from Chapter 11 in Teaching to Change the World states “when parents