Classroom Observation: Science Inclusive Class - Essay Example

Classroom Observation: Science Inclusive Class Introduction Teaching is not as easy as it is usually considered to be. Teachers are responsible for not only the education of their students but also their all-round development just like the parents. In fact the pressure on the teachers are more because they are being paid for the job unlike parents. Teaching is a very demanding profession. Day by day the teacher’s job is becoming more complex. The following are the details of the classroom in which the observer spent an hour to understand and observe how specific teaching strategies affect students’ learning and motivation. How does the teacher control the behavior in the classroom? While determining how the teacher controls the behavior in the classroom the observer was informed that the code of conduct in each class of the school was created in the beginning of the year. As an example the observer found that the punishment for talking when the teacher is teaching has four stages. If the student is caught talking for the first time the teacher gives him verbal reminder. If the student is caught talking after the first reminder then the second time the teacher not only gives him verbal reminder but also reminds him of the class’s code of conduct. If despite the two reminders the student does not stop then the teacher gives him the third and final warning verbally. If these three stages have not worked and the teacher finds him talking continuously then the teacher asks him and his other classmates if involved, to immediately leave the classroom and return only when they have controlled themselves completely. The teacher does not lay down the code of conduct alone but students are also involved in it. This approach helps the teacher in controlling the behavior in the classroom as current research shows that rules made together are usually more successful than teacher made rules. It gives the students a chance to voice their opinions and take ownership for the code of conduct. According to Cole et al. “Activities cannot be seen or planned in isolation. The way all the adults who are involved with the children share their strategies and the child’s response is vital. This is not a one way or single channeled process.” (2) Therefore when the students are sent out as a punishment they do not have any option but to obey the teacher as they too were involved in formulating this rule. They do not hold any grudges against the teacher later also due to this fact. Does the teacher integrate the content areas? The observer witnessed that the teacher very skillfully integrated the content areas. It was not much difficult for her to do so because with science as a subject, it becomes easy to integrate many of the content areas.    Social Studies- map skills; math- formulas for speed, time, reading charts and graphs; ELA- writing conclusions and coming up with hypothesis were all integrated by her. This made her teaching very interesting to the students. Cole et.al rightly pointed out that “ children need to be challenged, the activities exciting and dynamic.” (2) It has been found that students perform better when skills overlap in each area of their curriculum. The school that the observer visited believes in team teaching where policies and procedures remain constant for all content area classes. How does the teacher influence the classroom atmosphere? In order to promote a congenial classroom atmosphere it is not enough to just lecture students on what to do and what not to. The students scrutinize teachers and try to find out whether teachers themselves are practicing what they are preaching. Teachers should be the role models of appropriate behavior. Only then can she influence the classroom atmosphere in a positive way. The observer found that the teacher of the classroom that he visited is an excellent model of appropriate behavior, language and decent dressing. She carried herself well and thus her all-round presentation looked inspiring for the students. She informed the observer that she has set the tone for non-tolerance of cruelty to one another. The observer witnessed that she treated the students with respect and that is why they respected her too. Has she been different the students would not have respected her so genuinely. The teacher also informed that she tries to present relevant information from her own life to the class. She also discusses the good and bad decisions that she has taken in the past and their impact for all-round development of her students. Thus she tries to connect the topic of her class discussion with her experiences to make the atmosphere of her classroom very warm and friendly but disciplined too. The observer wants to highlight that according to the current research modeling what you expect your students to do is the most appropriate way to achieve desired goals. In the words of Wragg “One of the techniques we frequently use in our research is the identification of events that happen in classrooms and that seem to be indicative of the styles, preferences and effects of various teachers.” (45) How does the class size impact class participation? Small groups are easy to manage, as they are quieter in comparison to larger groups. The larger the class the harder it is to control the noise level during group work. After a conversation with the teacher it was clear that during group work such as in labs giving instructions become easier as the class gets divided into small groups. The advantages of group work are immense especially in middle school because this is the time the child is developing social skills. Group work provides an opportunity to socialize. It also helps in learning from one’s own peers and sharing of ideas is crucial for a child’s growth at this stage. Sometimes working with peers teaches more than the teacher’s directions. Hence it is advisable to introduce group work as much as possible to attain maximum results. Conclusion Thus to be a capable teacher it is not enough that one knows her subject well. Being a master in one’s subject is just a small trait of an exemplary teacher. After the class observation the observer came to a conclusion that to be successful, a teacher should apply certain strategies that affects the students’ learning and motivation in a positive way. She should be able to successfully control the behavior in the classroom, integrate the content areas, and influence the classroom atmosphere. The class size impact class participation so the observer’s analysis on the basis of an example given by the teacher is that make a large group small and the results will be very satisfying. To conclude in the words of Wragg, “Time devoted to improving class management is time well spent.” (7) Works Cited Cole, J. et al. Helping Young Children Learn Through Activities in the early years. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2001. Wragg, E.C. Class Management in the Secondary School. London: Routledge Falmer, 2001. Read More