Teacher Observation

COMM 2270
Teacher Observation I observed a 1st grade at the Alamosa Elementary School. The classsroom environment was the appropiate for this grade because they had a lot of pictures and illustrations that thy will use during the school year for example the multiplications, the seasons, the alphabet, the colors, and the different books that the teacher will read for them in a future. Also another thing that I though that was really good for the students each of them had their own desk and on top of it they have a little alphabet and the some color names, this will made a little bit easier for the students when they were writing of identifying a letter. Another good thing that I observed was that the teacher had a list of the different activities that they will have during the day, I though that this will be a good way to let the students that they will be doing that day. A very good idea that probably all the elementaries or only the first grades do is that the teacher has a special chair where they seat to read to the students , while the students are seatting on the floor listening the lecture. Another good thing that they had was that each student had their own box label with their name where they had their colors, scissors, pencils or any work that the teacher will have to check for that day. Some of the subjects that the teach taugh during my observation were the alphabet, the sounds of the letters, the difference between the vowels and consonants and the seasons, techer was doing a review for all those students who had a hard a time during kinder garden and answering all the questions that the students had or missunderstandings. One unusual circumstance that I observed was that one student after their break got lost, everybody got in a line to go back to the classroom and probably we wasn’t listening or he was somewhere else (bathroom, cafeteria, etc) , he was still in the play ground and another teacher had to take him to his corresponding classroom. His teacher was surprise and at the same time in shock because her mistake was not checking if all of her students were on line. I think is one the most important things that a teacher needs to do before anything, double check if all the students are in line and ready to go back because why if the students go outside of the campus. The four concepts that I observed were: the Communication Climate, Cultural Diversity, Immediancy and Response Styles. One of the most important concepts that I observed from this teacher was the Response Style “ is how the techer respond to students will stifle or enhance the discussion process” (Cooper & Simonds, 2007, p.141). One of example of this was when the teacher was asking questions about the story for that day, she was responding nicely to the students but at the same time she wasn’t giving the chance to the students who were quiet to answer some of the questions and probably they were quiet because they were afraid of not know the right answer. Another example was when students and the teacher were having a conversation about their lecture and the same students were answering the question over and over and but wount’t let the rest of the class to participe because they will make fun of the student who answered wrong or they will correct them right away without letting the teacher to answer and making the rest of the students to feel bad and they stopped participating. This two examples were very effective for the students because they will feel the opportunity to give thir point of view and because of this the students will be able to obtain more acknowldge from their participation. Another one was the Communication Climate is “the atmosphere that results from the students using verbal and non verbal communication and listening skills; can be defensive or supportive” (Oxford, University press USA, 3rd edition). One example that observed that the teacher was following this classroom skill was on the way she was talking to her students, she had a frienly tone of voice, she was very peaceful and at the same time she will make all the students feel comfortable without being judge. Another examplewas when the students were practicing the how to spell a word and she ask a student who was having problems with the letters and instead of making this students to fell bad she said “I know you arehaving a problem with spelling the words but what can I do to help you or what if we try this other method to spell maybe this one will help you to understan better”. This two examples are very good in a classroom and especially for the first grades in elementary because the students will get the confidence to say what they think without thinking that they will be judge, also this examples help her students because they comfortable knowing that they teacher knows that they are having problems and that she will do something to help them. The third one is Immediacy “ is a verbal and non verbal communication bahaviors that enhance physical and psycological closeness” (Mehrabian, 1969). “Immediate teachers are viewed as approachable, friendly, open, and resposive to students needs” (Cooper & Simonds, 2007, p.33).