CSN Education Department - Alternative Field Observation Activities Packet Greetings Future

Educator, One of the most rewarding aspects of EDU 201, 202, or 203 is the opportunity you’ll
have to observe in a school classroom where students are actively engaged in learning. Each of
these three CSN courses require students to complete a 10 hour "Field Observation" in a Clark
County public school. If CDC Guidelines for Covid-19 prevent you from physically attending a
school campus during the current semester, this packet will offer the alternative experiences
required to satisfy your “Field Observation” requirements for this class virtually.If possible to
pair you with a cooperating CCSD teacher, your placement will be processed by CSN’s
observation coordinator, and you will receive details regarding your assigned school from your
CSN professor.
Only then, will you contact the school and meet virtually with your assigned CCSD “cooperating
teacher”. Both you and your cooperating teacher will design a mutually agreeable schedule to
complete your required contact hours once you meet for the first time. Within this packet, you
will find the required field experience assignments that you must complete in order to pass this
class.
Your Name: Haley Pedersen
CSN Course: EDU 201
Professor: Steven Saladino
CCSD School: Eva Wolfe
Cooperating Teacher: Jennifer Rowe

ASSIGNMENT #1 (Culture): Using the questions below, carefully observe and evaluate the culture of the school. School
culture refers to the way teachers and other staff members work together and the set of beliefs, values, and assumptions they
share. A positive school climate and school culture promote students' ability to learn. Remember you are evaluating the school
for its educational culture, place of learning, sense of safety, invitation for learning, promotion of self-actualization, development
of values and socialization. Use online resources such as your assigned school’s CCSD webpage,
http://nevadareportcard.nv.gov/di/, https://www.publicschoolreview.com, and https://www.greatschools.org/nevada/las-vegas/ to
answer the following questions.

Physical Characteristics: Look at a picture(s) of the school to determine atmosphere, comfort, and feelings the school creates
for students in the educational setting.

1. Consider the school property: building, grounds, fencing, equipment, landscaping, trees, parking lot, crosswalks, gates, signs
and symbols. Describe in detail.

I could only find images on google due to COVID and from what I saw it looked very outdated and old, I am sure that is because
noone has been there to maintain the looks from COVID shutting down the district.
2. Next, (if available) study the interior of the school: halls, floor coverings, lighting, doors, windows, hall colors and
decorations and entrance security. Explain in detail.

I was unable to see inside.

Culture of the School: Read, listen and/or observe to determine the climate, values, and atmosphere within the school.

1: What are your first impressions of the school? Enrollment, graduation rate, proficiency rates, student/teacher ratio etc.

From the information I gathered it seems well, the enrollments rate isnt too high and the teacher to student ration is 24:1 which
isnt too bad either.

2: Please describe the student make-up of the school, including gender, ethnicity, students with disabilities, ELL students, and
any other attributes that are important to note you found.

The rates are pretty even between white and hispanic and then right behind is african american, other then that other minorities
are basically non-exsistent.

3. Explain the school’s mission/vision statements, motto, and mascot.

The schools mascot is a sun and I was unable to find a motto and mission statements.

4. Examine school traditions, achievements and awards; community recognition or community partners; extracurricular
activities/clubs and athletics. Look for and document sources of community pride and sense of identity through ceremonies,
assemblies, trophies, and artifacts.

I couldn’t get this information due to COVID and my cooperating teacher was never really talkative with me.

5. Briefly describe three other pieces of information that can be found on your assigned school’s website.

I see a leave a RAVE review tab which is a place to leave a review on how they are doing with CCSD as
well as PTA meeting information and Title 1 information.
Culture of the Classroom: Each classroom has its own culture and way of life.

1. What are the teacher’s expectations for learning and success?

She didn’t make them very clear and they were not posted anywhere.

2. Evaluate the level of student participation in the class. Who participates? Who does not?

Nobody really participates except 1 student and she was a troublemaker and getting yelled at for it.

3. Evaluate the interactions between teacher and students, rapport, cohesiveness, distribution of power, teacher personality.

The teacher did the bare minimum to teach and that was honestly it, there wasn’t much interaction at
all.

4. Observe student-to-student interactions, inside and outside of the class. Are they using any chat features to communicate with
each other?

They would just yell out to each other and say hi when they logged on, then Mrs. Rowe would mute them and they wouldn’t be
able to speak anymore.

ASSIGNMENT #2 (Observations)

1: What are your first impressions of the virtual classroom environment? Is it warm, inviting, organized, etc? Describe the virtual
environment in detail.

It is very boring, a plane white room with the teacher sitting at a table and then another screen of a plain notebook that she would
write on, no signs or anything, it was very unwelcoming and boring.

2: Please describe the student make-up of the class, including gender, ethnicity, ELL, students with physical challenges, and any
other apparent attributes that are important to note.

It was equally boys and girls and mostly black and hispaanic, no physical challenges other than a few who were having a hard
time focusing on the lecture and talking out.
3: Are their posted class rules or course expectations? If rules/expectations are posted write them exactly as they appear.

None at all.

4: Does the teacher enforce these posted rules/expectations? What rewards or consequences are used for compliance or
noncompliance?

She would just yell and mute the students.

5: What is the posted daily/weekly schedule for different subjects or periods?

No, there were no schedules posted anywhere.

6: Do you see evidence of the school’s mission/vision statements in the virtual environment?

Not at all.

ASSIGNMENT #3 (Classroom Layout): Take screenshots of the learning management system used by the teacher (Canvas,
Google Classroom, Seesaw etc..

1: Describe the workflow of the online environment. Is the space and time used efficiently?

I was unable to screenshot as she said it was not allowed but it seemed easy to manage she didn’t have
much time to show me though.

2: In your opinion, how can the virtual arrangement of the room be improved?

Honestly she could have made it more welcoming from the start.

ASSIGNMENT #4 (Instruction): Observe any instructional time with your assigned Cooperative Teacher, and record your
observations when presented with the questions below:

1: Is instruction delivered in small groups, centers, whole groups, individually?

2: Describe your cooperating teacher’s teaching style.

Boring, she sat and wrote in a notebook the whole time, very very boring.
3: How does the teacher incorporate the sensory modalities (learning styles)? Give examples.

She didn’t do this.

4: Do the students seem engaged in the lesson(s) presented? Please explain.

Not at all, some students were even falling asleep and laying down.

5: Are there any students isolated or not present/participating in the class? Explain?

None of the studentd really participated untill she got upset and started yelling.

6: How does the teacher handle absences from the class?

Im not sure, I only observed afternoons.

7: How does the teacher handle transitions from subject to subject or activity to activity? Are the transitions efficient?

She just tells one section to leave and wait for the enxrt to come in.

8: List ways the teacher uses “attention getting” commands, word phrases, signals, etc. Are they effective?

She just yells at them and sometimes they answer and sometimes no. Not effective at all.

9: What specific behavior issues does the teacher have to deal with? How does the teacher handle the behavior issues? Be
specific.

Just not participating and laying down/sleeping but I believe it is the teachers fault.

10: Are there any policies or procedures that help or hinder instructional time? Please explain them and how they help or hinder
instructional time.

No.

ASSIGNMENT #5 (Observing a student): Discretely observe one student in your assigned classroom during direct instruction.

1: What drove you to choose this student?

2: Explain what the student did during the observation.

He played with a fidget spinner and was falling asleep. He got yelled at but honestly didn’t really care.
3. Summarize the lesson given and the student’s responses to the lesson.

It was just watching a read along book and he was honestly falling asleep.

4. Make sure to document ALL behavior in relationship to what was being presented by the classroom teacher.

She would just yell at him and he would sit up for a second and then go back to laying down.

5. Please describe what you discovered about the student’s learning styles, involvement in class, and his/her educational needs.

It was hard to do because honestly Mrs. Rowe after a while gave up and let him lay down.

ASSIGNMENT #6 (Cooperating Teacher Interview): Arrange for a convenient time to interview your cooperating teacher
either on the phone or by video conference. Ask the questions below. Include any school document, handouts, etc. the teacher
provides.

1. What was the primary reason you became a teacher?

I entered the teaching profession primarily because I enjoy working with kids.

2. What are the main challenges you face as a teacher?

The politics that have entered our education world. The paperwork, directives, numerous meetings, and minimal
support from families and parents.

3. What is the best part of being a teacher? I truly enjoy interacting with my students not just instructing them but
having conversations with them that may not be “educational “ but important to build their social and emotional skills.
4. How do you determine where students sit in class?

I give a two week grace period where they sit where they want. Then from observing the behavior throughout those
two weeks I develop a seating chart. I rearrange students based off their personalities and interactions with others.

5. How do you select members of flexible groups?

I create heterogeneous groups. I put low, low-medium, medium high and high students together.

6. How often do you interact with parents? What are your main reasons for parent interaction?

I interact with parents everyday.Main reasons are: checking in if a child is sick or absent, checking in if I know the
family is struggling to see if I can help, daily reminders of activities, homework, days off coming up, behavior,
attendance, and positive notes.

7. How much grading do you complete on a weekly basis?

We are required 2 grades per subject per week. Sometimes I’ll grade more.

8. How long does it take you to prepare a lesson?

An hour per subject. I work and hour after school each day and then all weekend.

9. What are your favorite procedures to maximize instructional time?

Kagan activities
10. What positive reinforcements have you used successfully? What behavioral consequences are most effective at
your age group?

We have point competitions and weekly drawings. We also hand out super sun tickets for : safe responsible,
respectful.

A call home usually does the trick. I give them 3 chances before I call home.

11. How are specialist and IEP programs worked into your schedule?

Sped teachers pushin or pull groups out during the day best to accommodate the child. Specials are done during our
preps.

12. How often are you evaluated?

As a veteran teacher you get 3 observations per year but honestly I don’t know admin likes to be involved so they pop
in all the time.

13. What are your consequences if your evaluation is not favorable?

I don’t know I’ve never had an unfavorable evaluation.

14. What suprised you most about teaching?

How college doesn’t prepare you for teaching. Meaning, that college courses didn’t prepare me for the behaviors from
students I’ve seen and parent situations.

15. How many ELL, GATE, and SpecEd students do you have? How do you accomidate them?

6-ELL; 3 GATE; 2 SPED- I follow their ieps and try to challenge my gate students and use different realia for my ell
students.