Brian Lyda EDUC 461 TWS 1 Contextual Factors

TWS Standard
The teacher uses information about the learning-teaching context and student individual differences to set learning objectives, lesson objectives, plan instruction, and assessment(s). Task Discuss relevant factors and how they may affect the teaching-learning process !nclude any supports and challenges that affect instruction and student learning Prompt !n your discussion" include# Classroom factors. $ddress physical features" availa%ility of technology" e&uipment" resources and the e'tent of parental involvement (ou might also discuss other relevant factors such as classroom rules and routines" grouping patterns" scheduling and classroom arrangement Student characteristics. $ddress student characteristics you must consider as you design instruction and assess learning !nclude factors such as age" gender" race)ethnicity" special needs" achievement)developmental levels" culture" language" interests" learning styles)modalities or students* s+ill levels !n your narrative" ma+e sure you address student*s s+ill levels in at least two content areas ,one should %e reading a%ility- and prior learning that may influence the development of your learning o%.ectives" instruction and assessment Instructional implications. $ddress how conte'tual characteristics of the classroom and students have implications for instructional planning and assessment !nclude specific instructional implications for at least two characteristics and any other factors that will influence how you plan and teach your lessons School and community factors. $ddress demographics and any specific factors associated with the school and)or community in which your school is located (ou should include %asic information a%out the school itself ,e g num%er of students" any special programming- and diversity factors associated with the community" which impacts the school environment and resources Classroom Factors: /his classroom is a part of Clinton Elementary 0chool located in Clinton" 0C /he enrollment is 612 students ranging from grades 34-4th /he school offers several events throughout the year to involve the community in the education process 0ome of these events are as follows# Doughnuts with Dads" 5ine $rts 6ight" 5amily Literacy 6ight" 5amily 7ath 6ight" 8onors Choir" 7uffins with 7om" 0cience 5air" 9ood 6ews Clu%" and $fter 0chool :rogram /he $fter 0chool :rogram is led %y a group of pastors within the community that have committed themselves to helping the children in need any way that they can Last year the district*s poverty rate was right around 42; ,according to the 0C Department of Education-< however" compared to e'pected performance %ased on poverty rate" the district outperformed all other districts in the state /his leads me to the current classroom within Clinton Elementary 0chool

Brian Lyda EDUC 461

Upon entering this third grade classroom" there is a wall at the %ac+ of the room ad.acent to the door that is lined with %oo+s /hese %oo+s are num%ered and separated %y su%.ect matter Each individual %oo+ has a num%er that corresponds with the %as+et in which the %oo+ %elongs $%ove these %oo+s" there are two white %oards spanning almost the entire width of the room >ne of the white %oards has a pull-down map of 0outh Carolina overhanging /he other %oard is partially covered %y an $merican 5lag and a 0outh Carolina 0tate 5lag suspended from the ceiling !n front of the white %oards" in the %ac+ corner" there is a ta%le set up for small group instruction $s one reaches the far wall from the door" one will encounter a ceiling-to-floor storage ca%inet in the %ac+ corner /his ca%inet contains a variety of supplies used for a variety of purposes ?unning along the entire far wall is a waist high counter with storage underneath >n the counter and underneath are materials used in everyday classroom situations including math manipulatives" glue stic+s" scissors" erasers" white %oards" mar+ers" etc 0tudents +now that these materials are here for their use and do not have to %e prompted to get the materials when necessary and appropriate /wo %ulletin %oards span the length of the counter on this far wall 0tudent wor+" as well as group .o%s" is displayed on these %ulletin %oards throughout the year $t the end of the counter is a sin+ 0tudents can wash their hands here as well as get a drin+ of water /his leads to the front corner of the room where there is a %athroom /his is very convenient" as students do not have to leave the classroom to use the %athroom 6ow at the front of the room" there is a 0martBoard centered on the front wall /eacher and student ali+e are constantly interacting with this piece of technology /he 0martBoard is connected with a des+top computer located on a small ta%le ad.acent to the %oard itself /here is also a %lac+ and white printer connected to this computer" so the teacher can have materials without going all the way to the office >ne other piece of technology is connected to the computer as well /his piece of technology is an EL7> document camera /his tool displays items placed under it on the %oard in real time /his allows the teacher to model how to complete certain pieces of wor+ during instruction Behind this front wall" there is a small passageway leading to another door e'iting the room /he passageway contains hoo+s for hanging up %oo+ %ags and e'tra storage room for te't%oo+s and leveled guided reading %oo+s /his area can %e pro%lematic if students are not taught to stay out of it at all times unless directed otherwise /here are twenty-seven des+s divided into four groups in the center of the classroom Each group contains either si' or seven des+s configured in a rough @LA shape /his configuration is to allow for a group setting while ensuring no student will have his)her %ac+ to the teacher /here is one lone des+ placed at the %ac+ of the room !t is an e'tra des+ and also is used for students when they need a place to finish wor+ %y themselves" with no distractions $ll students have clear viewing access to the front of the room at all times Classroom rules are not clearly posted in the classroom< however" the rules are constantly stated and reinforced throughout each day E'pectations for different times and situations throughout a school day are always clearly stated ahead of time and maintained for the duration of the activity or situation /his includes situations such as lunchtime" recess" group time" etc Conse&uences include silent lunch %y oneself" loss of 3L!C time ,an e'tra recess time %eyond the daily 14 minutes-" a note home" or referral to the office /he latter two will involve parental)guardian contact and conferencing as needed

Brian Lyda EDUC 461

Bhile the class has a daily schedule that it follows" the times within the schedule change slightly each day /his is due to myriad of factors involving others* activity schedules as well as gradelevel meeting and enrichment +nown as CCluster* $lso" my cooperating teacher has e'tended activity period on /uesdays %ecause she is a mentor teacher and must o%serve other teachers once a wee+ /he schedule %egins with a two-hour %loc+ for EL$ ,reading and writing- During this time" the students switch classes and are grouped %ased on previous year*s 7$: scores >nce students switch %ac+ to their regular homeroom" it is activity time $fter activity time comes lunchtime" which is immediately followed %y recess :er the principal" all students must receive fifteen ,14- minutes of recess each day" %arring any e'treme circumstances Upon returning to the classroom" students e'perience math followed %y social studies and finally science /he day ends with the additional recreational time +nown as 3L!C /here are several routines and)or procedures that have %een esta%lished and are understood within this classroom !n the morning" students understand they are to unpac+ their %oo+ %ags" hang them in the appropriate place" eat their %rea+fast)dispose of their trash" and prepare their reading materials to switch classes $ll of this is done efficiently and &uietly 0tudents have a routine for group wor+ such as during math stations /hey +now what level voice they are e'pected to use and the conse&uences if they choose not to comply >f course there are also routines for lining up" eating lunch" and going to and returning from recess /here are also many classroom management techni&ues used within the classroom to +eep students on tas+ /he teacher may count down from 4 with the e'pectation students are prepared to learn at 2 /he teacher also uses small song clips during transition periods" and students +now to %e finished transitioning %y the end of the song /here are a fair amount of parents that are eager to %e involved in the classroom 7any have volunteered for field trips" and there has %een a solid turnout during meet the teacher night and open house $ few concerned parents have also met with the teacher to discuss the progress of their child and the %est route to ta+e moving forward /here is an upcoming field trip that enough parents have volunteered for that the teacher will have more than enough chaperones /he community is very supportive of the school district as a whole Clinton 8igh 0chool athletics are and always have %een a %ig part of this community Darsity foot%all players come %y on 5ridays and open car doors in the morning for the +ids arriving at school /he younger +ids really loo+ up to these athletes /he head foot%all coach also made a guest appearance on the morning show at our school $lso" the community is supportive during events such as :/>" >pen 8ouse" and :ro 3ids ,a family night event at the 8igh 0chool- /he turnout is usually very positive 5urthermore" normally the 5all 5estival is held at Clinton Elementary one fall evening /he community usually turns out in force through volunteering and en.oying the festivities Student Characteristics: /here are a total of =4 third graders in this class /he class is split 42; male and 42; female 4E; of students are Caucasian" 1F; are $frican $merican" and 11; are 8ispanic = students are identified as ?/! /ier = in EL$ /hese students are pulled for one 12-minute small group session each wee+ 4 students are identified as having speech impairments Each of these students is

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pulled from the classroom for a 12-minute session each wee+ /here are also 1 E0>L ,English for 0pea+ers of >ther Languages- students in the class /wo of these students are pulled each wee+ for 12-minute sessions" while the other is pulled periodically $ll 1 of the students are in different levels of the E0>L program and all 1 are close to moving out of the program /here is a wide range of developmental levels within the classroom Each student in ?/! /ier = and each student in speech have an !E: /wo of the students in the class must %e given all tests orally 7ath 7$: scores range from 1F1-=14 while EL$ 7$: scores range from 1G4-==1 $s evidence from the high-end 7$: scores" several of the students &ualify for 9/ ,9ifted and /alented- /here are F students that are pulled every 5riday for 1 hour to participate in the 9/ program Based on 0tudent !nterest 0urvey results" several of the students prefer math and)or social studies as their favorite su%.ect,s- 0everal of the %oys really en.oy playing sports" especially foot%all this time of year 7any of the %oys were a part of a %ase%all team that won the 0tate Championship and played for the 6ational Championship this past summer 0everal of the girls have noted an affinity for gymnastics /his is evident during recess as they flip and roll all over the playground 5urthermore" many students note that they en.oy a variety of electronics at home such as video games" ! pods" ! pads" etc 7usic also seems to %e a %ig interest of the ma.ority of the student population Instructional Implications: /here are so many opportunities to incorporate student interests into lessons across all su%.ects ?eal life e'amples involving sports or gymnastics will really help engage the students in the lesson Using the students* names and activities within pro%lems posed are also a great way to help students ma+e connections ! plan to use this techni&ue when helping students connect math pro%lems to the real world ! also plan to use this +nowledge when choosing guided or shared reading %oo+s" or when choosing %oo+s for the students* reading %ags Using this interest information will ma+e the content culturally relevant to the students" which has shown to create more engagement and a deeper learning and understanding 7usic is a %ig interest and great teaching tool as well 0o many people can remem%er song lyrics as if they sang the song their entire lives %ut cannot remem%er content information Bell" when content information is used within songs ,interesting" up%eat songs-" the content %ecomes .ust as memora%le ! have already witnessed this with a rap a%out the scientific process /he students did that early in the year and many can still repeat the rap ! plan to use this throughout my teaching time" and ! am going to use it to close my fossil unit /here is a parody" of a popular song" that teaches the students a%out fossils /he !E:s stating that = students must have tests orally administered could cause a pro%lem during assessments ! have to have the free time to pull these students aside to read to them" or ! have to have them complete the test at a different time !f the latter is the case" then ! must have something for them to do while others ta+e the assessment ! have also tried" when appropriate" .ust reading the entire test aloud as to not single anyone out and still comply with the !E: to help the students /his method also %enefits other students in the class

Brian Lyda EDUC 461

/he actual physical environment of the room has instructional implications as well /he classroom is a decent siHe and leaves &uite a %it of floor space /his tells me that ! have room to use small group stations within my instruction ! will not have to move and replace des+s .ust to do group activities within the room ! can find the space to teach in this manner efficiently and effectively 5urthermore" ! can teach from all around the room and students can still see me ! can teach from the middle of the room and even the %ac+ if so desired" and students can still see)hear me /his also helps me use the method of pro'imity to deal with tal+ing or other minor %ehavioral issues ! can move freely around the room to ensure ! maintain pro'imity to the students that are causing the issue /he poverty rate within the community can also have instructional implications ! have to %e aware of any out-of-class assignments ! give 7any of the students may not have the resources at home to complete such assignments !f this is the case" ! must provide the resources or adapt the assignment /his may %e difficult to find out" until ! actually give an assignment ! must" however" try to get to +now students and families well enough to +now what resources ,physical" emotional" etc"- they possess