Chelsea Schmieding

TWS 1: Contextual Factors (LO 3.3) (APS 1) TWS Standard: The teacher uses information about the learning-teaching context and student individual differences to set learning goals, lesson objectives, plan instruction and assessments(s). A. Classroom FactorsWoodfields Elementary School Woodfields Elementary School, home of the Highflyers, is a Title 1 school located in Greenwood District 50. Woodfields Elementary is Soaring to the S.T.A.R.S. Students Taking Action and Responsibility for Success. With an enrollment of 677 students, Woodfields is a very established school in the community. We are very privileged to be at a University that is able to for quality educational partnerships for beneficial clinical experiences. Mission The mission of Woodfields Elementary School is to educate and encourage todays students for success in tomorrows world. Woodfields Elementary School goals for the 2013-2014 school year: 1.) Increase student learning for all students through the implementation of research based strategies and interventions so that our students are on grade level as measured by MAP, PASS, Running Records, and grades. 2.) Implement strategies and interventions to increase participation in PBIS celebrations. 3.) Implement Common Core Standards in ELA and Math.

Physical FeaturesThis third grade classroom is decent sized but with twenty-five student desks, it can seem small. There are two large windows that provide a source of natural light for the classroom. The temperature is set on a cool setting to keep the students alert and engaged. The teacher monitors the noise level, and the classroom is generally quiet. It is fairly organized, and the space is utilized well. The students desks are in six rows of four desks. There is one extra desk that the teacher uses as an isolation station for any necessary situation. In the corner of the classroom, there is a student bathroom and a sink directly outside on the counter. On the opposite end of the counter, there are five classroom computers and shelves above that store the teachers personal library of hardback books, materials and resources, and student textbooks. There is a kidney table in the front corner of the room where she can view the class while working with small
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groups to benefit all learners. This area also has shelves for easy access of daily materials, resources, important paperwork, and grades. There is a small table for the laptop and document reader near the board as well. In front of the board, there is a carpet that has five sections: red, blue, green, orange, and purple. On the walls, there are many different charts and posters for students to reference. There are cubbies and hooks for students to place their belongings. However, the students keep their book-bags at their seats for convenience. In the cubbies, each student has a numbered plastic container for any materials they may need for various activities such as crayons, colored pencils, scissors, glue, etc. Other storage is utilized around the classroom to store manipulatives, supplies, and other classroom materials. The American flag is displayed at the front of the room. The bulletin board displays their homework chart as well as other posters for student reference. Overall, the physical features of this classroom are warm, inviting, and promote a safe learning environment for students. It has all the features needed to provide an appropriate and meaningful education.

Availability of TechnologyThere are many sources of technology that are available in the classroom. There are five computers located in the back of the classroom where students have the opportunity to work daily on progressive review work. The school wide computer program is Compass Learning Odyssey. The students can work on both reading and math with this program. There are headphones located at each computer and for students to use as well. The classroom also has a Smart Board, which is vital for daily instruction. It is used for watching Woodfields morning news, morning work, lessons for math, writing, shared readings, science, and social studies. Another use of the Smart Board is keeping up with the classroom behavior plan. The teacher uses a website called teach.classdojo.com. Each student is assigned a DOJO, which is a monster looking character. The DOJOs are displayed on the Smart Board, along with the students names. DOJO allows you to add or subtract points for actions such as being on or off task, doing their work, listening, misbehaving, etc. The teacher is able to adjust these points on her iPad when away from the classroom. There is a personal laptop and iPad used daily in class instruction. Overall, there is a variety of technological sources provided in the classroom that incorporate the uses and benefits of technology in an educational setting.

EquipmentThere is not much equipment that is used in the classroom. There are headphones used for the Compass Learning Odyssey programs on the computers. Overall, there are few forms of equipment used in the classroom.
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ResourcesThere are many educational resources used throughout this third grade classroom. Many visual aids are hung on the walls throughout the classroom such as: contractions, the writing process, maps, units of measure, solar system, informational text features, grading scale, etc. Students read books independently throughout the day when assignments are completed. Compass Learning Odyssey is a resource that students use throughout the day. This is a school-wide computer program that tracks progress with activities and skill tests. Overall, there are many resources used throughout the classroom to provide different forms, references, and dynamic to instruction.

Parent/Guardian InvolvementThe parent/guardian involvement in the classroom is very little. There are two parents that have not met with the teacher all year. There are few parent volunteers. There are many ways for parents to volunteer and get involved throughout the year through Open House, PTO, Mother-Son Movie Night, Father-Daughter dance, chaperoning field trips, and Family Night. Most parents are easy to reach if the situation arises. Phone calls, text messages, or notes home usually have the best results with communicating between teachers and parents. Notes are sent home for both praise and concerns. Newsletters and school information is sent home with student work in a folder on Thursdays and parents are to sign and return. All parental communication is documented in the student information notebook. The teacher has an open door policy for parents. They know they are encouraged to visit the classroom anytime they feel necessary. Twenty-three students live at home with two or more adults. Parent involvement in students education is evident for maximum success.

Classroom Rules & RoutinesThere are many different rules and routines throughout the classroom to uphold a sense of order and provide and appropriate, safe environment for learning. This classroom functions with a positive reinforcement system. Students are encouraged to make the right choices and will be encouraged to correct poor choices appropriately. Students are also expected to follow the school-wide PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) matrix. The students receive Balloon Bucks when positive behavior is displayed. These bucks are given to individual students or the class as a whole when they are caught ready to S.O.A.R. Another way is to have points added to their DOJO. This teacher has called her classroom rules Classroom Promises. These promises are presented on the first day, posted in the room, and reviewed regularly.
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Class Promises 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Raise your hand and wait your turn to speak. Keep your whole body to yourself and respect others and their stuff. Work quietly! Treat others the way you want to be treated (with respect). Use a quiet voice in the classroom. Ask questions that HELP! Consequences 1. 2. 3. 4. Warning Time-out to reflect and/or create a plan Note in agenda Minor Referral Form

For non-instructional routines, the teacher has weekly helpers that are chosen each week. Their names are posted on a Helping Hands poster in the classroom. Each person will be responsible for their job throughout the week. When entering or exiting the classroom, the students are lined up in number order (alphabetically) or reverse number order. When leaving for lunch, the students are lined up according to their lunch choice (choice 1 or choice 2, lunchbox). Work is collected by the teacher, materials manager, or teachers assistant. The teacher checks the seating chart to take attendance on Power School. Students are given a sharpened pencil each morning. They return their pencils to the class pencil cup when necessary. Sharpened pencils are kept available in the classroom. Homework is displayed on the board and students are responsible for copying it in their agendas. Homework is checked daily. Materials are kept in numbered boxes in the class cubbies. In these boxes are crayons, colored pencils, scissors, and glue sticks. Students are allowed to use the classroom restroom when they are finished with classwork or when working on individual work at their desks. The restroom should not be used during whole-class activities/discussions. Overall, there are daily routines that the children expect each day. When there is a change in the routine, students can become unfocused or distracted. The routine provides structure for the students. At this point of the school year, students know the order of daily routines, and know what they are supposed to be doing at all times.

Chelsea Schmieding

Grouping PatternsThe students experience several different grouping patterns in the classroom. The first is the arrangement of their desks. There are six rows of four student desks with a center aisle for the teacher to move throughout the classroom. This arrangement takes up a majority of the floor space. The lower-performing students are sitting in the front of the classroom as well as students with vision difficulties. The teacher meets with small groups throughout the day as well. This is for the benefit of all learners. The groups read together from novels for shared reading. Students are placed in these grouping patterns for efficiency and convenience, as well as for small group instruction time with students on the same levels.

SchedulingThe children have a routine schedule that is expected throughout the year. Students arrive at the school around 7:30 and sit in the hallway until the teacher greets them at the door. The students come in one by one and complete their lunch choice on a podium by the door. They go to their desks and begin morning work. The teacher polls the students about breakfast. When breakfast arrives, the students eat while finishing their morning work. Each day, there are five math questions and five reading and grammar questions. The morning show is displayed on the Smart Board during this time. The teacher uses the document reader to go over and check morning work after adequate time has been given for students to complete. Students then have out their math homework and the teacher checks the homework together. The math lesson is done on the Smart Board and from their My Math books. After the lesson, students do independent practice. After 9:00, math is over and students transition to reading. The students who are pulled out for reading leave during this time. Shared reading, writing, and word study is all taught before students go to lunch from 11:45-12:10. From lunch, the students have recess until 12:45. After using the restroom and getting water, the students have science or social studies 12:45-1:35. They pack up at 1:40 and head to related arts. Monday they have Art, Music on Tuesday, Computer Lab on Wednesday, and Friday they go to the Library. Thursdays, they are on a slightly different schedule. They have PE from 8-9 and the rest of the day pushed back an hour.

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B. Student Demographics and CharacteristicsStudent Demographics Total Number of Students Caucasian Students African-American Students Latino/Hispanic Students Asian/Pacific Island Students Other Race Students Total Male Students Total Female Students Age of Students Special Services Speech Services ESOL Services Resource Pulled-Out for Reading Pulled-Out for Math Gifted & Talented Other Services 1 2 2 2 5 1 LOL (Learning Out Loud) 4 24 6 8 9 0 1 13 11 8-9 years

In this third grade class, there are 24 total students. Of these students, there are three IEPs. One is for speech and the other two are for ESOL. There is one student with asthma in this class. One student has a medical alert for seizures. One student has heart problems and cannot run under any circumstances. There are three students who take medication for ADHD. There are no known allergy alerts for this classroom. From an interest survey, 11 students said they like to work with partners or small groups and 13 prefer working alone. At this age, most students are either visual or kinesthetic learners. Their interests include sports, watching television, playing computer games, and reading. These students are curious and are motivated by meaningful experiences to life outside of the classroom. Twenty of the students in this classroom have internet access at home. The students MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) scores for
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Reading ranged from 167-215 with 194 being on grade level for the winter test. Math MAP scores ranged from 177-210 with 198 being on grade level for the winter test. Nine students were on or above grade level on both math and reading MAP for their middle of the year scores. The class average RIT score for Reading was 188.4 and the district grade level mean RIT score was 191.9. For Math, the class average score was 193.1 and the district grade level mean RIT score was 195.4. In this class, the range of grade levels for reading is from first grade to fifth grade. The range of grade levels for math is from second grade to fifth grade. The class reading levels range from DRA Level 28-38. There are two students on level 28, five students on level 30, five students on level 34, and ten students on level 38.

C. Instructional ImplicationsBecause the students have such a large difference in achievement gaps and developmental levels, the teacher must keep in mind what is best for all learners when planning lessons and assessments. The teachers adaptations include Response to Intervention (RTI), modification to instruction as needed, small group instruction, and one-on-one assistance. RTI is for students who scored in the lowest 20% on MAP and they receive additional support in both reading and math. The students performed the weakest in foundational skills and vocabulary section on MAP. The teacher has a greater focus on Greek and Latin roots, prefixes and suffixes, and root words. The students performed the weakest in measurement and data. The teacher has a greater focus on interpreting graphs and charts as well as measurement. The contextual information of the classroom is relevant and impacts instruction. Every student has a different learning style. Because of the number of both Spanish-speaking and ESOL students as well as the diversity of the learners in the classroom, the teacher must keep these two contextual factors in mind when planning. When planning for instruction, the teacher has placed her students in strategic groupings for her students. There are student partnerships that provide many benefits for Spanish-speaking and ESOL students. There are many different performance and knowledge levels within this group of third graders, ranging from first to sixth grade. To benefit these students, the teacher allows them to participate with Odyssey. This individualized on-level learning allows students to work on what they need and it is geared towards their grade levels. Keeping in mind ESOL students and the diversity within this classroom is very important when planning lessons to teach them. Overall, many of the contextual factors influence how the teacher plans and teaches lessons within the classroom.