Name ___Lisa Naser______ Observation Date _1/22/15__Observation Time_10:00a.m.

__
Experience B-1
Objective: To observe and make note of the whole classrooms learning environment and
its value to students and teacher.
Directions: Observe the classroom environment and respond to the questions that follow. Use
class resources (text, web, articles) to provide support for responses.
1.

What kind of learning environment has the teacher created for learners?

Ms. Barbara and Ms. Wyleen have structured their classroom after a Montessori environment.
The room is divided into sections for reading, language, math, social studies, and science. There
is quiet music playing in the background while students seem engaged in their work. The
students demonstrate pride in their classroom and show this by handling the materials with great
care, most of them. It seems like there is always one teacher available for student questions and
concerns.

2.

What are the most important qualities of this environment?

The most important qualities about this environment center around respect. From day one when
students step foot into the classroom the teachers are always reiterating how important it is to
respect oneself, respect each other, and respect their environment. It seems to instill a sense of
pride in the students when they feel like the classroom is also theirs and with that comes
responsibilities. The students in this class are quick to remind their peers if they see them being
careless with materials. The important quality is that the students own their classroom in
mutually beneficial ways.

3.

What things appear to be important symbols and sites in this environment, i.e., rocking
chair used for an authors chair, round tables to conduct literature circles, student writing
displayed on the walls, classroom library filled with books available for student checkout? In short, what is most valued in this classroom?

There are two small group work areas where the teachers give small group lessons. The areas
have larger semi-circle desks with the legs taken off. Students sit on the floor around the
desk and the teacher has a tiny chair behind the desk. After watching different small
group lessons it became apparent that these work areas held importance to the students
because there was a more intimate, tight connection with the teacher when they gathered
around. The teachers also have their desks angled in a way that invites students when
they have questions. Those observations lead me to believe that the teachers want the
students to be comfortable approaching with questions and needs.

4.

What does the teacher most value? How do you know?

The teacher very obviously values much needed one-on-one time with her students. I see how
she conducts many different lessons with small groups of children so she can be sure she is
covering the levels of all her students. She engages them in conversations and listens to their
explanations so she can gauge understanding. The more individual time that can be given to
students within reason of course, the better handle the teacher has on instruction planning. A
Montessori environment gives teachers more opportunities for one-on-one time with students
than most traditional schools.

5.

What do students most value? How do you know?

I can see by the way the classroom is arranged and how it engages the students that they find the
variety of materials in every area of most value. In this classroom for instance the language
section is set up with a plethora of materials. Students can chose to work with parts of speech
depending on previous lessons, sentence analysis, grammar boxes, synonyms/antonyms, etc.
They chose from attractive looking materials what they will work on for that subject on that day,
with direction from the teacher of course. Compare that to a traditional school where students
begin language class by taking out their book to page whatever. The class proceeds at the same
pace through the same aspect of learning language. Without a single doubt I believe the students
value the variety available to them in their classroom. They are excited to learn and every day is
different with different things to learn.

6.

What do teachers and students not value? How do you know?

At first this was a hard question to answer. I kept thinking about Ms. Barbara and her assistant
Ms. Wyleen. I puzzled for a minute because even when I focused on looking for something they
didn't value I could see anything. After talking with them I can say that they both do NOT value
parents or care-givers that do not take an active interest in their child's education and parents that
refuse to listen to teachers when they are presented with data showing their child is struggling. I
know this because we have discussed it at length.
As far as what the students do not value, I believe it to be a metacognitive issue. Students who
started school in a Montessori environment and have never experienced a traditional school
setting generally do not recognize the overall benefit they are receiving compared to other
students. They don't recognize that students in other schools can't chose what subject they want
to work on and in what order. That basic ability that over time has taught them time management
and strategic working, is not a benefit every student can enjoy. I think these students do not
value the type of education they are receiving at the moment, but when they look back over their
own educational careers, they will probably want their own children to experience the same
benefits they experienced.

7.

How has this observation pushed your thinking about the kind of learning environment
you wish to create? Where did you find these links to our course literature?

For years I have known that I want to teach in a Montessori environment. It just seems like such
a holistic approach to teaching. Montessori is not just about colorful manipulatives. It is
about the teacher being an exemplary role model. It involves not only teaching
academics, but teaching how to interact socially with peers. Importantly it involves never
over-looking areas that need to be addressed in every child. Why do I want this
environment for my classroom? In the classroom where I currently work with Ms. Kim
we work very hard to work with the children on more than just academics. They spend
the majority of their waking hours in our presence and we decided years ago that it was
important to have a harmonious classroom and we worked hard to promote that
consistently. Last week, a teacher from the next grade level came down to talk to us. It
was very unexpected but glorious! She's had waited to talk to us....for quite a while, three
years to be exact. She has been watching the students she receives from our class and
recognized that the students that come out of our class are some of the kindest and wellintentioned students she has received all together. That was such an amazing
compliment, by no means taking away from our students' own personalities or parental
input. We just know the lengths we go to making our classroom a harmonious
environment for those of us in it for eight hours a day is helping to shape well-rounded
individuals.
So far, we have not touched on the Montessori environment in reading explicitly, but
many things directly correlate. Centers are covered in our text and Montessori does
arrange materials in a classroom according to subject. Centers have different activities to
do as do the different subjects in a Montessori classroom. Group learning and inquirybased learning are predominant aspects of a Montessori education but I'm not sure many
would pick up on that unless they have a vast understanding of the Montessori teaching
method. The hard part comes when I get a job in a public school with little to no budget.
The overall approach that I would use would be the same, follow the child, but I would
need to raise some serious capital to pay for materials, or marry a carpenter.