Deanna Boerstler

Observing Classrooms
Within just one school, there are many different environments that a student may
encounter. The environment created in a classroom depends on the teacher, the students, and the
subject being taught. Providing a variety of environments is a beneficial means to keep students
engaged. However, fluctuation between extremes may confuse students as to how they are
expected to behave and present themselves in school. Overall, the high school I observed
consistently showed support for students and their learning. The teachers strived to provide
scaffolding and additional resources in order for all students to succeed.
I observed classes that any one student could attend in a normal school day. I began with
a history/English crossover class for the best freshmen in the building. The students in this class
had to prove their abilities in order to enroll. This class is taught by both a history teacher and an
English teacher, and the principal behind the course is that an outsider walking in should not be
able to decipher which teacher is certified in which subject. In other words, both teachers teach
everything. For some students, this may seem overwhelming. The information flies at a quick
pace and jumps from topics in the humanities, such as art and music, to historical facts and
figures. Students must be extremely present. They are expected to participate and help progress
the lecture. Participation mostly includes answering recall questions from the last nights
homework assignment. It may also include providing opinions about elements the teacher
presents to them, such as a song or painting. Neither teacher will continue until students have
deciphered answers to guiding questions either via knowledge from that nights reading
assignment or pure guessing. The phase can be heard, Guesses are free! quite often. Because
the discussions are only furthered by student additions, students know they are accountable for

Deanna Boerstler
their work. However, the two teachers do run the class like a comedy show. Jokes come with the
learning, but the learning definitely comes first.
I found the environment in this classroom to be exciting and fun while still chock-full
with learning and information. This is the type of participation I hope to cultivate in my own
classroom. However, because it does not quite align with my personality, I might have to modify
my approach to better suit me.
The second class I observed was a pre-calculus class full of juniors and seniors. This
environment was very different than that which I observed first block. This classroom was run in
more of a collectivist style than an individualistic style. The students were encouraged to
collaborate on homework problems while putting them on the board to review. If students
needed help, they could turn and ask another student close by instead of solely relying on the
teacher to explain and teach the material. This appeared to be a beneficial strategy for both
teacher and students. The teacher was available to help students that needed something explained
in-depth while other students that just had minor questions could find the answer by turning to a
friend to have it explained. This also ensured that the student explaining had a thorough
understanding of the topic being discussed.
After second block is lunch. Lunch at this high school is slightly different than what I
have witnessed in other schools. Instead of being contained to the lunch room, students are
permitted to take their meals into the hallways to eat. This can make the building become hectic
and crowded. Many of the students congregate in groups along the walls. Since the students are
not confined to the smaller lunch area, students can spread out more. It seems that each friend
group has its own niche where those students meet each day. However, because the students are
dispersed, it requires more teacher supervision. There is a teacher positioned in each hallway and

Deanna Boerstler
every corner. Because the additional lunch coverage for teachers has taken away from prep time,
teachers can be seen trying to grade papers or plan lessons in the hallways. This has also caused
great animosity between some of the teachers and administration. This pseudo-supervision has
allowed for many fights to occur. So, while some students find their own corner in which they
can mind their own business, others spend the time finding trouble to get into. According to
teachers and principals, it is also not uncommon to see unsettling public displays of affection.
Therefore, the lunch period can be viewed as a time with lenient rules and faulty supervision.
However, during my observations, I did not see any behavior problems and the extent of PDA
viewed was a couple with their arms around each others shoulders. I think a better solution to
this time would be to have the students pick a classroom to go study in rather than roaming the
halls freely. Therefore, teachers could have a modified prep time and students would still be
supervised more closely.
During the second half of lunch, different teachers hold office hours depending on the
cycle day. These office hours are similar to a study hall where students can come and receive
extra help on assignments or catch up on missed work. This is when, in the art room, students
often come to finish projects that they are behind on. During this time, the teacher usually works
with a student one-on-one to give him/her the assistance he/she requires. This help is
individualized to the students needs. Other students that are just catching up on work may bring
friends along to keep them company, so the environment is laid back and conversations quickly
shift from topics related to the task at hand to anything and anything on the students minds.
While Im sure in some classrooms valuable help is being given, in the art room the students that
usually show up are the ones that need not be there while the ones that do need to make up work

Deanna Boerstler
never show. The students seem to use this extra half hour as a time to goof off instead of being
productive.
When the lunch period is officially over, students move onto their third block class. For
this class, I observed a humanities course. This course was unique in that the students learn how
to approach various forms of art such as music, literature, theater, and dance. The students in this
class were held accountable for the homework assignments by being required to stand at the
beginning of class. Each student had to list one interesting fact they learned from the reading
before they were allowed to sit down. If a student did not complete the assignment, they were to
admit their mishap. However, they were not penalized in the traditional sense. Instead, a warning
was given and as punishment they were to be the designated reader for that class period. This
personal accountability to the group seemed to be a great way to ensure that students developed a
sense of responsibility. This is a tactic that I would definitely consider using in my own
classroom. I liked that each student shared his/her interests which helped the teacher learn about
the individual, but it also helped to inform the group on things others might have missed. I found
that this teacher did a particularly good job with having the students be comfortable around one
another. This is especially important in a class where students must feel that the environment is
safe enough to share opinions that may differ from those of their peers.
The last class I observed was a gym class. Previous to the start of the block, I was warned
by the teacher that these students were not the best-behaved group. From the start of class, the
students did not pay attention to instructions and therefore did not know what they were to be
doing. However, a gym class is vastly different from the traditional classroom setting. There are
no desks or assigned seats. This allows for students to clump in groups with friends. The room is
large and echoes, making it difficult for everyone to see and hear the teacher. Consequently, all

Deanna Boerstler
of these factors make the environment prone to behavioral issues. With the minor instructional
mishaps aside, the overall environment was supportive. No one was made fun of if they were
struggling to serve or return the volleyball. The teacher patrolled the volleyball games and
offered helpful tips to those that were struggling. This environment provided students with a
suitable outlet where learning skills can be combined with kinesthetic ability. Therefore, students
that may grapple with achieving in their other classes can thrive here.
From observing many different types of school environments, it can be inferred that the
way students act is a response to the setup a teacher creates in his/her room. If a teacher is fastpaced with their teaching, the students responses and learning will most likely follow suit. It is
important for teachers to create environments where students feel comfortable making guesses
and sharing opinions. If teachers veer from traditional individualistic classroom setups, students
will learn to help one another achieve and succeed. Overall, it comes down to that teachers must
be supportive, attentive, and excited to learn alongside their students.