J Stivender

29 November 2016

EDF 2085

Observations Report

In my observations for my diversity course this semester, I observed at 2

main schools. I shadowed a 20 year middle school veteran teacher and a 5 year

exceptionality specialist at the elementary level. Being in these environments, I

learned many tricks, tips, and dos & donts for my future teaching career.

I visited a middle school math teacher, that mainly taught intensive

students (students who tested at a level 1 or 2 in their annual standardized testing).

To be honest, this class immediately made me realize why I truly have no desire to

teach middle schoolers. Mr. Edwards is a phenomenal teacher for the experience he

has and the setting he is placed in. The students frequently tested his patience and

he remained calm, cool, and collected. On a side note: because I was in the same

classroom all day, watching new students come in every hour, I needed to create a

system so I did not repeat any of my notes multiple times. The notes I took for this

day ranged in a few different categories: visuals and learning environment,

exceptional students and involvement, and lesson plan and construction.

Honestly, the visuals in his class were a bit bland. He is surely a sport-lover

and used many references to famous sport teams; however, his classroom did not

reflect this innovative teaching style whatsoever. On the plus side, I believe his

bland classroom setting helped keep the exceptional students more attentive than

they would be in a class filled with bright colors and pictures. He had one autistic
student in his classroom who did his best to interact with others. This child raised

his hand, though was never called on. When it came to group work, Mr. Edwards

assigned partners and allowed an aid to assist the exceptional students who needed

the extra clarification or affirmation for their assignment. As the day went on, I

noticed Mr. Edwards had to adjust his lesson plan based on the amount of students

who were failing to complete their group work, due to misconduct, distractions,

and/or simply just being lazy and goofing off. Truly, this was a tough crowd and was

a bit overwhelming towards the teacher and his aids.

My adventure did not end there when it came to shadowing extraordinary

teachers who do extraordinary things. The best part of my journey this semester

was shadowing a teacher at a small, poor elementary school near my hometown.

Ms. Nave was splendid. She has quite a unique job and it was neat following her

around from class to class seeing her interact with the 20-plus students she was

responsible for. At Triangle Elementary, Ms. Nave is an ESE Specialist who not only

assists her students in a normal classroom setting, she holds the authority to

discuss possible cases with the school psychiatrist and recommend an IEP

(Individual Education Plan) for the student.

On the first day, bright and early, I followed her to meet her first group in

their 5th grade STEM class with Mr. Ingram (the most ESPN obsessed man I have

ever met). I was in awe with the amount of ESE students in this classroom,

especially the amount of them who have yet to have an established IEP. Half of this

class included students who had some kind of attention disorder, speech or

language barrier, or even autism. Few children had numerous symptoms and had

yet to be diagnosed. The school proposed the case to the students parents, and the

parents were not willing to be involved in the process; therefore, the process did not
conclude. In this particular instance, I not only felt bad for the students, but I felt for

the teachers as well.

After rotating around through 4th and 5th grades with multiple students, I was

privileged to witness Ms. Nave bring a few aside and work on their writing

assignments with them. One autistic student stuck out like a sore thumb, only

because he wanted to be just like everyone else though he was not. He wanted to

be involved. He was something special to observe to say the least. Ms. Nave pulls

these children out of their regular classroom settings and into a small, office-style

space that has 2 large chemistry lab-sized desks. In the middle of each of these

tables were stations which included a basket filled with pencils, crayons, paper,

rounded-edged scissors, stickers and markers. Ms. Nave had the children bring their

papers with them and their notebooks they were writing them in. She had the few

with speech problems help one another fill in the blanks that the others couldnt fill

in themselves. She says a different perspective brings together different persons.

It made me laugh after she said that because two of the boys whispered to each

other persons is not a word, it is people.

Going back to Triangle Elementary two days in a row was the best decision I

made all month long. I thoroughly enjoyed this school, its teachers and faculty, and

especially these students. Ms. Nave made me realize that I may even have a small

passion inside of me to help those who cannot help themselves and brighten their

pathways for the future in front of them, just like she has. I was truly inspired by

these visits and not many college students get to say that about many career paths.

I believe teaching is my calling and the more observations I do, the more affirmed

that dream of mine is.