PLANNING
(Please note: there are 3 pages in this section)
Physical Environment of the Classroom:
Describe the room arrangement, safety factors, and special instruction areas. Include discussion of seating arrangements:
a) what is the desk arrangement? why?
b) does the desk arrangement change? (relates also to "use of groups")
c) are desks or tables and chairs arranged so all children can
move around comfortably?
d) has attention been given to any needed physical accommodations
(such as being sure children sit where they can see, hear?)
e) does the classroom have all necessary equipment and texts?
Attention to the way the classroom is set up will help teachers manage the learning environment. In looking at the physical plan of the classroom, pay attention to the following:
1. does the teacher share the room with other teachers? (If so: with how many?
what subjects? Does multiple users of the space affect the classroom? How?)
2. posters or other visual aids that contain messages
a) what is the nature of the messages?
b) do they reflect an investment in multicultural awareness?
3) children’s work
a) is it representative of all the children?
b) what message is conveyed by which student work is selected for display?
4) visual aids that help children plan
a) are the day’s learning outcomes posted? (covered also in "lesson plans" below)
b) is there a calendar prominently displayed?
Learning Environment of the Classroom:
Give some general observations including the number of teachers/aides
or volunteers in the classroom, instructional activities during your observation,
the nature of the instruction (instructor-centered or learner-centered, workbooks,
cooperative groups)
Social Environment of the Classroom:
Indicate the teacher behaviors and attitudes you see, the students’ behavior with each other and with adults in the room, whether the structure of the environment seems “formal” or “informal” and the overall “feel” of the class.
Document your mentor teacher’s classroom environment and set up plan, making note of attention to students' special needs. Reflect on what you see
, and include discussion of anything you might change. Insert these reflections after this page.
Lesson Plans:
Lesson plans function to clarify what students are to learn, how the teacher will structure the environment so students learn the information, and how learning will be assessed. Plans should include acknowledgment that not all students will learn the information at the same rate or through the same methods. Here are some general points to look for as you observe lesson plans.
1) Expected outcomes ("Objectives) should be clearly stated, and should be posted where students can see them. The curriculum guide will state these objectives, and the teacher should be sure students are aware of them. This
awareness can be conveyed by the teacher reading the outcomes, having students read them, or having students write them as a warm-up activity.
2) Plans should include a warm-up activity that allows students to get
settled and focused and to start them thinking about the class content.
3) Plans should include awareness of multicultural and career
connection concepts.
4) Plans should include a variety of ways for students to get the information,
including active learning techniques and use of techniques that tap into
multiple intelligences.
5) Plans should include frequent assessment of various kinds so the teacher
can keep track of what has been learned and what should be re-taught.
6) Teaching and learning activities should include many levels of thinking to
stretch students’ intellectual capacities.
7) Plans should include explicit attention to time considerations.
Some teachers do not have formal lesson plans. In this case, your lesson plan assessment will be based on what you observed the teacher do. Even if there is no formal lesson plan, the factors listed above should be in evidence.
Report the lesson as you saw it, and address whether each of these components listed above was present, whether or not there was a formally written lesson plan.
Reflect on what you saw, and include discussion of anything you especially like or anything you might change.
If your mentor teacher is able to furnish you with a lesson plan, insert it after your report and reflections.
Planning Specific to Learners with Special Needs
In most cases, learners with special needs will be included in general education classes. This requires that teachers be sensitive to the needs of these learners, while giving them the most “normal” learning conditions possible. Here are some things to look for as you observe how learners with special needs are served.
-IEPs should be checked to be sure that seating assignments are made with attention to accommodations, and to be sure that any needed equipment such as spell checkers or carbon paper for notes is on hand.
-Provision should be made for records to be kept in a secure location so that
confidentiality is assured.
-The special educator should be consulted with regarding co-teaching and
other shared roles. As a co-teacher, the special educator will help with
instruction, grading, materials, and planning.
The issue of co-teaching is difficult; it
is important to plan this well so that the classroom teacher or the special educator
does not fall into the role of assistant.
-Plans should be discussed directly with the child.
-Accommodations and modifications should be as inconspicuous as possible.
-Plans and subsequent implementation of the plans should make clear that high
standards are maintained for all children. Each child’s strengths should be
enhanced, and disabilities should not be excuses not to perform.
Document your mentor teacher's planning for students with special needs. How are behavior plans fit into the classroom environment? How are data kept regarding special education students' performance? Reflect on what you see, including discussion of strengths in what you see and of anything you might consider changing. Insert your observations and reflections immediately after this page.