Context for Learning Description of School and Students

Trinity Christian College Field Experience Form

Context for Learning

Description of School and Students

Luis Garcia

About the School Where You Are Observing or doing Field Experience

School Name and City: District U-46, Elgin, IL

Type of School: Elementary school, Middle School, High School, or Other: ALL  

Setting: Urban, Suburban, or Rural: Suburban

Write your responses to the three questions below in paragraph form.

1.       List any special features of the school or classroom setting (e.g., themed magnet, classroom aide, bilingual, co-taught with a special education teacher, pull-out program).

Being a substitute teacher allows me to go to different schools and classrooms for different grade levels. Some of the classrooms are more organized than others and it tells a lot about the teacher and the students. Those classrooms that are better organized tend to have students with more discipline. Some of the features I see in the classrooms are expectations, co-taught and bilingual classrooms.

2.       Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that affects the planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of specific instructional strategies, or standardized tests.

Some of the standardized testings gets in the way when I am trying to sub because teachers are supposed to be there for these tests and some don’t show up. Another thing is that some teachers do not leave any lesson plans.

3.    For special education only: List any educators with specialized expertise in the school/district (e.g., specific disabilities, subject-specific pedagogy, English language development, speech therapists).

N/A

About the Students in this Class [Give a brief or one word response]

1.    Estimated percentage of students eligible for free/reduced lunch: 70%%

2.    Grade level(s): ALL

3.    Number of

a.    students in the class:  27:1

b.    males: 15:1

females: 10:1

c.     English language learners: More ESL

d.    students identified as gifted and talented: 10%

e.    students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans: Not sure

4.    Complete the chart below to summarize required accommodations or modifications for students receiving special education services and/or students who are gifted and talented as they will affect instruction. As needed, consult with your cooperating teacher to complete the chart. The first row has been completed in italics as an example. Use as many rows as you need.

Special Education Category	Number of Students	Accommodations, Modifications, and/or Pertinent IEP Goals
Example: Learning Disability	Example: 4	Example: Close monitoring, follow up, and Resource Room
At least 1 student per class with 504 or IEP	1<	Close monitoring, Ipad assistance

About the Class You Observed

1.    How much time is devoted each day to instruction in the classroom? Describe the class periods (if applicable)? Choose a content area of your specialty or major. How much time is devoted to teaching that subject?

                For business classes, there is a lot of lecturing and then hands-on projects

2.    Is there any ability grouping or tracking? If so, please describe how it affects your class.

Business projects as groups allow students to work as a team like in the workforce. High school students enjoy big projects and using what they have learned and get creative.

3.    Identify any textbook or instructional program you primarily use for instruction. If a textbook, please provide the title, publisher, and date of publication.

                PowerPoint presentations are the main source of instruction and doing projects.

4.    List other resources (e.g., SMARTBoard, manipulatives, online resources) used for instruction in this class.

        Projector, laptops.

5. What do you know about what your students know, what can they do, and what are they learning to do? What do you know about your students’ everyday experiences, cultural backgrounds and practices, and interests?

  

        At the beginning of the year, students were learning a new language which is the language of business. Everyone started at the same level. Regardless if we had students with reading struggles or advanced students. Everyone had to get used to communicating using business terminology. Our global economy is growing and becoming more diverse. Students learned that having a more diverse group gave them a competitive advantage over their competitor/other groups,

6. Describe one teaching event. What best practices in teaching were used?

One of the best teacher event that I have seen is when a teacher since the beginning of the school year lays down expectations and boundaries students should not try to attempt. Her expectations are very clear in the business class. Her classroom is set up and organized as closely as possible to an office corporation and expectations are the same as they are going to the workforce. She has coordinated with counselors so that students are aware of the workload and expectations and decide if they want to sign up for the class or no.  She also gave the options to high school students after the first day to drop the class if they think that they can’t handle it. The ENTIRE year went very smooth and fun. Students enjoyed applying their skills and knowledge to projects they will be expected to work as a group in the workforce and college. Lecturing was important for students to understand the concept before a project was given to them. Students were responsible for their own learning and this business class allowed students to be creative. Some classes don’t allow students to be creative but this business class was not one of them.