Observing Literacy in the Classroom

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Within my internship at Hays Consolidated Independent School Districts’ Dahlstrom Middle School, I have had the opportunity to observe and learn. Throughout this experience I have watched teachers work with their students and have had the chance to notice how literacy is being implemented in today’s classrooms. I have observed a 7th grade art class, 8th grade math class, and 6th grade art class. From these observations, I have witnessed clear examples of utilizing literacy in the classroom and have comprised ways in which literacy can be better utilized.

At Dahlstrom Middle School, students are encouraged to expand upon and use their literacy skills constantly. In art class, they are assigned to draw cursive names, utilizing their cursive English skills and in math class they are required to write about the purpose of proportionality. Students are expected to be able to read and write and to be able to communicate within these means in order to learn and grow. During advisory period every Monday, students must silently read for a set period of time, further encouraging students to keep books on them and to read them during class and within free time. From this activity, I have noticed that many Dahlstrom students have fostered a love of reading and will partake in the act whenever possible. Students are also engaged in class discussions often, allowing them to hear from other students and to share their own thoughts and ideas with their peers. During class discussions, students learn from each other as they practice their talking and listening skills. Communication skills are an important part of the Dahlstrom Middle School curriculum.

Recently, Dahlstrom Middle School has adopted a new set of graphic organizers to help students arrange their thoughts and retain information. Every content area within the school must use a unit organizer that visually shows the purpose of a lesson and how it relates to prior knowledge and key ideas. These unit organizers include graphs and images in which students write information pertaining to the lesson. Paired with the unit organizers are FRAME routines that also arrange information in a graphical way. Similar to the unit organizers, the FRAME routines include blank graphics from which the students must fill in with information in order to create a logical organization of information. Because all of the content areas at Dahlstrom have adopted this form of visual learning, literacy will be enhanced among the students and utilized in the same way amongst all classes.

While Dahlstrom is making an effort to improve literacy amongst its students, I have ideas in mind that may help even further. I have noticed a lack of outside resources used within the classes such as audio and visual sources. Examples or demonstrations from videos, the Internet, or other sources could be utilized within the classrooms to increase interest in the subject and broaden students’ pool of knowledge. I have also noticed a lack of research done within the classes as the library and computer labs remain underutilized. It has been explained that these resources are difficult to utilize during class time because of approval requirements, but if these requirements were made easier to achieve, the students could benefit from conducting their own research and directing their own learning. Even if computers were not easily accessible, students could research from texts within and outside of the classroom. Any chance for students to learn from an outside source will help broaden his views and expand his mind.

Overall, it seems that Dahlstrom Middle School is successfully integrating literacy amongst its curriculum. Students are required to read and write within their classrooms and are given the opportunities to speak and listen to each other’s points of views. Students are engaged in a wide variety of activities and benefit from different teaching styles. Instructional frameworks are used alongside graphic organizers, and vocabulary and comprehension is emphasized. I am thankful to have this opportunity to witness literacy being successfully integrated within a middle school in such a way that benefits students and improves the effectiveness of instruction.

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Stocking my Classroom Management Tool Box

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While in my internship, I have been able to observe and practice, learn and grown, and pick up tricks from my mentor teacher and others around me. Throughout this time at Hays Consolidated Independent School District’s Dahlstrom Middle School, I have been able to add tools to my own personal Classroom Behavior Management Tool Box.

I believe the most important tool in my toolbox is that of respect. I have noticed that when your students respect you as the authority figure, classroom management is easier to handle. When students have respect for you, they will try their best to keep you happy and will not purposely try to upset you. Sometimes my mentor teacher will questions her misbehaving students about their level of respect for her, asking, “Why are you acting like this? Don’t you respect me?” When your students understand their relationships with you, it will be more of a partnership making your job easier.

Another option that one has when managing the classroom is arrangement of the classroom. When assigning seats for students, the instructor has control and is better able to manage behavior. My mentor teacher uses this option extensively as she moves students daily. She separates students who are not able to work successfully together and moves students to prevent distractions. She tends to place the students who require more attention near her desk and will place students in solitary areas of the classroom when they socialize extensively. By taking control of the arrangement of the classroom, you will also be able to control the behavior within the classroom.

Proximity, of course, is another important strategy. Students are less likely to misbehave when they are close to the instructor. Similar to placing students near the instructor’s desk, the instructor may move himself closer to the misbehaving student to prevent further misbehavior or to discourage future disruptions. When students see an instructor moving closer, they tend to redirect their attention and focus towards the assigned work and will oftentimes put away any distractions they may have had out. When a teacher circulates the room, he is better able to be aware of the classroom’s behavior and is also better able to address it. Students are less likely to misbehave when the instructor is on patrol.

A successful instructor should have a well-stocked Classroom Behavior Management Tool Box consisting of a wide variety of tips and tricks. Thankfully I am having the opportunity to well-stock my tool box before entering the profession. I am hoping to find great use from my Classroom Behavior Management Tool Box in the future.

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Comfortable Beginnings

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Today ended the second day of my internship at Hays Consolidated Independent School District’s Dahlstrom Middle School with my mentor teacher, Ms. Bandy.

So far, I have been thoroughly enjoying my experience and feel that middle school could be the place for me. The students are lively, entertaining, and rambunctious, but can be controlled with proper classroom procedure. They all seem to enjoy my mentor teacher, which gives me enthusiasm as I hope to be a beloved teacher some day.

Everything seems to be just about what I was expecting. Some students remain working the entire period, while some need constant reminders to stay on task. Others will completely refuse to work. The lunch period is short and the teachers are required to eat quickly in order to return to class on time. The school requires that all teachers teach a core subject during second period, so twice now I have seen my mentor teacher struggle to teach math to her art students. There are definitely restrictions and challenges in the schools, but seeing the positive impact that Ms. Bandy is having on her students is inspiring.

One thing I was not expecting is the level of quality coming from Ms. Bandy’s students. From the work I’ve seen in class and hanging in the hallways, her students seem to be surpassing what I thought was typical of a middle school artist. I am pleased by what I have been seeing and know that I can now raise my expectations if I am to teach middle school. Ms. Bandy’s students are also very knowledge about specific art terms such as gradation, value, depth, shade, and tone.

In Ms. Bandy’s classroom, she has posted the rules about noise level. Whenever she is talking, such as during lecture, taking attendance, or giving announcements, students should not be talking at all. When students are working, however, and Ms. Bandy is not talking, students are allowed to talk quietly. Ms. Bandy also has a few “Drive Your Own Device” signs posted. When I asked her about the signs, she explained that students are allowed to use their electronic devices in class, but for educational or music purposes only. They may use them to play music through headphones or to look for reference images and inspiration on line to help them create art.

I have been challenging myself to learn Ms. Bandy’s students’ names and feel that I should know them all soon. I have been paying attention during roll-call and whenever students are called to the front to try and catch their names. I have also been occasionally asking for students’ names or overhearing their friends using their names. I’ve also been trying to find individualities to match the names, such as Griffin is extremely friendly and talkative, Ana is shy and emotional, Emma is stylish and popular, and Shauna is quiet and seems sad all the time.

So far, I am enjoying my experience and look forward to getting to know each of the students. I am excited to watch their progress and to help them along the way. I also feel very comfortable and it seems like I am being well-received by the students. There was a substitute teacher today, so I mainly led the class and students treated me as they would any other teacher. I was even asked how to turn in choir money, to sign hall passes, and when report cards would be coming out. So far, I have felt completely prepared for this experience and believe that I am on the right trail.

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