Formal Classroom Observation #2

Classroom Cultural Diversity

Write a summary report in narrative format (no more than a few pages). Provide
information and address ideas in the questions and prompts below. Make sure to also
include your responses to the reflection questions.

Questions and Prompts:

Atlas Case #562: Learning How to Have a Conversation

Describe the students in the class. Think broadly about their differences going beyond
race and ethnicity. What appears to be the range of ability levels, socioeconomic
differences, languages spoken, personalities, etc. that are present among the students?

The students in the class varied in their ability levels. There were some students
who were more outgoing and eager to speak, as well as some that were more reserved
and kept to themselves. There was also a student in a wheelchair that had physical
disabilities, as well as more severe mental disabilities.

How does the teacher engage all students in the lesson? Does instruction involve
students in a variety of learning styles? Which mode of learning seemed to be most
effective? Were different learning styles being addressed? If yes, give specific
examples. If you were a student in the class you observed, would your learning style
have been addressed?

The teacher engaged all the students in the lesson by asking each student
different questions, as well as including each student in the discussion. He was aware
of the students he asked questions previously and made sure to give every student a
chance to talk. Yes, his instruction did involve students with a variety of learning styles.
There was one student in the class who had more severe mental disabilities, and he did
a great job of getting to their level and helping them learn. I think that the students were
learning best when their teacher was talking to them and relating the topic to their lives.
There were a couple different learning styles addressed, such as visual and auditory.
The teacher was having students practice communicating with one another by looking
and talking to each other. I would say yes, my learning style would have been
addressed. The teacher did a wonderful job of including each student, and making sure
that their learning needs were met. And I think that by using visual and auditory
learning, he was able to cover the topic well.

How involved were students in learning activities? What indicators or examples did you
notice?

The students were very involved in the learning activity. Some of the students
remained hesitant during the entire presentation, but they still answered a handful of
questions when the teacher specifically asked them. I noticed that the students were
involved and engaged because they were communicating back and forth with their
teacher, raising their hands, and volunteering for the practice conversations.

How did the teacher work with a variety of students, such as the reluctant learner; the
shy student; the English learner? The physically, emotionally, academically challenged
student?

The teacher made sure that he asked each student questions, rather than just
asking the student who was ready to answer every question. The teacher made sure to
encourage the student who was shy and motivate them to answer the questions. The
student in the class who was more physically and academically challenged, he made
sure to get down on their level and include them in the conversation. He did not ignore
them and made sure to ask them relevant questions about the lesson.

Did it appear that the teacher had modified instruction to better serve the needs of
culturally diverse students? What evidence, if any, can you report?

Yes, I think he did modify the instruction to better serve the needs of the diverse
students. When he asked students questions, he phrased them differently depending on
who he was talking to. I noticed that he also gave some students more help and allowed
some students to answer the questions on their own.

Did you observe any instances of students being excluded from learning because their
needs were not being met? How was this displayed? How did it seem to impact the
student and his or her behavior during instruction?

No, I did not observe any instances when a student was excluded from the
learning because their needs were not being met. This teacher did an excellent job of
including every student in the group and was willing to change the way he
communicated with each student if necessary.
Reflection Questions:
What personal challenges do you think you’ll face when teaching a diverse group of
students?

I think that I might face the challenge of changing the way I act with each
different student. The students that come into my classroom might have different
physical and academic challenges, and I will need to change the way I communicate
with them, and make sure that they are always included in the learning.

What did you learn about diversity in the classroom?

I learned that students with physical and academical challenges can look past
their differences, and work together to learn new things. It was great to see every
student in the video collaborating with one another and learning how to have effective
conversations.

Consider strategies used to engage diverse learners. Based on your prior field
experiences and your current placement, compare, and contrast the strategies
observed in these settings.

Because I have not had much experience in this field, I will compare the teacher
in this video, and the teacher in the other Atlas videos from this week. All the teachers in
the videos were patient with their students and had a positive attitude when
communicating and working with them. I noticed that this teacher did a great job of
including every student in the room. He made sure to ask each student questions and to
encourage them to get involved in the discussion.

What ideas will you take with you?

I will take with me the idea of making sure to include every student, regardless of
their abilities. I want to ensure every one of my students feels valued, included, and a
part of our classroom, no matter what challenges they may have.

What would you do differently in your own classroom?

The only thing I might do differently in my own classroom is encourage the