Classroom Observation
I had the opportunity to observe a 10th grade English “inclusion” class at the Greater Lowell Technical High School. I am performing my practicum experience at Greater Lowell Tech (GLT), and was astonished to learn that special education accounts for almost 25% of the student population! I honestly had little knowledge of inclusion classrooms, and any information I had obtained was through literature or discussion with fellow classmates. There were no such things as inclusion classrooms when I was in high school, and special education was not nearly as prevalent. I chose an inclusion classroom to do my observation out of sheer curiosity and thought it would be an interesting experience. I knew a direct observation for this assignment would definitely give me insight into what techniques are used with the special education students, and allow me to see how they interact and work with regular students. This class was 90 minutes long, and co-taught by Mr. John Gibson (SPED), and Mrs. Jenny Flood (9th and 10th grade English teacher).
I was unaware that inclusion classes were instructed by 2 teachers, but shortly into my observation I realized why. Maintaining an inclusive classroom requires these teachers to meet the needs of all students. The knowledge of special education (and the special needs of these students) is very important, and knowing how to properly address each student is essential. I was starting to see that Mr. Gibson and Mrs. Flood were creating a classroom environment or a community where individual differences were appreciated and respected. The classroom was set up with 5 clusters of desks (about 4-5 desks in each cluster) with about 5 students in each group cluster. To be honest, I could not initially distinguish the special educations students from the regular students. The class was going through chapters of a novel, and they were all encouraged to critically think and respond to the questions that Mr. Gibson asked aloud. Mr. Gibson stood at
I was unaware that inclusion classes were instructed by 2 teachers, but shortly into my observation I realized why. Maintaining an inclusive classroom requires these teachers to meet the needs of all students. The knowledge of special education (and the special needs of these students) is very important, and knowing how to properly address each student is essential. I was starting to see that Mr. Gibson and Mrs. Flood were creating a classroom environment or a community where individual differences were appreciated and respected. The classroom was set up with 5 clusters of desks (about 4-5 desks in each cluster) with about 5 students in each group cluster. To be honest, I could not initially distinguish the special educations students from the regular students. The class was going through chapters of a novel, and they were all encouraged to critically think and respond to the questions that Mr. Gibson asked aloud. Mr. Gibson stood at
References: Henderson, D.A., & Thompson, C.L (2011). Counseling children (8th ed.). New York: Thomson Brooks/Cole. Kampwirth, T.J. (2012). Collaborative consultation in the schools (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall. Lemov, Doug. Teach like a champion: 49 techniques that put students on the path to college. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2010. Print. "Teacher Lesson Plans, Printables & Worksheets by Grade or Subject - TeacherVision.com." Teacher Lesson Plans, Printables & Worksheets by Grade or Subject - TeacherVision.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2013. .