Observation

How is the room organized? (A quick crafted diagram is helpful) I observed a 3rd grade classroom. The classroom is bright and cheerful. Looking around the room and knowing the teacher, I could tell that the room theme is frogs, which was very cute. The first thing that I saw was the Character Trait posters on the wall. The front of the room had a blackboard and on either side are bulletin boards. One bulletin board has the classroom rules and consequences and the class jobs. The other bulletin board has student work and because I we work at a catholic school we have to have the Beatitudes posted. The back of the room there is a vocabulary wall and the alphabet in print and cursive. Students' backpacks, books, and jackets were placed on the back wall of the classroom as well, in their designated cubby hole. I noticed an Accelerated Reading section in the back corner of the room where students could take tests without being interrupted by other students. Lastly, the sidewall there is a “writers wall” and computers. The desks are organized is rows and in the middle is a circular table where she works with individual students who are struggling. This technique allowed the teacher easy access to walk around the classroom while teaching. What types of supports are available for students in the room environment? (Procedural Charts, Concept/Content Models, …)
The organization of the room allowed for successful learning and definitely attributed to successful classroom management. The objectives for each subject were posted in the front of the classroom on the smart board.

She had posters on different walls for every subject. She has a multiplication chart and a time chart (clocks). The also had a number line wrapped around her room. She had a writing checklist next to the “writing wall” so the students could edit their papers once they were finished. Next to that was an “other ways to say” chart. For example other ways to say good, bad, big, etc.