What Are The Differences Between Jenna And Tarryn

During the spring term of 2024, I completed a practicum at Chiloquin Elementary School, working with two second-grade classes. This experience provides a unique opportunity to observe and participate in diverse teaching styles, classroom environments, and student interactions. The two teachers I worked with, Jenna and Tarryn, had distinct approaches and philosophies. Jenna's drill-sergeant approach contrasted sharply with Tarryn's student-centered, autonomy-based method. These differences were reflected in their classroom setups, instructional strategies, and student behaviors.

Tarryn had multiple white boards around the classroom so students could work in groups standing up. She also used book boxes because her desks were comprised of trapezoid
Tarryn also had her room painted a blueish gray, which kept the room in a semi-dark state unless she turned on a light. Jenna's class, in contrast, had single desks all lined up with a rug in the center. Students put their books, papers, and pencils in the desk slots. Jenna also didn't have any white boards aside from one or two at the front of the class, and she also had two trapezoid tables at the back so certain kids could work in groups. She also had a brighter room than Tarryn's, which was largely due to the fact that her walls were a bright white, but she did have coverings over her lights to help dim the room. There were similarities between both class layouts that stuck out to me. For example, they both had letter rugs with pictures corresponding to the letters. They also both had personal libraries with advanced books as well as developmentally appropriate books for the second grade level. Both classes were equipped with a smart board that was connected to the two computers near their desk space. While there were similarities between the classes, there were stark differences between the students. I
For example, Tarryn utilized the tool "looping," as discussed in the essay What Most American Schools Do Wrong by Adam Grant. Therefore, Tarryn already knew her class from last year, and she also knew what worked best for them, hence why she took a less stern approach than Jenna did. However, Jenna's class was a perfect example of the factory model talked about in the article The Single Best Idea for Reforming K–12 Education by Steve Denning although this was no fault of her own. Due to the fact that Jenna had several disruptive students as well as several developmentally challenged students, she was unable to get as far in her teaching as Tarryn. This is due to the No Child Left Behind Act, which made it harder for the rest of the class to grow. In conclusion, the practicum at Chiloquin Elementary School during the spring term of 2024 provided invaluable insights into diverse teaching styles and classroom dynamics. Working with both Jenna and Tarryn allowed me to observe contrasting educational philosophies and their impact on student behavior and learning. Tarryn's autonomy-based approach fostered greater student responsibility and academic engagement, while Jenna's more structured style faced challenges with student productivity and behavior management. These experiences, combined with my coursework at Southern Oregon University, significantly