Grade School Classroom Observation

I am very fortunate to have a close friend who teaches at an elementary school, and doubly so that a preschool is provided as well. I had the opportunity to visit her classroom and observe children in their educational environment. I also had the opportunity to observe at the on-site preschool that is offered at this elementary school. In my time spent in the preschool class I came to notice a things that seem to be vital in nurturing the growth of these little minds that have the innate ability to soak up knowledge like a sponge.

I entered the classroom and took a seat in an empty chair near the front of the room, off to the side so that I would not be in the way of the teacher. As I looked around the classroom I noticed how organized her room was. Students' had placed their backpacks, books, and jackets on the back wall of the classroom each in a designated cubby hole. I also noticed a section of the classroom in the back corner of the room where students could practice their letters and numbers, and a place to read quietly for the children who already knew how. This space was designated as a quiet area so that the children could avoid being interrupted or distracted by other students. The teacher had many different types of educational posters hanging all over the walls and I noticed that the students used many of these as a reference to during lessons.

During the morning lessons the children sat in a small group at the front of the classroom where the teacher spoke and referenced a projection screen that had reference points for what the children would learn that day. The classroom rules were posted on the side wall where students were easily able to see them. The organization of the room allowed for successful learning and definitely seemed to be an excellent example of successful classroom management.

I agree that physical activity and movement are very important, especially in the earlier years, but I also feel that the design of the classroom can have an impact. The creativity of the classroom design not only encourages creativity among the students, but can help to develop their sense of discovery, and even improve cooperation and communication among the children. Not only was the classroom designed with different colors and types of materials, but also with objects that were easily accessible, properly child sized, and designed so the children could use the objects for learning independently. The classroom was open and spacious which enabled the children to move freely about the classroom to utilize the toys and educational tools available for learning purposes.

Having this type of system in place can offer a sense of empowerment and eliminates some of the need to ask adults for help. Type of stimulating environment also allows children to actively participate in their education, being given tools to help them recognize when they need to ask for help and when they can overcome the challenge on their own. Creating an environment such as this can help develop a positive attitude towards learning, guides each child towards thinking creatively and independently and developing the vital skills they need to succeed in order to succeed in an educational environment.

The observation took place on Thursday, February 16, 2017 in the morning session. I was able to observe for a little over two hours in the classroom and on the playground. The class consisted of one primary teacher, one teacher's aide, and 15 children ranging from ages 4-6. To maintain the observed child’s confidentiality I will refer to him as Charlie. Charlie is male and approximately five and a half years old and he appeared to be physically on track with his developmental progress in terms of height and weight. I base this statement on comparing Charlie to the other male students in the class who were all approximately the same height and weight.

This child in particular initially captured my attention