1. Reflections
Based on
15 hours of observation in the classroom
By
Kim Richards
2. After spending 15 hours in the Kindergarten, second and third grade classrooms at Pinecrest Charter
School, I observed that the classroom was somewhat diverse. The classroom was predominantly
Spanish, but they were from different Spanish speaking countries. They were Portuguese students,
Haitian students, African American and Spanish students, which was the dominant demographic. Many
of the parents were predominantly Spanish speaking and some spoke no English at all, so the teachers
found themselves trying to bridge the gaps of the cultural differences in the classroom. There was not a
whole lot cultural artifact in the classroom, but the one thing that the classrooms had in common was
the collection of ethnic books in the classroom library, which the students were encouraged to read.
Every ethnicity was represented, but these books were not incorporated into the lesson plans. They
were shelved and only brought out on special occasions, for instance, black history month recognition.
All of the classrooms had ESOL students and all teachers are certified ESOL teachers. The classrooms are
predominantly Spanish, with some of the students coming to the classroom speaking little or no English.
One of the challenges that the teachers faced was the fact that some of the parents of these students
spoke little or no English themselves, or Spanish was the preferred language to speak at home. Many of
the students had grammar and pronunciation issues, so the teachers found that working in small groups
with these students was most beneficial to them. The teachers also realized that some of the kids
knew what they wanted to say but could not express it in English, so the teachers incorporated the use
of technology in the form of visuals and gestures that they were familiar with into their instruction.
There were software programs that they could use to aid with understanding. The teachers had the
classroom set up in centers which allowed the students to work in small groups to work on a particular
skill and these groups were often mixed with students of different abilities so that the kids could help
each other. The teacher had special center time when she worked one on one with the ESOL students.
3. There were several religious beliefs represented in the classroom. Some were Catholic, Jehovah
Witness, Seventh Day Adventist to name a few. However, the teachers were quite reluctant to touch
religious issues. It was communicated to the teachers by the parents of the students who were Jehovah
Witness that their children do not celebrate any special occasions including birthdays, Christmas etc,
and they will not participate in the Pledge of Allegiance. The Jehovah Witness students are therefore
exempt and are allowed not to participate. They have the option of leaving the room during those times
or staying in the classroom engaged in some other activity. Other Christian religions, such as Catholics
do not celebrate Halloween and will not allow their children to participate in any of those celebrations.
The teachers are very sensitive to these demands and very supportive of the parents’ wishes. There are
no artifacts of a religious nature in the classroom. The teachers do not want to deal with such a
controversial issue.
The teachers make great efforts to set up and change their classrooms periodically to facilitate the
learning of their students. There is both teacher centered instruction and child centered instruction.
The classrooms are set up in centers that allow kids to master skills. There is the literacy center full of
books, flashcards, and writing materials. There is the technology center with computers for the
students to visit various websites to reinforce what they are learning. There are software programs in
the forms of fun and interactive games which encourage the students to learn. The Science sites are
quite interactive and animated which makes it interesting and fun for the kids. The thing that I observed
and will take away from this experience is the fact that the teachers collaborate with each other. This
was mostly noticeable with the second, third and fourth grade teachers. They work together to plan
lessons for the week, focusing on the weakness that they want to strengthen in the students before they
go on to the next grade. The third grade is such a transitional grade because of the FCAT testing that the
4. second grade teacher constantly communicates with the third grade teacher on the skills that she needs
to reinforce in her students before they are ready for third grade. The teachers also are the first to
recognize gaps in the students’ learning and therefore work closely with parents making
recommendations for assessments and testing. The teachers are advocates for their students.
The teaching process is so much more involved now because of the child centered instruction that the
schools are moving toward. In addition to that, because of the No Child Left Behind law, the classrooms
have become inclusive with every type of student in the classroom. I believe that all children can learn,
but I believe that some students are still going to be left behind. I noticed in the classrooms that I
observed that the gifted kids were bored. The teachers tried their best to help by offering extra and
more advanced work, and it helps, but her time and attention has to be divided among the other kids as
well. They get the least attention because the school does not have a gifted program. The teacher has
students who are ESOL, have behavioral issues, learning issues, cultural and ethnic issues and the
challenge is how to tailor lesson plans to suit all kids. It can be done, but for that to happen the
classrooms have to be completely collaborative, and administrators and parents have to be a big part of
it. The teachers are doing an excellent job bridging the gaps and the kids are learning. All kids can learn.
It may take some longer than others but they can do it.
