Classroom Observation
"Controlled Chaos"
This photo represents the basic set up of the student desks in the classroom. Behind the desks is a table with writing supplies for reading / writing workshops. To the left of the table is an area on the ground for read aloud time, to the right is the teacher's desk. To the right of the teacher's desk is a kidney bean table, which is utilized most of the time for small group mini lessons for reading and math.
When I walked into the classroom for the first time, I saw students listening to books online, students reading to each other in the corner, some were writing vocabulary words and sentences, others were reading quietly to themselves. The one thing I didn't notice was the teacher. I wondered where she was. I quickly scanned the room to find her to let her know I had arrived, then I finally saw her in one corner of the room, working with a group of students. I was confused as to why no students were seated in their desks and why everyone seemed to be doing their own thing in every part of the room. Then I realized something. This seemingly chaotic, unorganized room was under complete control and was functioning like a well oiled machine. All the students were in their specific areas, on task, accomplishing different goals, all at their own learning levels. Everything seemed completely out of order, when in reality, it was exactly as the teacher had planned it. Then it hit me. This is reading/writing workshop time. This was a real life example of what my textbooks referred to as "controlled chaos", and this teacher had it down to an art. It was interesting to me to see firsthand, that a classroom could function without direct teacher led instruction all of the time. I loved it. The students were so independent, but most of all, on task! Some day, I hope to gain the skill of creating controlled chaos just as my clinical teacher did. She is fabulous.
classroom_representation.docx | |
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File Type: | docx |