Observation Report The students’ ages range from 14-15 14-15 years old. The classroom is occupied with a total of 45 students. They are all in proper uniform and walked quietly to their respective classroom after the Novena. They are able to handle their own behaviors. When it comes to discipline and good manners they are very polite and cooperative in class. They even prepared a chair for me which was unexpected. These students are all very well-behaved. The students in 3-1 class, worked independently during class. Their speed is even faster in note taking than other college students I know. This becomes evident when I helped their teacher check their notes after the discussion. They showed their skills in taking down notes and understanding the meaning of the words by analyzing the sentences given. They are all very focused in class. Generally, the students of this class are fast learners. Observation Notes on Classroom Management Each desk has a section where students can put their belongings. The teaching materials are kept in a cabinet. The room’s cleaning materials are located at the back left corner of the room. There is a mini altar on the right side of the black board. There are no rules and procedures posted in the room because students are provided a handbook during enrollment where they can find the entirety of rules in school. Posted rd on the walls of the classroom are the class officers, certificates of recognition, 3 grading top achievers, shorten and regular period schedules and the announcement of upcoming school activities. The teacher assigned one of the students to collect from each student a piece of 1/8 sheet of paper with their name written on it before the start of the flag ceremony so the teacher would know who was late or absent. These papers are passed to the teacher the moment she enters the room. Next, the teacher will ask everyone to pick up pieces of papers or trash if there is any, then they proceed with the teacher leading the prayer. Before they start with their lesson they have a short review. These activities are done smoothly and the students are used to it. The seating arrangement is in alphabetical order. On the left part of the room the girls are seated while the boys are on the right. The students are not noisy. The teacher is able to manage the noise level very well. The teacher usually has no problem with this particular class, but if she sees anyone who does not pay attention, she calmly reminds the students the consequences of one’s actions or carelessness. She disciplines the class without embarrassment and threat. Using genuine verbal praises, appreciation thru acknowledgement and encouraging them to do better next time are the teacher’s way to reinforce positive behavior. I can say that the teacher I observed has a very good skill in classroom c lassroom management.
Aspect of Classroom Management Specific Areas of the Classroom
Classroom Rules Classroom Procedures Daily Routines
Seating Arrangement
Handling Misbehaviors
Reinforcement of Positive Behavior
Others
Classroom Management Matrix Description Effect on the Learners
In front of the class is the teacher’s table. Front right corner of the room is the mini altar. The back left corner of the room is where the cleaning materials are and on the opposite side is where other teaching materials are kept. Desks have a section for student belongings. N/A Discussion, Note Taking and Lecture Opening and closing prayer lead by the teacher; Attendance thru collecting 1/8 sheets of paper; Students pick up trash in the room if any; Brief review Alphabetically arranged seats with girls on the left side and boys on the right; Traditional rows in columns Correcting error without embarrassment; calmly calling attention; reminding the student the consequences of one’s actions in a serene way
helps the learners gain easy access to teaching materials; provides freedom to move easily within the class; maximizes the students’ interaction with their teacher and classmates; gives a sense of familiarity;
N/A Enhances reading writing listening and speaking skills Conditions the students; saving time to cover more lessons; build a habit of maintaining cleanliness; Enhancing study skills
Fast checking of attendance; saving time to cover more lessons; the desk facing front allows the students to view the teaching materials easily.
Does not embarrass the learner; the teacher does not discourage participation in class; the learners are not being threaten but disciplined; makes the learners know that the teacher is not upset but only concerned with them. Uses genuine verbal Boosts self-confidence; learners are praises; Appreciation thru encouraged to participate in class; acknowledgement; learners do not feel isolated or Equality or fairness in discriminated class Certificates of Students can be proud of their own recognition displayed accomplishments. near the board
My Analysis: 1. How did the classroom organization & routines affect the learner’s behavior? As we have learned before, an environment that is conducive to learning includes the physical as well as the psychological aspect. When the classroom is wellorganized and properly arranged this lessens the teacher’s effort on the physical part. An excellent classroom organization helps the learners and teacher to gain easy access to teaching materials, provides freedom to move easily within the class and maximize the students’ interaction with their teacher and classmates. When a routine designed by the teacher becomes the students’ habit, the students would know what is expected of them in class. This also saves time for the teacher because he or she does not need to inform the class everyday of what they need to do to prepare for the class. If the class is being carried out on a day-by-day organized schedule there is less talking on the part of the teacher and more activities are covered during a period. Just like in the classroom I observed, the checking of attendance does not take a lot of the period’s time because the teacher doesn’t need to do a roll call every meeting. This is also applicable in other activities like reporting and experimenting. A well-designed routine also conditions the class in proceeding with the actual lesson. 2. What should a teacher have in mind when she designs the classroom organizations and routines? What theories and principles should she have in mind? The teacher should have in mind time management, furniture and teaching materials, and most importantly the students. I’ve learned that a place must have favorable learning conditions, smooth transitions during class, and excellent management skills. If a teacher fails to manage his/her class then he/she fails to get the students involved during class. This is where the Principles in Classroom Management come in. As I’ve said before, a superb classroom organization helps the learners and teacher to gain effortless contact to teaching materials, provides freedom to move easily within the class and make the most of the students’ interaction with their teacher and classmates. I’ve done a bit of research and I’ve seen the effects of the theories of behaviorism on students when it comes to routine designing. This is applicable with the combination of the Law of Exercise from Thorndike’s Connectionism Theory, Pavlov’s Higher -Order Conditioning, and B.F. Skinner’s S-R theory. When routines are designed to be a habit in class then the Law of Exercise should be practiced combined with Pavlov’s Higher Order Conditioning, where the teacher can use different kinds of neutral stimulus to become the conditioned stimulus for the students.
Added the positive reinforcement, such as feedback or verbal praises, from the findings of Skinner then the routine the teacher designs will be a very effective one. 3. Which behavior strategies were effective in managing the behavior of the students? In motivating them? Why were they effective?
In the class I observed, the teacher used positive reinforcement in conditioning the class for their new lesson and expected exam in the next period. When it comes to their daily routine, the class already turned it into a habit. The teacher made use of positive reinforcement in forms of verbal praises and encouragement to the students to do better next time. She also showed them honestly that she is proud of what they have accomplished for the past grading periods. I think that the teacher’s strategies are very effective because the students are all actively participating and focused in class. If a teacher is doing well in letting the student engage in learning then it means she was successful in motivating them. Students want to be acknowledged for their hard work because this boosts their confidence in being consistent in getting high grades or being encouraged to get better grades. It was effective because of the fact that students want to be accepted and treated fairly, receive their deserved appreciation from their teacher and the right amount of concern from them. My Reflections: 1. Imagine yourself organizing your classroom in the future. In what year/grade level do you see yourself? What routines and procedures would you consider at this level? Why?
Yes. The classroom must contain teaching materials that are accessible for use. The furniture must be positioned in areas where the contents could be easily seen. The seating arrangement should be in alphabetical order. The position of the desks could be in the traditional rows in columns or facing center, depending on the class activity for that day. I would like everyone to be seated in alphabetical order so it would be fast and easy to check for absentees in class. There would be an opening prayer where a different student leads every day this is also in alphabetical order. Leading the prayer can build a habit of standing in front of the class with confidence. This can help them improve their speaking skill too. Then we would conduct recitations as a form of review or checking of assignments if any. This is done so they will remember to do their homework. They will form the habit of studying because they will always expect that I might call them to speak
during a review or during answering or checking assignments. This would fit high school students very well because they can develop their study skills and learn to do their schoolwork independently. Next are the procedures, a teacher can’t be focused with only one procedure alone. There is no single best method. One can use discussion, reporting, lecture, note taking, and many other ways to conduct the lesson. In discussion, the students engage in listening and note taking. In reporting the teacher can observe the class and the reporter’s interaction by using their listening and speaking skills. Lecture would enhance writing and reading skills. Everything depends on the lesson and how the teacher intends to deliver the topic. The teacher must also have in mind the integration of the four language arts in every meeting. 2. List the rules you are likely to implement in this level? Why would you choose these rules?
If the subject I’m teaching uses the English language as the subject tool, then I would like the reciting, reporting and an y kind of speaking in my class in English. This rule will enhance the students’ natural flow of words in English. One of my teachers claimed that, “If you want Filipino students to be quiet, tell them to speak in English.” The truth is, I just want them to learn how to express themselves freely in the language and the grammar will eventually follow. The next rule would be maintaining cleanliness in the room. It’s a real shame but the some of the first year Education students seem that they don’t have a habit of keeping their classroom clean. So I want to put into practice the maintaining of order and cleanliness in class. This is a part of the conditions for a classroom to be conducive to learning. And lastly I will give grade incentives to those students who have perfect attendance in the whole school year. This is to motivate the students to come to class every day. I remember the management announcing that a bonus will be given to those who always came early to work for the whole month without any absences. This eventually motivated everyone including me in coming to work early each day. I think this will also motivate the students to work hard. 3. Should learners be involved in making these rules? Why?
On the first day of class, I will divide the students into 4 groups, then I will ask them to come up with their group name and their classroom rule that they want to implement. We will use the rules they come up with and add them to my own rules to let the students see that they are a part of this class and all their suggestions and opinions are taken seriously.
The mere fact that the students are involved in making the rules will even make it easier for them to follow because they do not feel dictated of what they need to do in the class. This also shows that the students can have a sense of responsibility in abiding to their own rules. If both parties are involved in formulating the rules and regulations, then the establishment of the classroom rules can be seen as the students’ and teacher’s responsibility altogether.
