Education 110

Classroom Observation Guidelines

● You will need to complete a total of 10 hours of classroom observations in the assigned Head Start
location.
● There are three logs to complete. You must visit your site at least 3 times. If you go more than that,
choose three visits to complete the assignments.
● Take clearances with you on all visits.
● Take and complete the Field Placement Attendance Form (online in the handbook and attached in the
module) for each visit.
● When visiting a school, it is important to “go with the flow.” You are a guest observer and do not want
to intrude. Some important things to remember:
○ Sometimes the unexpected can occur…fire drills, early dismissals, a substitute on the day you
are scheduled. Be prepared.
○ Non-instructional activities (lunch, recess, daily routines) can still be part of your observational
time.
○ Your primary task is to sit quietly and observe. Do not interrupt or join activities unless the
teacher has invited you. NEVER be with a child without another adult present! Use common
sense.

Professionalism:
Dress appropriately. You are required to wear the HACC Education shirt (can be purchased in our
bookstore) and either black or khaki pants. Jewelry should be kept to a minimum and hair should be neat and
tidy.
Confidentiality is vital. It is NOT acceptable to talk about what you have seen/heard in classrooms
outside of that classroom…with the exception of our college classroom. You may discuss situations you have
observed in our classroom if they are appropriate and as long as you do not specifically identify the teacher,
school, and students you are discussing. Violations of confidentiality will be taken seriously.
Be responsible and respectful. If you can’t make it to a scheduled observation due to illness or other
emergency, please let the teacher know. Be on time and have the materials you need.

Other Logistics:
● These documents are in word format, so you can download, and type in your responses. I will
NOT accept handwritten logs, with the exception of the classroom sketch.
● Turn in all log info/reflections at the same time.
● There are three logs to complete. You must visit your site at least 3 different times. If you go more than
that, choose three visits to complete these assignments.
● Be thorough…your details will help when writing your reflection.

Attached Log Information=200 points total

EDUCATION 110 OBSERVATION LOG #1

Your Name ___Molly Stehman___Observation Site __________________ Grade/Age Level Pre-

K/Kindergarten

The Educational Setting (20 pts)

Describe the physical setting of the classroom.
Head Start Guadalupe is open, with lots of space to move around. Everything is labeled and has its on
location. It is very clean and organized. Its quiet centers are away from the loud centers.

Give your opinion about the setting. Like it/Dislike it? Why? What would you change?
I like the set up here at Guadalupe. I think they do a great job at working on building the children's skills by placing
the child's last name on their baskets. There is space for the children to move about but also keeps them safe at the
same time. There is also space for the group to be together for circle time as well. I wouldn't change anything about
their setting. I actually want to include some of the things they use in their center in my classroom.

Include a sketch of the classroom.

How has the teacher created a “caring community”? (Comment on the teacher/student relationship, social-emotional
supports--ch. 6)
At the Guadalupe center the teacher is welcoming, she is connecting to the children on a personal level by talking
with the children and asking questions. She is engaging with the children during the activities they are doing. She is
involved and not sitting back during play. The teacher is helping them solve their problems by talking through it.
You can tell that she cares about the children and is there for them in any way. A way the teacher is creating good
social emotional support is when she sees that the little boy is getting too hot with his sweatshirt on and she goes
over and tells him that she sees he is hot. She then asks him if he wants to take his sweatshirt off. When the children
are losing interest she reengages them by asking questions.

Rules and Routines (20 pts)

List the classroom/school rules. Reflect on these rules. (i.e. Are the rules posted? Who do
In Mrs. Silvers classroom management you think wrote the rules? Good/bad?)
- Children are told to come in respectfully and I think that some of these rules have been written by
quietly. the school but I also think that some of these rules are
-Raise your hand when you want to talk. the teachers rules. I feel that these rules are good
-Your name tag is color coated to match the except the morning one coming in quite. I feel the
things in the middle of the table. That is your children should be able to talk before the day starts. I
group. didn't see the rules posted in the classroom, I just
-When you're sitting for reading time you sit heard Mrs. Silver tell them to the children. I also
criss-cross applesauce and your hands are in observed that when the children didn't follow the rules
your lap, so you can focus. and then did follow them Mrs. Silver gave them positive
-When in line for lunch remember who is in front praise.
of you and in back of you.
-When we leave the classroom we are quiet in
respect for the other classes.
 List any classroom/school routines you observe. Ones you liked/disliked? Why?
The routine that I observed in Mrs. Silvers I liked the whole routine. I don’t see anything wrong with it.
classroom is… It keeps the children from sitting at one spot for too long. It
-Children come in the classroom and find their also keeps them engaged by not spending too much time on
name on the back of their chair and hang their one thing.
backpacks on it. Then they sit down in their
chairs.
-The teacher goes over something at the table
and then the children move to the reading area.
-The class then has their group reading time.
-The children are then dismissed back to their
seats to complete an activity at the table.
-After completing the activity they are dismissed
back to the carpet for circle time.
-After circle time the children are lined up for
lunch in a specific order.

Classroom Management (20 pts)

3 Strategies that I saw the teacher use are: Effective? Why/why not?
1. Her organization is effective because the children
1. Organization Y or N know where they are able to find things. They
also know where to put things when they are
done with them. Mrs. Silver also has the child's
2. Addressing Negative Behavior Y or N name tag and things in the center of each table
color coded.
2. By addressing the negative behavior in a positive
3. Engagement Y or N way you are not giving the child what they want.
You are simply telling them what you expect
from them and then when the child does things
correctly you give them positive praise. This is
reinforcing your expectations.
3. When you engage with the children you are also
building a positive relationship with that child.
Reflection (10 pts) Using a classroom discussion or a reading from the text, think about something you observed and
relate it to your learning. How are they connected? Type a one paragraph response.
Between what I have learned in class, from the observation videos, and working in a classroom I have
found how important a schedule and routine is for the children. When you don’t have a routine children don’t
have any idea what is going to happen next. This can cause confusion and cause children with problem
behaviors to have more disruptions because they don’t know what to expect. Keeping to a routine can help
children who are special needs as well. In most cases these children will thrive from it. From these three
different areas I have learned even more the importance of a routine and what some classroom routines look
like.
OBSERVATION LOG #2

Transitions in the Classroom (60 pts) Find and record 6 transitions used in PreK-4th grade settings. Be as
specific as possible. (Do not say, “sang a song.” Instead, say, “They sang Lunchtime is Time to Eat as they got
ready and lined up for lunch.”)
A. 3 transitions must be from your observation placement.
B. 3 transitions must be from your textbook or an outside source (give credit where it is due, please.)
C. For each transition, include the following:
a. Where did you see/find it (source)?
b. Is it an effective technique? Why/why not? Discuss developmental appropriateness.
c. What learning is promoted while using this transition?
d. A reflection on the transition: Would you use it? Why/why not? Comment on child development
theory in your reflection.

TRANSITION SOURCE EXPLAIN EXPLAIN LEARNING (c) REFLECTION (d)

(a) EFFECTIVENESS (b)

Ex: Sang “Clean Ex: Saw this Ex: When a bell rang, all Ex: Organization, Ex: For preschoolers and Kdgn,
Up, Clean Up” on my 1st day children began singing & responsibility, timing, respect I would probably use it. It’s a
as center time at Head Start- cleaning up. It took less than for each other and property, catchy, easy song and can be
was ending and York location 3 mins to get everything back memorization of a song. These repeated until all children are
story time was in place. All were engaged are skills found in the PA early where they need to be. Physical
going to begin. and busy with their own jobs. learning standards (Approaches and Language development are
No issues! Songs are to Learning and Language and enhanced with this transition.
appropriate to use with Literacy)
preschoolers.

Sang the I see this When the owl timer goes This is teaching the This is a great transition
song “Clean everyday off the teacher says “It's children respect, and for children and keeps
Up, Clean with my time to clean up” and responsibility for their them all engaged. I would
Up” when the lead they begin singing the things and other people's not use it above a
center was teacher at Clean Up song. The things. They are preschool level. It is
over and my center in teacher and students improving their listening catchy and easy for the
moving into Elizabethto clean together. This was skills. This skill can be children to remember.
lunch. wn done efficiently and the found on the SAS This is helping the
children sat on the carpet website. children with language
when they were done. development.
This song is good to use
with preschoolers

Sang the I have seen When the children come This is teaching them self I have used this for
song “Five my lead in from outside they have control, things to do when transition already
Little teacher do to use the bathroom and waiting. These skills can especially since we
Speckled this at my wash their hands. By be found on the SAS currently have a group of
Frogs” while center in engaging the children in website. 6 boys. I love it for
waiting for elizabethto song it keeps their minds preschool level. This is
the other wn busy and keeps them working on patience and
children to from touch and running self control.
finish using into each other. It also
the bathroom keeps them calm and
when coming from getting ramey.
in from
outside.

While walking Every While the children are The children are learning I would use this in all ages
from the teacher at walking outside they respect for others, preschool through 4th
classroom to my center in have their right hand on following directions, and grade. It is a great skill to
outside and Elizabethto the railing and their personal space. You can have. You are gaining
vise-versa wn cheeks are puffed out find these skills on the control of your own body
children are with a bubble. It is SAS website. and actions.
told to hold effective because it is
the handrail teaching the children
and catch respect for others. It also
their bubbles limits the amount of
noise in the hall.

One of the I observed This could be effective You are teaching the I would use this technique
children this at the but I could also see children responsibility and with older children from
walked Head Start problems with it and doing things on their own. kindergarten to fourth
around Guadalupe children arguing over Instead of being told to do grade. I feel as this is a
ringing a bell who gets to ring the bell. it. good skill for them. It is
when the This could help in child great at teaching children
children had development by the to be able to do tasks on
one minute children being their own.
left of outside conditioned to the sound
play. of the bell to clean up.

Children were I observed Yes this is effective. This The children are learning I would use this technique
going from this in the is keeping the children other forms of movement. along with a few other
the carpet to Kindergarte safe and teaching them They are also learning movements to keep the
their seats. n Phonics that there are other ways ways to do these blood flowing. I would
To do this lesson to get some wiggles out movements and be safe use this from preschool
they tiptoed when going from one at the same time. You can up to 3rd grade. The
activity to the next. It is find these standards on children are learning other
also keeping them the SAS website under things they can do to keep
engaged gross motor. the blood flowing and they
are fast and simple.

Sang “Open I observed I think this could be This is teaching the I use this technique now
Shut” Mrs. this in Ms. effective if the teacher children to multitask. to get the children’s
Silver did this Silvers explains to the children They are singing but also attention when it is time
to get the classroom that this is what will doing the motion with the for them to say prayer for
attention of manageme happen when we go from song as well. you can find lunch. I would only use it
the children nt video one activity to another. this on the SAS website for preschool age
to tell them it Otherwise the children either under gross motor children. I would do a
was time to may take it as she is just and also language arts. different technique for
move to the singing. school age children
carpet. because they are more
 advanced.

Reflections (10 pts)

A. Type one paragraph describing in detail a highlight of your observation time. This might include a
successful or interesting strategy, a humorous story, a particular student’s discovery (confidentiality!),
something that relates to a discussion we had in class, something that relates to a chapter you read, something
you want to know more about, etc.
In my center we had a few children who had severe behavioral problems. One child for example had an
elopement problem. I learned that after running after them a few times to keep and eye on them to watch what
they did. It became second nature to make sure I knew where they were at all times. This same child also
would kick, bit, and hit/punch you. I learned that the calmer I stayed the less of a reaction the child would give.
Some of the staff wanted them removed because they couldn’t handle the person but the rest of us fought for
them to stay because we knew how much they needed to be here. I worked with one of the classrooms to fill
out paperwork to get him behavioral health services. They ended up moving away and just came back about
two weeks ago, so far they have been doing great and are very positive and happy.

B. Type one paragraph describing in detail one challenge. This might be about a student that concerns you, a
behavioral/class management situation, something the teacher said or did that was unusual/sad/frustrating, or
something you’d do completely differently.
Something that really frustrates me is that children who are struggling make progress in two classrooms
and then they go backwards and get worse. One of the staff in that classroom said it is because “we gave the
child whatever they wanted so we never dealt with the problem”. This made me very angry because the two
classrooms that worked on the issues never gave into the children. For example the two classrooms worked on
potty training and taking a binky away from a special needs child. When the child left the second classroom
they were fully potty trained and no longer needed a binky. The child was 5. This child hit the next classroom
and was back in pull ups and had a binky all the time. They even started biting as well. Instead of this
classroom saying they were the problem it was blamed on the two classrooms that worked with the child. To
fix this
I would love to sit in the classroom. To see why when children get to this particular classroom the children start
to regress. I feel we should all be on the same page and working on the same goal to better the child.
 OBSERVATION LOG #3

Instruction (40 pts)

List 3 instructional Small groups, whole What are the students learning How is learning being evaluated?
activities/lessons class, or or supposed to be learning? (formal/informal: observation,
you observed. individually? What questioning, art project, writing, quiz)
format?

ex: Teeth brushing ex: small groups of ex: should be learning how to ex: informal: teacher observation, some
4-6 children, actual brush their teeth correctly, self- questioning and assistance as needed
From Early practice help/life skill
Education 1. The learning assessment is
Enrichment 1. Small group 1. Counting, adding, informal and the teacher is
and then recognizing what each observing and asking questions.
1. Piggy Bank individually coin is worth.
(money)
2. Assessment is informal: The
teacher is observing. Picture
2. CH sound 2. Small group 2. The children are cards.
(Phonics) of 4 children learning to sound letters
out together.
3. Informal assessment: The teacher
is asking questions, and the
3. Reading a story 3. small group 3. After reading the story children are completing an art
4 children the children are to put project.
the story together in a
sequence.
(First,middle,end)

Write 3 questions that you heard the Using Bloom’s Taxonomy of questioning, which level is each question?
teacher ask the children.
ex: What day is it? ex: Remembering
1. Remembering- (EEE video)
1. How much is it worth?

2. What does this red word say? 2. Remembering-(phonic lesson)

3. Tell me what sound they make? 3. Remembering-( phonic lesson)

If you could change the way any of the
instructional activities were taught,
what would you change and why?

ex: teeth brushing and how it is ex: I would take notes at least 2 times a week when I observe each child with this
evaluated task until I see that an individual is consistently (2 weeks) brushing correctly.
This way I have a record of what I saw, what I asked, how I corrected. etc.
Reading the story to a small group. To evaluate if the child could put the story together in a sequence. I would have
them each do it on their own and then go over it as a small group. This way you
are able to see who is struggling and you can provide them a little extra help.
You are then able to document what progress each child has made.

Reflection (10 pts)

How has this experience influenced your thoughts about becoming a teacher? Write this in a personal, reflective
tone that shows original thought. Be specific. Please do not say, “I had fun. It was a good experience.” Dig deep and be
honest!
Watching the videos is much different than completing an actual observation. It was more of teaching strategies
then watching children play and interacting with them. I did learn some things from watching the videos. The
observations did not change my view as a teacher and I am still happy with becoming a teacher. I do wish there were
some videos that had children just playing. Even if the video was five minutes long. You could learn so much about those
children in that amount of time.

Professionalism (10 pts) For all logs, your writing should be of college quality. 10=0-2 errors, 5=3-5 errors, 0=>5
errors