Field Blog Post 1

Beachwood Middle School



        As a class, we visited Beachwood Middle School and individually went to two different classrooms. Both classrooms were intended to reflect what subject we were interested in and to show us how that type of classroom works. Since I want to go into Middle Childhood Education with a focus on Math and Science, these classrooms were the exact level and study that I want. I was able to observe an eighth grade Algebra 1 class taught by Mrs. Karim and an honors Science class taught by Mrs. King. I enjoyed being in both classrooms and being able to see how the teachers interacted with the students, especially. 
        The Algebra class was taking a test, but instead of taking away from the observation, it was very interesting and helpful. They were taking it as a group test and Mrs. Karim was able to talk about the subject and the changes that are happening to the way that they teach. She showed us the new textbook and some sample questions and we were able to see how much reading has been integrated into it. She said that she has noticed huge improvements in the performances of the students with reading comprehension and with critical thinking. Even though it is a math class, the new textbook allows the students to work on multiple skills in one class. 
        The classroom was set up with groups of four students and had projects and posters on the walls. While it was more of a simple set up, I think it was very effective and allowed the students to focus on what they were doing. Mrs. Karim seemed like she really wanted the students to grasp the concepts and know how to apply the problems. She also appeared to be a teacher that would want to use problem posing instead of the banking technique of teaching. She was interested in how the students responded not only to the tests and the textbook, but also to each other and the questions that arose within the groups. 
        The second classroom I went to was the honors Science class with Mrs. King. The room looked like a lab room and had lab tables and rows of desks that faced the front, toward the teacher. In a science class, I think this is a good way to have to room because students need to work in a variety of ways. Since all of the students at Beachwood Middle School are given laptops, Mrs. King was able to discuss a power point while the students had it open on their computers. She was answering questions and they were reviewing the lab that they had done during the previous class period. 
         Mrs. King showed us the websites that she uses and how easy it is to assign and review the lessons and homework from the students. She seemed to incorporate online work more than paper work, which I think is relating more to the kids. With their laptops, they were able to use the resources that the teacher made available to them. The students were answering the questions and engaged in the lesson and also appeared to have a good grasp on what was going on in the classroom. 
        Overall, I really enjoyed both classrooms and felt that I got a lot out of the experience. I saw two different teaching styles, but I think that the styles reflect the subject or information that is being covered. I think that this was a very valuable observation and I will keep these in mind when I am learning about my own teaching style. I loved being able to be in the classroom and I think that if the teacher enjoys having observers, the experience works much better for both sides.