Field Placement, Assessment, and Instruction

     This week I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Carver and his nine students at Highland Elementary School in Ephrata. Little did I know, I was going to meet many more people who are going to be teaching me throughout my experience and for that I am very grateful. There are just about as many adults in the classroom as there are students, which is very new for me. Each adult has a clipboard to take notes to assess the student and his or her behavior throughout the day. Each adult also carries blue tickets that are given to a child if he or she is behaving appropriately. Throughout the morning, I found myself looking around the classroom and trying to understand everything. I felt like there was so little time to interact with the students and get to know them. However, when I was leaving I realized I had learned more than I thought I did. I learned that each of the boys had a different goal every day and it was one that they set for themselves in the morning during circle time. I learned that each of the lessons and activities in the classroom were strictly timed. I learned that the ability levels in the classroom are extremely diverse because the students are from all different grade levels and of different ages. Although I learned so much, I know I still have plenty to learn.
       While reflecting on my placement and class, I began thinking about assessment and instruction in the classroom. I am not sure how the students are assessed in Mr. Carver's classroom. However, I was able to see that each student was assessed individually based on his abilities and goals. There is a variety of information being collected throughout the day by each of the adults in the classroom. I found this to be extremely important, as they are all unique as well and may expertise in certain areas. There seemed to also be a strong line of communication with parents and families of the students. When students entered the classroom, parents and teachers were able to talk to each other for a few minutes and share how the child was behaving at home prior to school that day or how the child has been behaving in the classroom. The adults in the classroom seemed to have a strong line of communication as well. They were sharing assessments with one another and working closely together with the students. They were eager to take advice from one another and were happy to implement that advice into their instruction. This made me very happy to see that they seemed receptive to constructive criticism and worked as a team for the benefit of the students.
       I feel that UDL would be beneficial to implement into Mr. Carver's classroom. Universal Design for Learning would allow him to create a community of learners. It will allow him to make sure that he has all of the supports and resources to accommodate all of the learning styles and abilities of the students in his classroom. It will be beneficial for the students for instruction to be set up this way because they will learn through a variety of ways. Students will want to be engaged in their learning and eager to participate. It will provide options for students to express their thoughts and provide the opportunity to explore.  Universal Design for Learning, along with the "Planning Pyramid", will allow Mr. Carver to design a lesson plan for all students, not individuals, just by adding resources and supports that all students can have access to.
      Overall, I enjoyed learning throughout my first placement and connecting the material I have learned to my experiences. I look forward to my opportunities throughout the semester in Mr. Carver's classroom that will challenge me and teach me about instructing and assessing my students.