On my second observation I observed a 7th grade science class and an 8th grade math class. I was immediately surprised when I walked into the 7th grade science class, because the first thing I noticed was that they used folding outdoor tables as desks. The tables looked old and dirty, and I was shocked that they didn't use normal desks. I also noticed that the classroom had a good amount of technology that included a smart board, 6 computers, 2 laptops, 4 microscopes, and a t.v. I also observed that the students were in groups and were taking turns going to the different centers that were set up in the classroom. One center was a smartboard that had a learning activity about the microscope, another center had real microscopes and samples for the students to examine, and another center had a virtual museum for the students to explore. There were also two other centers where the students could work directly with the teacher and student teacher to ask questions. The teacher talked to me about the centers and mentioned that he didn't understand why most middle/high school teachers didn't use centers when they work so well. From my observations, the centers were a big success. It gave the students the freedom to work alone, work in groups, and work one on one with the teacher. It appeared that this variety kept the students attention and encouraged them to learn.
The next class I observed was an 8th grade Algebra class. This classroom had a smartboard, which was being used to display math problems, and four computers. I also noticed that only a couple of the students were using calculators. When I asked the teacher about allowing students to use calculators she mentioned that only a couple have access to calculators at home, so she offers time after school and during lunch for them to use calculators to complete homework.
Overall, my second impression of the school was much better than my first impression. While I did notice some unruly behavior, it wasn't as bad as on my first visit.
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