It was an interesting week to be observing a class for SED 406, since I’d just started my service learning at CF High School the day before. Since it was Darwin Day on Tuesday, all of the upper-level science classes were involved in special activities and presentations, and as a result I wasn’t able to observe a regular class schedule. It was great to come back on Wednesday with my classmate V and see what a class on a typical day was like.
The first class that we observed was an anatomy class with older students (grades 11 & 12). The class arrangement consisted of several lab tables and a line of moveable desks at the front of the room. There were approximately 15 to 20 students in the class.
The classroom environment looked a little disorganized, but lived in and welcoming. There were posters of student work on the walls and hanging from the ceiling, a bunny and some live reptiles in cages and glass aquariums along the far side of the classroom, and the front lab bench was stacked with papers and supplies. It was the kind of environment that probably has a clear plan in the mind of the person who occupies it, but to an outsider it looked a little random.
One thing that I noticed on one of the walls was a big, overarching objective in clear lettering: “To earn the science credit and successfully complete the portfolio tasks, while learning to appreciate and respect science.” Another sign that I saw both in the class and repeated in the hallways of the school was: “Walk with Purpose.” Projected on the front board was a PowerPoint slide with a specific objective for the period: “List & describe the 11 organ systems covered in the class.” Expectations for both learning and behavior were clearly stated.
For the first part of the class, Mr. U was busy lecturing. He was extremely high energy and engaged with the students. He was discussing the urinary tract and shared some personal stories that were both funny and cringe-worthy. The students laughed with him at the stories and obviously respected his honesty. The rest of the period involved answering questions about different body systems that were illustrated on a PowerPoint slide at the front of the room. The students worked in groups to discuss their answers, and then Mr. U quizzed them verbally. It seemed to be very effective and engaging for the students.
There were two students who had their heads down on their desks during the lecture portion of the class, and one of them was actually dozing. When V had a chance to talk to her, we found out that she had already been accepted to RIC for nursing, and was just exhausted. It was a good reminder not to judge a student’s engagement from appearances; sometimes there are other things going on that affect their ability to pay attention.
Speaking with a few of the students at the end of class, I asked whether they liked the class and the teacher. They were unanimously positive about the class; they stated that Mr. U was super smart, engaging, and made learning fun. One student said that it didn’t feel like you were learning when you were in his class. Overall it was an exciting and inspiring class to visit. I have to admit that I felt a little intimidated by the example set by Mr. U; he had a lot of personality and was also really effective at engaging his class.
The second classroom we visited was a special education science class. There were only a handful of students in this class, and most of them were younger than in the previous class. This room was a little more barren, with moveable desks arranged in a horseshoe open to the front of the room. There were instructions written on the whiteboard at the front of the room, and the teacher was gently encouraging them to look over their notes. The students were supposed to be reviewing for a test that was going to happen in the later part of class, but some of the students were obviously more interested in talking to us.
There was a very talkative young man in one corner who spoke with accented English. He seemed to have a lot of energy, but described himself as “dumb” and not able to learn. Another student seated between V and I was working intently on answering a worksheet to prepare for the test. V and I asked him his opinions on the school; he said that he didn’t like it, and that both the people and the classes weren’t any good. Another student agreed, but admitted that there were some good teachers and students at the school. When we pressed the young man with the worksheet for specifics about why he didn’t like the school, he stated that he didn’t like the NECAP, a standardized test that he was having trouble passing. Without passing the test he wouldn’t be able to progress to the next grade and eventually graduate. He had plans to attend CCRI and to become a police officer.
I only very recently learned of the NECAP; I’ve never taken a standardized test in my life, so the idea of not being able to progress because of poor performance on one is a little disturbing for me. I don’t know if he was simplifying or exaggerating the consequences of failing the test, but I suspect that the NECAP is going to be an obstacle that comes up again and again for both students and teachers.
Overall, our visits were both enlightening and inspiring. Both teachers obviously had a lot of warmth and respect for their students. I’m looking forward to meeting more students and teachers and becoming familiar with the school.
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