CSN Education Department - EDU 203 Special Education

10 Hour Field Observation Activities Packet

Greetings Future Educator,

One of the most rewarding aspects of EDU 203 is the opportunity you will have to actually
observe students in a classroom setting. This CSN course requires all students to complete
a 10 Hour Field Observation in one of the Clark County School District schools. Once your
placement is processed, you will receive details regarding your specific assigned school from
your CSN instructor. You will then contact the school and meet with your cooperating teacher.
Both you and your cooperating teacher will design a mutually agreeable schedule to complete
your required contact hours. Within this packet, you will find the required experience
assignments and field documents that you must complete in order to pass this class.
**Read this entire packet prior to making your initial visit.
Yasmin Reyes EDU 203
Studentʼs Name: _______________________ CSN Course: _____________________

Vicki Rieger
CSN Professor: _______________________ Professorʼs email: vrieger@interact.ccsd.net
_____________________

Matt Kelly ES
CCSD School: ________________________ Ms. Fuller-People
Cooperating Teacher: _____________________

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Save this completed packet for your Education Capstone Course, (EDU 299) and pay
particular attention to items marked with an (*asterisk) as these will be especially helpful in
completing your Classroom Management, Diversity, and Differentiated Instruction presentation
in EDU 299. Your CSN instructor will let you know whether you will be handwriting directly in
this packet, in a separate reflective log, or word processing response to the following
requirements and assignments.

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 CSN Education Department - EDU 203 Special Education
10 Hour Field Observation Activities Packet
BEFORE ARRIVING ON THE FIRST DAY...
1. Contact your assigned school by telephone and ask the office manager, or other
contact person, for your cooperating teacherʼs contact information. Ask for the best day/time to come
and meet your assigned cooperating teacher. School phone numbers, locations and other information
can be found on the CCSD web site at http://ccsd.net/schools/

2. Preplan an on-time arrival, and make sure that all interaction with CCSD employees and students is
respectful, courteous, and professional. You are a guest in their school, and a representative of this
CSN class and institution. The school is allowing you to visit to further your understanding of the
profession. It is imperative that your actions reflect a willingness to learn, and are reflective of a future
professional educator.

3. The first half of your field observation/experience will be centered around learning about the school
you were assigned, and focusing on the general and unique characteristics of its culture. You will be
looking at, and reflecting upon things that are going on in the classroom at the grade level or subject
that you were assigned. You are simply observing during this time. Your cooperating teacher will give
you guidance on how, and if, your experience can be expanded beyond these observations when
he/she feels comfortable with your professionalism and skills.

IMPORTANT NOTE: INITIAL SCHOOL VISIT…

1. The Initial Visit must take place during the week designated by your Instructor.
2. Must report back to your instructor as soon as possible, the plan for completing the 10
Hours of Field Observation.
3. Must turn in your entry letter at your assigned school, to the Office Manager, at your initial
visit.

UPON ARRIVAL THE FIRST DAY…

1. Introduce yourself. Since this is your first visit, ask the teacher where he/she would like you to sit
while you complete your observation hours for this CSN Special Education class.
2. Show the teacher this “Field Observation Activities Packet”, your “Field Observation Time
Log” and “Cooperating Teacherʼs Field Observation Student Evaluation” pages.
3. Let the teacher know that you will be asking him/her to verify your hours of attendance each time
you visit, and grading you after the observation hours are complete.
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CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT (Observations): After arrival, take a seat in a nonintrusive

location to begin your classroom observations. Consider/Complete the questions below:

Observation 1: What are your first impressions of the classroom/school environment? Warm?
Friendly? Organized etc? Describe the physical environment in detail. School is warm and friendly. Murals
of smiling children line the walls and the small school has a open courtyard with garden in middle.
*Observation 2: Please describe the student make-up of the class, including gender,
ethnicity, ELL, students with physical challenges, and any other apparent attributes that are
important to note. Student age range is from kinder to 2nd grade. The class is for the developmentally delayed and
emotionally disturbed. There are about 15 students total who are predominatly black males.
*Observation 3: What are the posted class rules in the room? (exactly as written) Since the class is for tro-
ubled children the rules go as followed: 1. Verbal warning 2. Last out of room 3. Lost recess 4. parent contact and 5. Admin reff-
erall.
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 CSN Education Department - EDU 203 Special Education
10 Hour Field Observation Activities Packet
*Observation 4: Does the teacher enforce the rules? Are rewards or consequences being
used for compliance or non-compliance. teacher enforces rules often and clearly. The rewards consist of positive
reinforcement and prizes when neccessary.
CLASSROOM LAYOUT: Use graph paper or drawing software to create an accurate
overhead view, labeled drawing, of your assigned classroom before answering the questions
below. (THIS DOCUMENT APPLIES WHEN IN A REGULAR EDUCATION CLASSROOM)

Classroom Layout Question 1: Describe the workflow of the room. Is the space used
efficiently? Are there any improvements you would recommend? The space is open and free of obstructions.
The front of the room has an area for students to face white board. Their desks are doing the same. No improvments needed.
Classroom Layout Question 2: In your opinion, are there any concerns regarding safety
during a normal school day or during the possibility of fire, shelter in place, or lock-down? the door is clear
and open, the desks are not too crowded together, and the exit is clearly marked. the door is large and metal and has a lock so
a shelter in place or lock down would be no problem.

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 CSN Education Department - EDU 203 Special Education
10 Hour Field Observation Activities Packet
INSTRUCTION: Observe any instructional time in your assigned classroom, and record your
observations when presented with the questions below:

Instruction Question 1: What is the posted daily schedule for different subjects or periods? Each day is
different and the teacher waits until the day of to tell students about the day and maybe post it to board.
Instruction Question 2: Is instruction done in small groups, centers, whole groups, individual? All four of
these are used. She switches it up daily to ensure that every student is getting their proper education.
Instruction Question 3: How would you describe your cooperating teacherʼs teaching style? Very strict
and expectant of her students. She is dissapointed when students fall short and shows this. But she is also warm and caring tow
*Instruction Question 4: Does the teacher incorporate the sensory modalities (learning towards them.
styles)? If so, give examples. She uses postive reinforcement, mostly. Repetition is a big part of instruction as well.

*Instruction Question 5: Do the students seem engaged in the lesson(s) that are being
presented? Please explain. Everyday the teacher's aide would have to circle the room and remind students
to pay attention. Insibordinace varied from student to student, daily.

*Instruction Question 6: Are there any students isolated from the rest of the class for any
reason? Why? On my first day a young boy named Jesus was separted from the group due to an inability to sit near
the other students without touching, talking, and even biting them.
Instruction Question 7: Is individualized instructional time managed efficiently? Please All the students
explain. have IEP's so the individual time is spent in resource.

Instruction Question 8: How does the cooperating teacher handle transitions from one
subject or period to another, and are these transitions effective? She must stop the entire class, get everyone
's attention, then she must explain what is going to be happening next. The transition can still get messy due to few students not
listening well.
*Instruction Question 9: List ways that the teacher attempts any “attention getting”
commands? (Ex: Countdown, Light flicker, Heads on Desk) How effective are they?
She only uses the countdown and its effective every time.
*Instruction Question 10: What specific behavior issues does the teacher have to deal with?
How does the teacher deal with these behavior issues? Be specific. There are children in the class who are
non-verbal, one has a voice disorder, extreme behavior (getting very angry or sad), and almost all the children have a learning
*Instruction Question 11: Are there any policies or procedures in place that help or hinder disability.
instructional time? (Examples: Stoplight- (Red, Yellow, Green), clickers, happy/sad faces etc.
are students allowed to bring home unfinished work to complete as homework, is daily
homework assigned) If so, explain them and how they help or hinder use of instructional time.
The teacher uses the interactive whiteboard to enter in red and green marks. Or marks that signify how the student is presently
behaving. If the student reaches fifteen red marks, they get dentention. Class work is only done in class and homework is
seperate. If the child does not finish class work they will have time late in class to do it. I was told by the teacher that it is very di-
fficult to get their parents involved the way they should be so homework no being turned in is a very real possibility. So having
the classwork seperate ensures that it will be completed by student.
Homework is assigned daily.

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 CSN Education Department - EDU 203 Special Education
10 Hour Field Observation Activities Packet
CULTURE: Using the information provided below, carefully observe and evaluate the culture of
the school where you are assigned to observe. Remember you are evaluating the school for
its educational culture, place of learning, sense of safety, invitation for learning, promotion of
self-actualization, development of values and socialization.

Physical Characteristics: Look at the physical areas of the school to determine atmosphere,
comfort, and feelings the school creates for students in the educational setting.

1. Consider the school property: building, grounds, fencing, equipment, landscaping, trees,
parking lot, crosswalks, gates, signs and symbols. Next to a park, small playground but big blacktop, hand-paint
ed murals on walls of historically significant African-American figures. School is surrounded by gates and also enclosed with separate gates.
2. Next, study the interior of the school: are hallways/classrooms labeled, halls, floor
coverings, lighting, doors, windows, hall colors and decorations and entrance security.
All the hallways are outdoor. It is a small school so there are two major hallways that house classrooms on each side. There is a garden in the courtyard.
Culture of the School: Read, listen and observe to determine the climate, values, and
atmosphere within the school.

1. Identify the schoolʼs mission statement, motto, and mascot.

Mountain Lions,
2. Analyze staff and visitor interactions in the main office. Note student and faculty interactions
in other areas of the school. (Example: teachersʼ lounge) Visitor friendliness varies. Parents can be very hostile when
they come into the office. The staff is always friendly and welcoming to one another. They work together to educate the students.
3. Observe student-to-student interactions, inside and outside the building.
Observe where students gather to socialize – lunchroom, halls, playground, etc. The children in my class are very
sweet. when they interact, some interact with children from other classes but many stuck to those in our classroom. Physical altercations are common.
4. Examine school traditions, achievements and awards; community recognition or community
partners; extracurricular activities/clubs and athletics. Look for and document sources of
community pride and sense of identity through ceremonies, assemblies, trophies, and artifacts. You can see
that the school is very proud of their culture. They teach the children everyday that they can overcome adversitites to become successful.
C. Culture of the Classroom: Each classroom has its own culture and way of life.

*1. Look for teacher(s) expectations for learning and success, interactions with students, and
his/her personality. She has low expectations for behavior. But she still requires them to behave by school rules. It just takes a consider-
able amount of time to reiterate the rules and enforce them. She genuinely cares for the kids and it shows with her determination in showing them social
standards. She herself, is an "old-school" teacher so to speak. She is older and stricter in nature.
*2. Evaluate the interactions between teachers and students, rapport, cohesiveness,
distribution of power, tone, frequency and reinforcements. Who participates? Who does not?
The students know that the teachers are the bosses and are usually quite respectful of them. many of these children rely on their teacher for emotional
support as well, so they recognize who their caretaker is. Even the students who are habitually misbehaving know that ultimately their teacher has
control over them. The thing is though, that this has to be reminded to students frequently. They seem to momentarily forget and allow for their
actions to take over their minds. But once the authority comes and repositions herself on top again, they fall into line.

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 CSN Education Department - EDU 203 Special Education
10 Hour Field Observation Activities Packet
COOPERATING TEACHER INTERVIEW: Complete the questions below by interviewing your
cooperating teacher during a convenient time. Include any school documents that your
cooperating teacher will allow you to photocopy for your packet.

Interview Question 1: What was the primary reason you became a teacher?

Interview Question 2: What is the main challenge(s) you face as a teacher?

Interview Question 3: What is the best part(s) of being a teacher?

Interview Question 4: Beyond standardized testing, what assessments do you use regularly?
How do assessment results determine flexible grouping?

Interview Question 5: What requirements are placed on you for reporting progress to
parents?

Interview Question 6: Describe the interaction and discussion you have with a studentʼs
parents?

Interview Question 7: What type of discussions do you typically have with parents?

Interview Question 8: How much grading do you complete on a daily/weekly basis?

Interview Question 9: How much time does it take to prepare lessons for the day/week?
*Interview Question 10: What procedures or strategies do you use to maximize instructional
time?
*Interview Question 11: What positive reinforcement programs and behavioral
consequences seem most effective with students?

Interview Question 12: How are specialist teachers involved in the instructional planning
process?

Interview Question 13: How often are you evaluated, and what measurement tool(s) is used
by the administration for determining your own performance?

Interview Question 14: What consequences are there if your evaluation is not favorable?

Interview Question 15: What types of support do you receive instructionally, financially or
professionally from the school, parent organization or school district to enhance instruction?

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 CSN Education Department - EDU 203 Special Education
10 Hour Field Observation Activities Packet
CLASSROOM INTERACTIONS:
Teacher Exchange Directed to Boys vs. Teacher Exchange Directed to Girls.
Record tally marks for a 20-minute period when direct instruction is taking place. When
interaction is between the teacher and any male student, add a tally mark. Do the same when
teacher interaction is between the teacher and any female student. Record your tally marks in
chart form, and then summarize your findings in one paragraph.

TOTAL INTERACTIONS: TOTAL INTERACTIONS:

EIGHTEEN FIFTEEN

*Summarize your Classroom Interactions data from above:

The teacher's biggest challenge is students not listening or following directions. This is where a major
___________________________________________________________________________
ity of the interaction derives from when evaluating in short time periods. Having to remind students to
___________________________________________________________________________
sit still, or stop messing with the student next to them, really takes away from instructional time in the
___________________________________________________________________________
long run. This is why i respect this teacher so much because she does have the added responsibilities
___________________________________________________________________________
that come with teaching special education. Now as there is more boys in the class, than girls, she spoke
___________________________________________________________________________
to boys more. But during the time that she was educating and not intsructing a student on how to behave
___________________________________________________________________________
she was addressed everyone equally and in the same manner. she would not just call on the kids
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raising their hands, she would also make sure that the kids who seemed confused were able to
___________________________________________________________________________
answer some questions.
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 CSN Education Department - EDU 203 Special Education
10 Hour Field Observation Activities Packet
ADMINITSTRATOR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS: IF YOU HAD AN INTERVIEW WITH AN
ADMINISTRATOR, WHAT 5 QUESTIONS WOULD YOU ASK AN ADMINISTRATOR
REGARDING HIS/HER ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION? (QUESTIONS REQUIRED)

The prewritten student created questions are mandatory for credit, and a
Principal/Assistant Principal/Dean interview is optional but strongly encouraged
ONLY IF IT CAN BE ARRANGED. (Example Open Ended question: What are the most
important qualities you look for in a newly hired teacher?)

CSN Student Created Open Ended Question # 1 for Administrator:

What are some plans or goals for the future of this school?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
CSN Student Created Open Ended Question # 2 for Administrator:

How do you, as a a school, try to be diverse and culturally connected?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
CSN Student Created Open Ended Question # 3 for Administrator:

How would you describe the current state of our school system?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

CSN Student Created Open Ended Question # 4 for Administrator:

Whats your advice for someone entering this school district?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
CSN Student Created Open Ended Question # 5 for Administrator:

What does your school do to get involved with the community?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
Interviewed school administratorʼs name/title:

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 CSN Education Department - EDU 203 Special Education
10 Hour Field Observation Activities Packet
SPECIALIST CLASSROOM OBSERVATION: This is optional: Remember… some schools do not
have these programs. Specialist classroom visits are strongly encouraged ONLY IF THEY CAN BE
ARRANGED. Make sure you get permission from your cooperating teacher, as well as the lead teacher in the
specialist, GATE/AP, or special education room.
A) Ask permission from your cooperating teacher to accompany the students and
observe one or more of the specialist classes (Art, Music, Library, Humanities, and PE)
they attend, or a different middle/high school subject the same students attend within
your cooperating teacherʼs grade level team.

1. Do the students participate or behave differently in these classes in comparison to

their regular academic/cooperating teacherʼs class?
2. Does any student seem to have a particular talent? Describe.
3. What is the curriculum like in comparison to the regular education (cooperating
teacherʼs) class?
4. Describe the specialist teacherʼs instructional style.
5. What different strategies do you notice this teacher using that are successful?
6. What are the challenges the specialist teacher has to deal with?
7. How are student needs being met?

B) Ask your cooperating teacher if you may observe part of the time in the GATE (Gifted
and Talented classroom, or another classroom that is considered Advanced Placement)
This is optional: Remember… some schools do not have these programs. Specialist classroom visits are strongly
encouraged IF THEY CAN BE ARRANGED.

1. Do you notice any social and academic differences between the kids in this class and
in the regular education classes?
2. What is the curriculum like in comparison to the regular education class?
3. Describe the GATE/AP teacherʼs instructional style.
4. Would you rather be in this class or the regular education class? Why?
5. How are student needs being met?

C) Ask your teacher for permission to visit the rooms of any specialized programs at the
school: Special Education, SEC (Severely Emotionally Challenged), Autism room,
Deaf/Hard of Hearing rooms, etc. This is optional: Remember… some schools do not have these
programs. Specialist classroom visits are strongly encouraged IF THEY CAN BE ARRANGED. Maintain your
professionalism at all times. Do not write a studentʼs name down when you are writing observation notes.
Maintain the studentʼs right to privacy by referring to a student as Student #1, Student #2 etc.

1. Do you notice any social and academic differences between the kids in this class and
in the regular education classes?
2. What is the curriculum like in comparison to the regular education class?
3. Describe the SPED teacherʼs instructional style.
4. What are the challenges these students possess?
5. How are student needs being met?
6. CSN EDU 203 students ask if you could attend an IEP meeting if possible.

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 CSN Education Department - EDU 203 Special Education
10 Hour Field Observation Activities Packet
OBSERVING A STUDENT: Discretely observe one student during an extended period of
direct instruction in the classroom. Summarize what the student did during the observation,
making sure to document ALL behavior. Detail what was going on in the environment, and
what you observed the student doing while the lesson was being given. Please summarize the
setting, the lesson that was given, if the student was on task and engaged in the lesson, and
what you uncovered about putting yourself in a lesson from the studentʼs point of view.
(You may print and submit a hand written summary or electronically submit a one-page
document.)

Jesus has the most difficulties of all the children. It is my understanding that he was tested and the results
___________________________________________________________________________
showed that he had little to no language comprehension in either english or spanish. So much so, that he
___________________________________________________________________________
does not even qualify for ELL. I worked with him one on onefor several assignments. I found that it was
___________________________________________________________________________
necessary for him to have an instructor with him, walking him through the problems. The problem is that
___________________________________________________________________________
there are only two teachers in this classroom of nearly twenty. He cannot receive that one on one time like
___________________________________________________________________________
he needs. His attention span is close to none. I had to remind every few minutes that to not get out of his seat
___________________________________________________________________________
or to not put his pencil in his mouth. One thing that I noticed that he liked was to punch things. At one point
___________________________________________________________________________
he got up out of his seat, randomly, and began punching a foam mat that was propped against the wall.
___________________________________________________________________________
Even when we went to the computer lab so the children can practice on iReady, he truned his computer off
___________________________________________________________________________
and began punching a file cabinet that was near by. He also seems to copy what his peers are doing. Although
___________________________________________________________________________
most every child does this already, it seems to me that he allows his classmates to dictate almost every action
___________________________________________________________________________
he is gong to make. If one child gets out of line, he has to also, etc. he is a sweet boy who is also good natured,
___________________________________________________________________________
but is just very far behind everyone else in his class. His comphrehension of the world around (i.e. school
___________________________________________________________________________
work, classtime intruction, language, and social interactions) is not strong, or barely even there.
___________________________________________________________________________
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 CSN Education Department - EDU 203 Special Education
10 Hour Field Observation Activities Packet
SUMMARY:
Using the information in this packet, thoroughly summarize and reflect upon your entire
10 Hour Field Observation Placement. (You may duplicate this page and submit a two to three
page hand written summary or electronically submit a two to three page summary.)

EDU 203 Special Education Course Summary

Yasmin Reyes
Student Name:_______________________________________________________________

12/12/16
Date Submitted:______________________________________________________________

Working in this classroom has opened my eyes to whole another world of teaching. How much harder it
___________________________________________________________________________
really does get. These students werenot just developmentally delayed they were also emotionally distrubed.
___________________________________________________________________________
This means that they had to endure a lot more than noraml childrenhave to. They require more attention
___________________________________________________________________________
within the classroom. And Ms. Fuller-People gives her all to ensure they all receive her attention. During
___________________________________________________________________________
my time in this class i also realized how much of a need there is for dedicated, special education teachers.
___________________________________________________________________________
This specific classroom has gone through four teachers in one year! Children need consistancy in their
___________________________________________________________________________
environment in order for them to feel comfortable. In order for them to succeed there must be a teacher
___________________________________________________________________________
who has been able to study and track them the whole year through. Otherwise vital student information falls
___________________________________________________________________________
through the cracks when a new teacher comes in. Being in this classroom has made me reconsider whether
___________________________________________________________________________
i still want to be a general education teacher. I might start to focus more on special education and how i can
___________________________________________________________________________
help these children. We need teacher who are going to give 110% and i am willing to go that extra mile for
___________________________________________________________________________
those young minds. I want to show them that onbstacles of life will always come out of the wood work to try
___________________________________________________________________________
and deter you, but ultimatley, you are in control of what you do and where you end up. They have to taught
___________________________________________________________________________
that they are worth fighting for. Because if they dont fight for themselves, no one else will do it for them.
___________________________________________________________________________
In conclusion, i am going to tcontinue volunteering in special education classrooms. So that when i am
___________________________________________________________________________
finally able to call myself a teacher i can go into the battlefield armed with knowledge and experience.
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 CSN Education Department - EDU 203 Special Education
10 Hour Field Observation Activities Packet

Before final grading for the EDU 203 SPED Course can occur, the CSN
student must submit:

> Field Observation Activities Packet, And / Or, Summary Document as directed by
your Instructor
> Validated “Field Observation Time Log”
> Completed “Field Observation Student Evaluation” sheets
> The CCSD cooperating teacher must also email the studentʼs CSN Instructor before
the final exam date. The instructorʼs email can be found on the first page of this
packet. (pass/fail for the student).

STUDENT IMPORTANT NOTE:

Remember to save this completed packet in digital form, or as a hard copy for your
Education Capstone Course, (EDU 299)

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