Context for Learning Description of School and Students

Trinity Christian College Field Experience Form

Context for Learning

Description of School and Students

About the School Where You Are Observing or doing Field Experience

School Name and City: Joliet West High School

Type of School: High School 

Setting: Suburban

Write your responses to the three questions below in paragraph form.

1.    List any special features of the school or classroom setting. Co-Taught with special education for 1 student.

2.    Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that affects the planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of specific instructional strategies, or standardized tests. Course is set up for the Career Academy of Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) as well as Business Management & Information System (BMIS) as requirement toward the program of study.

3.    For special education only: List any educators with specialized expertise in the school/district.

About the Students in this Class: Most students are looking at the class as a requirement and something they really don’t need in the real world.

1.    Estimated percentage of students eligible for free/reduced lunch: 25%

2.    Grade level(s): 9-12

3.    Number of

a.    students in the class: 17

b.    males: 8

females: 9

c.     English language learners: 0

d.    students identified as gifted and talented: 0

e.    students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans: 2

4.    Complete the chart below to summarize required accommodations or modifications for students receiving special education services and/or students who are gifted and talented as they will affect instruction.

Special Education Category	Number of Students	Accommodations, Modifications, and/or Pertinent IEP Goals
Emotional Distress	1	There are times when student will not take to learning.  Please report to counselor if disturbing class. Recommended escort from class to class due to emotional outburst and violent behavior.

About the Class You Observed

1.    How much time is devoted each day to instruction in the classroom? Describe the class periods (if applicable)? Choose a content area of your specialty or major. How much time is devoted to teaching that subject? Class time is 55minutes.  Marketing is key subject for High School Business courses.  The course is offered for 1 full year.  I do believe that is appropriate length.

2.    Is there any ability grouping or tracking? If so, please describe how it affects your class. I don’t feel strategic group or tracking is necessary.  Creating teams for specified projects, games, and other exercises can benefit for competition.

3.    Identify any textbook or instructional program you primarily use for instruction. If a textbook, please provide the title, publisher, and date of publication. No textbook.  Online resources where the students build their portfolio.

4.    List other resources (e.g., SMARTBoard, manipulatives, online resources) used for instruction in this class. Online Resources, Kahoot - simulation game app used from students’ smartphone or personal device.  Student had hard-copied portfolio kept in classroom, used for homework, reference materials, etc.

5. What do you know about what your students know, what can they do, and what are they learning to do? What do you know about your students’ everyday experiences, cultural backgrounds and practices, and interests? Very diverse classroom.  All have or had jobs, mostly in consumer retail.  Majority of the classroom sees the course as a waste of time. Not understanding the impact on their life or career beyond High School.

  

6. Describe one teaching event. What best practices in teaching were used? Student with IEP got upset before class began due to not being able to see nurse to get band-aid.  Teacher-Aid reported incident to the student’s counselor.