Part A: The School
This paper will discuss the Calhoun School, which is a prominent private school that is located in the Upper West Side of New York City, (“The Calhoun School,” 2016). Since New York City has such esteemed private schools, it was considered that the Calhoun School would provide a stimulating take on this observation exercise.
The Calhoun School is located on 433 West End Avenue New York, NY 10024, (“The Calhoun School,” 2016). The school has two different buildings. One building is dedicated to the younger children and teaches from preschool to second grade, (“The Calhoun School,” 2016). The second building houses the second grade all the way until the twelfth grade, (“The Calhoun School,” 2016). From the design of the school, it looks comparable to a school such as Saint Ann’s in Brooklyn that is geared towards an alternative yet effective liberal arts education that leads to an Ivy League Institution.
Upon observing the photos of the school that exist online, it seems to have a very strong performing arts and sports program. This was surprising given that private schools usually focus on one or the other. What makes this school appear to be very well rounded is that it allows students to explore multiple options that could be their talents. Additionally, it allows students to be exposed to many different aspects of education that they would not be exposed to otherwise.
Part B: The Physical Environment:
The classroom that was observed was a Pre-K mathematics course. Upon initially entering the classroom, it was abundantly clear that the classroom belonged to the children. Their work was on the walls and it was very bright to encourage a good mood and positive atmosphere. The room was inviting for the students to feel comfortable, which is pivotal for young children to observe mathematics. There were many games and toys in the room and it appeared as if the teacher and the students had worked on the decorations together rather than them being store bought.
Part C: The Curriculum:
These children were working on number recognition. They were working on counting as a drill and were practicing being able to identify the number of objects that were in front of them with the numbers that they had been taught. Furthermore, the students were working on conceptualizing what it means to add and subtract items from what was in front of them. They had paper ducks to illustrate five ducks plus two ducks is seven ducks and examples such as this. From observing, it was evident that the physical acting of taking and adding the ducks allowed them to remember the numbers, which is one of the most important skills to learn in primary school.
Part D: Classroom Tone:
The tone and feel of this classroom was very positive. It did not remind me of other classrooms that I had seen where the students were forced to merely pass the time and not enjoy themselves. From the instant of entering this classroom, it was bright and pleasant, which made it an ideal place for a young child to study such important life lesson’s such as counting numbers. Additionally, the children were happily participating and were able to converse with adults with confidence, which was refreshing to see.
Throughout this visit, I greatly enjoyed the brightness of the school. I also enjoyed how the school produced well rounded children by encouraging children to explore their talents. It is no wonder that the Calhoun School has such an esteemed reputation since the late 1800’s. That being said, it was refreshing to see a strong Fine Arts program given that these areas of study have struggled a great deal in the United States in recent years. The school provided a great impression and honestly, I would send my own child there based on what I saw because the school started strong with the core subjects and then allowed for travel opportunities in the later years of study, which is essential to perspective and a cultural upbringing.
In relating to the article by Sandra Crosse, this classroom truly exemplified what she stood for in her writings. The idea of creating, moving, problem solving, being active, not being afraid to speak, and make choices were absolutely present within this classroom. The children were confident to participate, which was wonderful to witness in their way of learning.
This classroom was an example of culturally responsive teaching because the teacher knew each student and found ways to engage them with the activities based on their personalities. This was very effective in getting the ones especially who were not good a mathematics and numbers in general. This teacher, rather than making them feel ashamed, found other ways to motivate and engage them in the classroom. Additionally, the teacher allowed the students to use a playful activity, which encouraged their creativity. Each one was able to choose a different animal to make in order to count the number of ducks or turtles that they created. This allowed them to be creative, which arguably does have a strong connection to getting into a good school later on.
Based on my experience, I felt that this teacher was being excellent. As mentioned earlier, I would send my own child here. Particularly, the way the children were offered choices in the projects that they were going to make was developmentally appropriate as was the overall structure of the classroom. The teacher provided boundaries, but also encouraged free expression, which was also developmentally appropriate given that it enabled them to make a big difference in the children’s potential for learning in the classroom space.
This experience, overall, was very rewarding to see a real class simulation. A teacher can learn a great deal by watching their colleagues, which is one of the most important aspects of teaching. By doing this, the teacher can hone in on their craft and make their teaching even more appropriate.
References
“The Calhoun School.” Calhoun School Website. 2016. Web. 3 June 2016.
