Running head: SETTING

Education Field Experience: Setting Observation

Samantha Hess
Raritan Valley Community College
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I. Observation 1:
Setting

II. Grade Level and Subject Area:

2nd grade

III. Setting:
Rural private school, the elementary building. 1 head teacher, 7 students.

IV. Pre-Observation:
At Raritan Valley Community College, I have taken many education courses.
Throughout these courses I have learned how classrooms should be set up in
order for the room to function properly. I also work at a daycare, where we are
always moving shelves, tables, centers, etc. around in order to make the
classroom flow. Most classrooms are broken up into interest or subject areas.
The classroom should have a flow from area to area, and this will create an
overall flow throughout the classroom (Hatch, 2019). If the room is not set up
appropriately, the teacher should feel comfortable changing the room to fit the
needs of the students.

V. Data:
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When you first walk into the room, the cubbies are on the right. Straight ahead
is a bathroom for the students, but the sink is broken right now. On your left is
the teacher’s wrap around desk, and it opens up into a large classroom. Behind
the teacher’s desk is a whole wall of built in cabinets and counter space. The
cabinets are used for storage for classroom supplies. The counters are
completely covered with school supplies. Built into the counter behind the
teacher’s desk is a sink. Right now, this is the sink that the students are using
to wash their hands when they come out of the bathroom. Across the room
from the teacher’s desk is a large white board on the wall, with a large green
circular carpet in front of it. Under the white board and next to it against the
wall are shelves that the teacher has filled with supplies that the students are
currently using for their lessons. They are readily available for the teacher to
use during a lesson, and for the students to use for assignments. Around the
carpet are tables and desks for the students. They have assigned seats. As you
start moving to the back of the room, off to the left-hand side they have a
computer where the students practice their typing skills. As you get to the
back of the room, there is a square carpet for the children to sit on. The whole
wall in the back of the room is made of class from floor to ceiling. It lets all of
the natural light in and shines throughout the whole classroom. In that back
area, to the right there is a nook in the room, which is bookshelves all the way
around, with little chairs and cushions for the students to sit on. The room has
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high, vaulted ceilings with sky lights. There are raw wood beams going across
the ceiling. The room is always bright with natural sunlight.

VI. Analysis:
The classroom is very spacious. The sound level usually stays low, but when
the class does get loud, it echoes through the room because of the high
ceilings and openness of the room. There are plenty of places for the children
to move around and sit in different areas for different assignments besides
their seats. During instruction, all the students’ seats have a clear view of the
board. If there are lessons where the teacher is showing examples and wants
the students to have a class discussion or talk with a partner, he has them
come sit on the carpet in front of the board.

The room flows well from one area to the next. Everything connects, yet you
can also see where one area ends and another begins. My cooperating teacher
was telling me that he just moved around a few book shelves right before I
started my field experience. They were in the middle of the room and he
didn’t think they fit well there. He also said that the students were not visible
when they went behind it, which concerned him. He moved them against the
back of another book shelf towards the back literacy area.

The teacher’s desk is located behind the students. This helps the students
because it adds a more comfortable feeling to the classroom. When a desk is
front and center, it gives off an authoritative feel. This makes students nervous
and uncomfortable if they need to approach the teacher (Krych, n.d.).

All the materials in the room are at the students’ level of reach. They are all
out and on display on countertops and shelves for the students to use
whenever they need anything. The students are always using materials to help
them understand and work on lessons. They know where everything is and can
easily get up and get something without disturbing other students.

VII. Recommendations:
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I personally love the way the classroom is set up. It flows so well, and
everything looks like it has its own place. There are only a few slight changes
I would make. The teacher never uses his desk. It is very cluttered, and he has
supplies piled so high that you cannot see if you did decide to sit there. Right
now, the students are using the sink behind his desk to wash their hands
because their bathroom sink is broken. When the students go behind his desk,
you lose sight of them. I would get rid of his giant desk and put a small one
instead, or even get rid of the teacher’s desk all together. It takes up a lot of
space and it is just used to pile things that do not have a spot yet (Krych, n.d.).
The supplies all over his desk need to find a home in the classroom.

The only other change I would make would be to get rid of the desks and
either add those students to the tables that are already in the room or get tables
that are a little bit larger. Around the front board and carpet are tables, which
most of the students sit at. Behind the tables are only two desks, which two
students sit at. At that point, I feel that everyone should just be at the tables
together. They do a lot of group work and group discussions. This would make
collaborating easier (Adkins, 2017). The desks take up more space and
separate a few of the students from the rest of the class. I love the rest of the
classroom set up. I also enjoy hearing the teacher I work with talk about how
he’s been moving things around to make the room work better for everyone. It
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makes me feel good knowing that he cares about the classroom setup and
takes the time to work on it.

VIII. Post-observation:
Overall, I love the set up of the classroom. Everything I have learned through
education classes, and even at work, have been implemented in this room. A
setup can affect students’ learning, and this setting absolutely promotes
learning for these students. The room is open, and all spaces are visible. All
the supplies are eye level and in reach for the students. All the tables and
desks are facing the board and have a clear view. The teacher gives plenty of
opportunity to move around the room during the day and work on assignments
where they choose. He provides different areas for the students to sit and
work.

The room has a back wall of windows, and sky lights on the vaulted ceilings,
which lets the natural light in. There are exposed wood beams which gives the
room a log cabin, homey feeling. On my first day at The Willow School, I told
the teacher that I loved the idea of the natural lighting and comfortable feeling
it gives. He told me that natural light is a part of the Waldorf philosophy that
they implemented into the school. The Waldorf philosophy feels that the
classroom should feel warm and inviting. The rooms should have warm colors
and natural lighting to make the students comfortable. It provides warmth and
allows the students to focus on their work (Rocky, 2015). I love knowing how
much thought goes into every detail of how a classroom is set up.

IX. Citations:
Adkins, S. (2017, July 14). Pros and Cons of Using Tables Instead of Desks.
Retrieved from https://www.weareteachers.com/tables-instead-of-desks/

Hatch, C. (2019). Classroom Design in Preschool. Retrieved March 6, 2019, from

https://www.preschool-plan-it.com/classroom-design.html

Krych, M. P. (n.d.). Placement of the Teacher’s Desk. Retrieved from

http://teachingonpurpose.org/journal/placement-of-the-teachers-desk/

Rocky. (2015, June 30). The Science Behind Waldorf Kindergarten Classroom
Design. Retrieved from http://blog.sgws.org/the-science-behind-waldorf-
kindergarten-classroom-design/

X. Appendix: