Setting the Scene

When I first learned that I would be doing my field experience at Grandview Elementary, I became a little nervous about what I would encounter. I already had some experience working in two Pittsburgh Public Schools and I had an idea of what I could expect to see. Once my time at Grandview began, I realized that I was going to have a much more positive experience than I had initially thought. Although some of my pre-conceived notions were true, I was pleasantly surprised by the environment that the faculty has created for the students. From the moment you enter the building, it is evident that the teachers have set high expectations for the students and that they hold the students to those expectations. The teachers all have a common goal and they work together to achieve that goal. They want to see their students succeed.

 

One practice that is very evident at Grandview is that they reward students who do what they are supposed to do. This is seen through their behavior management system where the students have to earn their “R’s”. The R’s stand for responsible, respect, and ready. These are the three things that the Grandview students are expected to exhibit at all times. If a student is not acting in a way they are not supposed to, one of their R’s is taken away from them. The students have to earn a certain number of R’s by the end of the grading period in order to receive the school wide reward. During my second week at Grandview, I got to experience one of the rewards with the students, which was the opportunity to go to a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game. The students who got to go on this trip were very proud of their good behavior and excited to take part in the trip. Typically in urban schools, the focus is on poor behaviors and the punishment of those behaviors. It was nice to see that at Grandview, they focus on appropriate behaviors and reinforcement of those behaviors. The teachers at Grandview also reward students for their academic performance. If a student receives 80% or above on a test, their name is written on a paw print and displayed on the door. This gives the students a sense of pride and something to work for on each test.

Another characteristic of Grandview Elementary that I noticed was the way that they monitor teacher practices. My cooperating teacher was observed by other professionals numerous times during my experience at Grandview. After my cooperating teacher was observed, she was told what she is doing effectively and given suggestions for things that could be changed. This shows how important it is to the faculty at Grandview that best practices are taking place in the classrooms. Although this can be a nerve-racking experience for teachers, I feel that it is definitely for the best. It keeps teachers on their toes and ensures that they reflect on their teaching. The fact that Grandview is monitoring the practices of its teachers shows how committed they are to seeing their students succeed.

As I began working in my cooperating teacher’s third grade classroom, I noticed many features of the classroom that were set up for effective instruction and classroom management. One thing that I recognized was her homework and class-work bins. The teacher had two different bins at opposite sides of the room: one for homework and one for class-work. The students always knew where there work needed to go and therefore my cooperating teacher never had to deal with the question of “what should I do with this?”. This practice helps to keep the classroom running smoothly and minimizes disruptions.

Another technique that my cooperating teacher had implemented was “hold fold”. Whenever she would call out these words, the students knew that it was time for them to get quiet and sit at their desks with their hands folded. I think that having a key phrase such as this is definitely a great idea to incorporate into a classroom. It gets the students settled and focused on the next activity without having to cause a lot of fuss.

My cooperating teaching was also practicing techniques that can be related to our class discussions on positive reinforcement. She frequently handed out tangible rewards to the students whenever they behaved appropriately or performed well academically. She did this in hopes of increasing those behaviors in the classroom. One way I think she could improve this technique would be to have students fill out interest surveys. This way she can pick rewards that tap into the students’ interests and then her rewards would be more effect.

During my first weeks at Grandview, I began forming relationships with the students. While thinking about all of the things we have been learning in class, I realized that I could not view these children as their problem behaviors, but instead had to think about why they were behaving that way. I no longer worried about having a negative experience because I now saw these students in a new light. Once I considered the functions of their behaviors, I was able to relate to them better and help them get what they needed. I began looking forward to seeing the students each week and helping them succeed in the classroom.

Planning My Intervention

As I began to consider which student I would work with for my Assessment & Learning Project, one student named Chad stuck out to me. He was frequently getting in trouble with the teacher because he was constantly longing for attention. Chad was talking out regularly without raising his hand and this was causing my cooperating teacher a great deal of frustration. Every time he would talk out, she would respond by yelling at him. As I watched this interaction between Chad and the teacher occur time and time again throughout the day, I decided that I would choose him to be my student for my A&L project and that talking out would be the target behavior. I defined the target behavior as “talking to the teacher, a paraprofessional, or a peer during whole group instruction about both on-task and off-task topics without first raising his hand.”

When I took a step back to consider the function of Chad’s behavior, it was easy for me to see that what he wanted was attention. The teacher was reinforcing his talking out behavior by providing him with the attention he was looking for each time he talked out. I needed to figure out an intervention that would give Chad the attention he desired, but teach him appropriate ways to get that attention. I decided to use differential reinforcement of other behaviors. With this intervention, Chad receives the attention and praise he wants, but only after not exhibiting his problem behavior for a determined interval. This intervention focuses on positive reinforcement, but now Chad’s desired behaviors are being reinforced and not his problem behaviors.

I decided to use event recording to collect data on the frequency of Chad’s talking out. Furthermore, I decided to use the multiple baseline design for this intervention because Chad’s behavior was occurring in two different settings: math whole group instruction and reading whole group instruction. I really had to analyze the behavior and when it was occurring when making these decisions for my intervention. I soon realized how every decision goes back to the behavior and the function it is serving. I always had to keep in mind what was best for Chad and what was going to help him be successful in the classroom.

Identifying Behaviors - Our Five Basic Needs

As educators, we must always be reflecting on our students’ behaviors and consider their functions. Some things to think about when trying to identify behaviors are the five basic human needs. The five basic human needs are survival, belonging, power, freedom, and fun. These five needs are what motivate our behaviors as we try to satisfy them. Considering these needs can provide us with some great insight into the behavior of our students.


When thinking about Chad and his behaviors, I believe he is trying to fulfill the need of belonging. Chad is trying to feel acceptance from his peers and the adults in the classroom, which is why he tries to seek their attention. He may feel that he is only a valuable member of the class when all eyes are on him. Chad wants to belong with the rest of the class and he feels the need to let them all know that he is there.


I feel that Chad is also trying to fulfill the need for power or self worth. Chad struggles academically and he might think that calling out the answers will make him look smarter. He is trying to build his self-esteem and sense of pride by letting the others know when he understands a problem. Chad wants others to see that he is confident in his abilities.


Thinking about Chad’s basic needs helped me to get a fuller and more developed picture of his behavior. I believe teachers often are too quick to assume things when thinking about student behavior, when really it is something that requires a great deal of thought and analysis. Observing Chad and working on my Assessment & Learning Project has brought me to recognize that understanding student behavior is a complex process. It is not something that can be done without patience, evidence, and reflection.

Cultural Diversity & Difference: Impacts on the Educational Environment

Through out my life, I have gone through many experiences that have shaped the development of my values and beliefs. These are my roots that guide the decisions I make and the way I live my life. I have also had many experiences that have opened my eyes to the way others live their own lives. Those experiences have given me wings to understand and appreciating the diversity of others. My time at Grandview Elementary has been one of those experiences.


When I look at Chad and the other students in my classroom, I realize how very different their childhoods are from my own. When talking with the students, I heard various stories that indicated they came from single-parent homes. The school is in a low socioeconomic area and the students receive free lunch. I’m sure that many of their parents have multiple jobs which leave them little time to spend with their child at home. Many of the students might be going to bed hungry at night. These are all realities when working in an urban setting. However, these are things that I did not grow up with. I was raised by an extremely supportive family with both parents there making sure I was getting what was best for me. Although my parents are both members of the working class, at least one of them was at home in the evening to spend time with me and help me with my school work. I grew up in a suburban neighborhood with very little diversity. I was never exposed to the harsh realities of an urban setting until I came to Duquesne University and began taking part in my various field experiences. At first I was shocked by what I saw talking place in some of the schools I visited. I witnessed things that I could not imagine taking place in my school district back home. These events made me nervous and hesitant to work in an urban setting, because it was nothing like what I was use to. These were the uncertainties I brought with me as I entered Grandview Elementary, but this time my experience was much different.


My experience at Grandview was different from the rest of my urban experiences because I now brought with me a new perspective for looking at the behaviors of these students. Where before these behaviors scared me and made me nervous, I now understand that the students are trying to communicate something and if I take the time to listen, they will be more willing to work with me. Just because their culture and background is different from my own does not mean that their desires and needs are different from those students who do share a similar upbringing with me. They simply communicate it in a different way which maybe a bit harder to understand. I learned a valuable lesson by connecting what we learned in class to the behaviors exhibited by my students at Grandview. It is a lesson that I feel many teachers today still need to learn. When a student is misbehaving, punishing them will not satisfy their need. Teachers must pay closer attention to student behaviors and try to figure out what their students are saying to them.


I am a teacher because I love working with children and they are so inspiring to me. Children have so much spirit in them and as teachers, I feel it is our role to support that spirit and direct it towards success. I believe that every child can succeed when they have a great teacher and I want to be that great teacher. I want to make an impact on children’s lives and help to create a better future. My roots have given me the compassion, motivation, and patience that is needed to be a teacher and my wings have made me eager to support each and every one of my students so that they can soar.

Cards from My Students at Grandview Elementary