Meghan Arellano

ECE 251 FALL 2014

November 7, 2014
GROUP TIME EVALUATION
75 points
Observe one complete group time, objectively recording specic examples of behaviors.
Group Time Dened: Group time can be a small group or a large group that is being lead by the
teacher. Group time does not include child directed play at centers or children doing individual
seat work.
Answer each of the following questions and support your answers with specic examples from
your observation. Beginning with question #5, enumerate, retype the question or type what is
blue and then write your response. (40 pts)
1. Name of school; telephone number; name of teacher, and age/grade level
College of Southern Nevada Lab School; (702)651-4335; Ms. Begley; Kindergarten.
2. Beginning and ending time of group time.
Group time started at 9: 30 am and ended at 9:55 am.
3. Number of adults working with the children during the group time; number of
children in the group.
There was only one adult consistently working with the nine children in the class during group
time.
4. Describe the nature of group time, including a complete description of the activity
(ies) engaged in during group time.

They began group time by talking about their schedule for the week; they were going to a
natures preserve the next day. They talked about the date and the weather. They then began to do
math together, they were learning about the number six. The teacher showed them how to write
the number 6 and let the children write them down in their folders. Afterwards, they did a
counting game by doing exercises in place. They also had reading time, where the teacher read to
them.
5. How appropriate are these activity(ies)? Explain.
They were appropriate because the children were never bored or looked disinterested. They were
learning together and having fun doing so.
6. How long is the group time? Is this appropriate for the age of the children?
Explain (Include the childrens ages in your answer.)
It was about 20-25 minutes long. I felt that it was appropriate for these five year old children
who were starting to get restless after reading time.
7. How appropriate is the space used for group time considering the number of
children in the group and the activity the group engages in? Explain.
The space was a bit cramped for nine children, especially since they were doing exercises there
in the group time space. They could have easily hurt themselves or others.
8. How does the teacher bring the children together and begin group time?
The teacher sang a song which the children already knew how to sing and would come to her at
the group time space and sing along with her.
9. How does the teacher involve the children in group time? Support with observed
examples.

She let children hand out pencils and paper. She asks them questions about the subject they were
studying and lets them answer however way they want, even if by our terms its wrong. She
would let the children sing along with her or prompt them to repeat words or phrases. She let one
of the children be her assistant that day during group time. And during their schedules, they
went through the month, remembering anyones birthdays that had come to pass or was coming
up.
10. What percentage of the time are the children actively vs. passively involved in the
group time? Is this appropriate? Explain.
It was a good 95%. There was only one child that looked a bit disinterested, but I chalk it up to
wanting to go to the bathroom, he kept looking over to the bathroom stall. The other children
were definitely involved with group time, asking and answering questions. And yes, eventually
the child who was looking at the bathroom asked if he could be excused and went. When he
came back, he was once again involved.
11. How do the children react to the group time?
They were enthusiastic, at some parts the teacher had to remind them to use their inside voices
and to take turns to speak. They all automatically headed over to where the teacher was when she
began to sing her song.
12. What evidence of exibility, on the part of the teacher, do you observe while she
is conducting the group time? Support with observed examples.
She gave the children tasks to make them feel in charge and was able to get them to calm down
when they started to get rowdy. She can quiet the class with songs and rhythmic clapping.
13. Is there any individualization to accommodate special needs of children during
the group time? This addresses both children with special needs and the typically

developing child who is exhibiting a need that the other children are not , e.g. shorter attention
span, higher need for attention, lack of understanding of activity,
etc. Support with observed examples.
There were not any visible children with disabilities, however, the teacher helped children having
trouble with their work, such as the writing of the number six. She gave jobs to kids who
couldnt sit still. And when they started to get more restless, she began the exercise game.
14. Does one gender tend to engage in inappropriate behaviors more than another
gender during the group time? Support with observed examples.
Yes, the boys seemed to interrupt more than the girls. However, there were only 2 girls out of 9
children. The girls tended to be quieter and if they needed something, they would personally go
up to the teacher and ask, rather than the boys who would just call out their needs.
15. Describe inappropriate behaviors that occur during group time and the behavior
management techniques the teacher uses. Discuss the effectiveness and
appropriateness of the techniques used.
When someone begins to interrupt, she gently stops them with a hand, reminding them it was
hers or someone elses turn to speak. They would apologize and would wait until she told them it
was their turn again.
16. Describe how the teacher ends group time.
She ended the group time with another song and then lets them go, one or two at a time, to get
their writing folders and start on their hand out assignments.
17. What activity follows group time? Is this appropriate? Explain.
They began to do writing assignments in their folders. It was right after reading time so I would
say yes, it was appropriate to connect reading into writing.

Evaluation: Using the information in the course re: the DAP philosophy, authentic activities,
principles of learning, appropriate interaction with children, and pace, write an overall
evaluation of the group time experience. Support what you identify as strengths and weaknesses
of this learning experience. (35 pts)
The teacher did many efforts to involve the students into conversation (at a reasonable pace) one
at a time. She asked them questions and waited for hands to be raised to let them answer her. And
when some children talked over others, she never scolded harshly, only reminded them to take
their turn. In the DAP page 225, Teachers encourage childrens efforts to communicate. As
well as, engage individual children and groups in real conversations about their experiences and
projects as well as current events. According to Powerful Interactions, teachers should ask the
children questions that an individual child can identify. The teacher I observed did this on many
occasions, while asking the children as a whole, she often would ask a single child what they
thought about a book they were reading, or something that was happening in the moment. The
teacher used math as a segue into the counting game where the children could get up and
exercise in place while counting. It was a great way to connect two activities without seeming
like a huge jump from one to another. My only objection would have been the amount of space
they had to do those exercises. Like I stated before, even if it were only nine children, they tend
to be unpredictable. While the teachers suggestion to the children was to march in place, some
children did jumping jacks, sit ups, pushups or just jumping up and down. There could have been
an accident.

POWERFUL INTERACTION OBSERVATION

40 points
Utilizing the principles of Powerful Interactions, observe record an objective anecdotal
observation of one such interaction between a teacher and one child, ages 3 yrs to 2nd
grade.
Use the following format typing rst what is in blue and then writing your response.
Date: November 6, 2014
Time: Writing the beginning and ending time of the observation (interaction between
child and teacher) 10:15-10:12 am
Setting: Write a brief description of the setting, including the 1) ages and number of children in
the setting

2) number of adults in the setting

In the classroom, where there were tables for the children to sit in and write. There were nine
children in total, ages 5. There were two adults with the children helping them with their
assignments.
Interaction: Write a detailed objective anecdotal observation of the interaction between the
teacher and the one child.
Teacher read a story written by a student. They read it together so that the student can explain
more about her story. Teacher: Oh, I see. Its a fashion show. The student smiles. The teacher
puts the paper back into the students folder. Teacher: Lets go read it to the class. The student
nods and takes the folder to the group time circle.
PI Characteristics: Write an analysis of your observation, 1. Identify the Powerful Interaction
(PI) characteristics you observed. 2. Describe how this interaction could have been improved
through the inclusion of specic PI characteristics.

The teacher used rich vocabulary such as fashion show. The teacher could have easily have
read the story without the student being there, but she chose to let the student help her while they
were reading so that the student could explain her story better. In PI, we are told that we should
be respectful of children and of their wants and needs. The teacher was respectful to her student,
never correcting anything from her story that wasnt spelling corrections or grammar. She asked
the student questions to explain her story and when it was explained, the teacher went along with
it. The student smiled, perhaps in appreciation of the teachers approval. The teacher let her
know that they should read the story to the class to which the student looked excited over. Other
ways this interaction could have improved is if the teacher had added some personal information
about herself to identify with the girls story. For example, telling her that she the teacher had
gone to a fashion show once or had seen one on TV. The teacher could have asked the child if
she had ever been to a fashion show herself and if she liked fashion. The teacher should have
asked the student if it was alright if her story was read the class, in my opinion, though the child
didnt look like she objected to it, it would have been better to ask her permission.