Brieanna Mershman!

Classroom Observations!
July 30, 2013!
Reflection of Classroom Observations!
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During the first week and initial observations in different classrooms at

Brooklands Primary I have been fortunate to see differences between educators as well
as the consistency throughout the different classroom levels. There are distinct
relationships between teacher to student, teacher to teacher and student to students.
Additionally, each classroom has the same resources, similar environments and
arrangements; however they differ in management and effectiveness.!
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It is clear, first thing in the morning during the staff meetings that there are

different relationships between the teachers. It is common to have different

relationships with peers, especially those of which that you collaborate and
communicate with most often. It is interesting to see all of the educators look and walk
to the same seat or area every morning. When the number of educators increased and
there were not enough hairs in particular areas in the room you would find multiple
teachers sharing a chair when there is an open chair across the room.!
When it comes to behavior and relationships between teachers and students the
educators do their best to make it known that they are in charge and if they were
challenged they invoked fear in the students. Teachers would lie most of the time to the
students to make them fear a certain thing or activity; this was one way they would
manage their classrooms. Some of the teachers still use violence as a classroom
management technique. I have witnessed teachers hit their students with their hands
and a wooden stick. Additionally, some of the teachers would use the students as a
monitoring system; they relied on the students telling on one another to discipline them,
the amount of tattle telling is excessive. The system of monitoring and use of physical
punishment by the educators provides a foundation and educates the students to follow
a similar pattern. As the students get older there is an increase of violence and bullying
around school grounds. In my opinion, there could be a correlation between violence
exhibited by the teachers and the violence displayed between the students. Violent
behavior is more prevalent as the students get older, but there is also a sense of

community within the classroom. Since the student eat lunch together in the classroom
those who have more share with those who have nothing to eat, teaching the students a
valuable lesson of sharing and kindness.!
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After observing four different grade levels I was able to see the differences and

similarities between the resources and environment. All four grade levels are set up
and structured in the same way. The students are put into groups, depending in their
ability levels, so all of the stomp ranger students sit together and the weaker students sit
together, there is no integration. Additionally, all of the students know what level each
color group is and if they did not the teachers will publicly point out a struggling student.
When students are not sitting at their tables they are sitting in assigned spots, still in
their groups, on the carpet. Most of the classrooms have the same posters hanging;
these posters are to be used by the students for spelling, but they are rarely referenced.
I think there could potentially be more useful posters to be references more often than
the preexisting ones.!
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I am very grateful to have had such an amazing opportunity to observe not only a

class in a South African school, but to become a member of the staff at Brooklands
Primary and to observe six different classroom throughout four grade levels. Whether I
agree or disagree with the disciplinary action plan of particular teachers less important
than what I have learned and how I have grown to become a better teacher. I hope to
stay in contact with the school, students and educators of Brooklands Primary and
continue growing from my experience at the institution.