Field Observation Paper

Madison Evans

Edu 203

Dr. Dale B. Warby

3/14/2019
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Field Observation

I observed 3 different classroom settings during my field observation. One period was a

co-taught regular education algebra class. This class was a mix of 10 students with IEPs and

about 20 without. Two periods were a resource math room. One period had 6 students, the other

had 15. The final period was a precalculus class, where one student had muscular dystrophy and

used assistive technology and adaptations during class. I observed three different teachers and

their special education practices. They used many of the ideas and methods described in the

textbook.

The textbook explains that teachers often work with professionals because they may need

expertise outside the field of education. Some of these services include occupational therapy,

parent counseling, physical therapy, psychology, school nurse services, speech and language, and

transportation (Gargiulo pg. 18). Of these, his students get speech and language and

transportation services. Teachers may also collaborate with other teachers at their school

(Gargiulo pg. 21). Mr. Schwallie, the teacher I observed, attends IEP meetings to discuss a

student’s specific needs. He also helps and talks to other teachers at the school to share ideas and

advice for helping a student with disabilities. This is called consultation.

Co-teaching is a popular and powerful method for inclusion. “With this strategy, general

education teachers and special educators work together in a cooperative manner; each

professional shares in the planning and delivery of instruction to a heterogeneous group of

students.” The two teachers work together in the planning and delivery of instruction. They work

well together and share skills, roles, resources, and responsibility (Gargiulo pg. 41). Mr.

Schwallie loves co-teaching because he gets to teach with his best friend while helping students.
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The model of co-teaching they use is “one teach, one support”. Mr. Schwallie ’s co-teacher

teaches the main lesson, while Mr. Schwallie provides assistance to the students who need it. He

also figures out how to accommodate the students with IEPs.

The universal design for learning is the design of material and activities that allows

achievement of a wide variety of students and their differing abilities. This means that educators

plan their lessons to reach all of the students using different methods. UDL “assumes that there is

no one method of presentation or expression, which provides equal access for all learners

(Gargiulo pg. 28).” UDL works by removing barriers to access so that every student can have a

curriculum that is accessible and engaging. Mr. Schwallie successfully uses UDL by teaching the

same lesson in multiple ways. He has plenty of time each class, so he teaches short lessons in a

few different ways to reach most students.

Students spend 40-79% of their day in a resource room. Here they get specialized

instruction. They may also use assistive technology, which is an item, piece of equipment, or

product system that helps the functional abilities of a student with a disability. They range from

low to high-tech (Gargiulo pg. 136). For math, some examples of assistive technology include

manipulatives, calculators, virtual manipulatives, computer-assisted instruction, number lines,

and graph paper. During the observation, Mr. Schwallie uses manipulatives, a projector,

calculators, diagrams, and ‘Kahoot!’. Students can also utilize Google Classroom at home, which

includes the notes from the day and additional resources, like videos from Khan Academy.

The textbook gives many tips for effective instruction that ensures success for students

with or without disabilities. These include modifying assignments by giving word banks, study

guides, and copies of notes, typing assignment instructions in a large font size so that it is easier
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to read and allow for white space between instructions and the actual assignment, teaching

organization skills, individually monitoring students’ progress and being available outside of

school hours to provide help, walking around the class to make sure students are working, and

prompting them to get back to the task if they are not, and communicating with parents using an

agenda to record grades and progress (Gargiulo pg. 195). In his co-taught class, Mr. Schwallie

modifies tests by either allowing extra time or removing some of the tougher questions. In his

resource room, he checks his students’ work and prompts them to continue working if they

stopped. He communicates with parents via email.

Teachers with students who have ADHD usually use a three-pronged strategy. The three

prongs are to “evaluate the child’s individual needs and strengths, select appropriate instructional

practices, and integrate practices within the IEP if the student is receiving special education

(Gargiulo pg. 267).” Mr. Schwallie uses these methods for his students. Teachers also use many

different strategies to help with inattention, impulsiveness, motor activity, academic skills,

organization planning, compliance, mood, and socialization for students with ADHD (Gargiulo

pg. 268). Mr. Schwallie and his co-teacher have one student with ADHD in their algebra class.

The methods they utilize to help with inattention include requiring fewer correct responses for a

grade, peer modeling allowing extra time, and giving assignments one at a time. The methods

they use to help with impulsiveness include ignoring minor inappropriate behavior,

acknowledging good behavior, a behavior contract, instructing the student in self-monitoring,

and only responding when the student raises their hand. For motor activity, they allow extra time

to complete tasks, like assignments and tests. To help with academic skills in math, they allow

extra time and give additional instruction when needed. Finally, to increase compliance, they

praise the student, ignore minor misbehavior, and set up a behavior contract (tally system).
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Having a close, loving relationship with an adult or teacher at school can help develop a

child’s resiliency to adverse situations at home. This can help a student who is at risk prevent

developing long-term problems (Gargiulo pg. 298). Mr. Schwallie told me that he likes to get to

know his students to help with behavior problems. However, I noticed that he often calls out

students for being late or being absent. He also brought up an incident that happened with a

student a few months ago when the student was getting frustrated, which embarrassed the

student. I noticed that he can be very sarcastic as well.

Good proximity and movement management means keeping high-traffic areas free from

congestion, explaining procedures for using classroom of space and equipment, and making sure

students are sufficiently separated to keep inappropriate behavior low (Gargiulo pg. 306). Mr.

Schwallie does this by keeping the area in the front of the room and by the door open and free

from obstacles. During lecture, he interacts frequently and briefly with students, but during

independent work, he sits at his desk and has students go to him for help. He also has desks

facing the back of the room for when a student needs to work by themselves in peace. But rather

than providing praise and reprimands privately, he does so in front of all of the students unless

the student is at his desk. “Classroom arrangement includes the physical layout of the classroom

as well as classroom décor (Gargiulo pg. 308)”. Good classroom management includes seating,

location of materials, and location of the teacher’s desk. Some good methods include seating

students in locations that are easily accessible and visible to the teacher, using rows for direct

instruction, and placing disruptive students in the front and center or closer to the teacher’s desk.

Mr. Schwallie lets his students pick their seats and he will make changes if there are behavioral

issues. He also uses rows for direct instruction, but he does not do group work in his resource

classes, so they stay in rows.

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The textbook outlines a few guidelines for establishing classroom rules. Some of these include

keeping the wording clear, selecting few rules, using enforceable rules, stating rules positively

and reasonably, having consistent consequences, giving examples, discussing the need for rules,

and posting the rules in class (Gargiulo pg. 312). Mr. Schwallie described that he explains the

rules at the beginning of the year, along with giving examples. He does not discuss why they are

important or post them anywhere in the classroom.

Some students with physical disabilities may need different arrangements or adaptations in the

classrooms at school. There are environmental arrangements, which include making a shorter

day, classrooms that are close to each other, widened aisles, or a special desk. There are also

instructional and curricular adaptations, which may include providing a study guide, extra

repetition, and additional time to complete an assignment. Students may also need assistive

technology to complete certain tasks, like special keyboards and voice recognition programs.

There are also adaptations for class participation, like allowing extra time to answer questions,

setting up a signal to get the teachers attention, or giving questions the day before so the student

has time to prepare. Students may also need adaptations for their assignments and tests. They

may have problems with endurance and fatigue, and they may be given alternative ways to

complete an assignment (Gargiulo pg. 519). In the precalculus class I observed, the student with

muscular dystrophy had a special desk that could fit her wheelchair. Her teacher also made

copies of the notes for her because she can’t write for very long without getting tired. She is

allowed extra time to get to her classes. Finally, she has a helper who stays with her all day; the

helper walks with her to classes and helps her put her stuff away in her bag.

Although I saw many of the methods being used in the classrooms that were explained in the

book, watching it is so different from reading about it. Mr. Schwallie explained to me that not
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everything works, and you have to be really flexible with the methods you use. It seems very

challenging and scary, but worthwhile.

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References

Gargiulo, R. M., & Bouck, E. C. (2018). Special Education in Contemporary Society: An

Introduction to Exceptionality. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.