Claxton Elementary Curriculum Placement: Post 2

Impact of Demographics on Instruction:

According to the demographic data collected, Mrs. Rountree has an average diverse class. The amount of boys and girls are quite equal. It has the appearance of an appropriate diverse classroom. Her students were very attentive to the lesson, and each child worked very hard. I observed the students quietly completing their assignments. The majority of her class participated in the discussion. According to Lemlech (2006), “An individual who has difficulty with distracting factors is considered a field-dependent learner” (p.36). I believe the majority of her class falls into this category of learners. The students did well with social interaction and discussions.
Mrs. Rountree’s class is a gifted class. These students are high-achievement learners. Upon observing, I could tell these students were very gifted. They performed on a very high level of learning. Lemlech (2006) defines gifted and talented students as “children capable of high performance with demonstrated and /or potential ability...” (pp. 20-21). These students demonstrated a high performance level in their work. I observed how they didn’t really need their teachers help, and did not ask questions about the assignments. The students got right to work and completed all assignments in a timely manner. Mrs. Rountree may have to make sure to keep her students constantly motivated to prevent boredom in her class. Gifted students can become easily bored with repetitive curriculum.
The group dynamics of the class varied slightly, but for the most part the students displayed similar behaviors. All of the students, with the exception of one, had high levels of independence. They knew exactly what to do and when to do it. This may be due to Mrs. Rountree’s teaching strategies. The students did a lot of individual work, and it seemed they enjoyed this. Some students participated more than others, but overall they were all on task. I could tell the students were motivated and wanted to succeed. According to Lemlech (2006) these students have an internal locus of control and “…credit themselves with working to be successful” (p.39). I believe this high level of independence will result in the students realizing they must work hard to be successful, and not blame others if they fail. Mrs. Rountree may want to make sure to keep praising her students and motivating them to be successful on their own. From what I have observed so far, Mrs. Rountree does a good job of motivating her students.