So after going on my second visit to Harrison school, I was more relaxed and able to observe the classroom more effectively. I had asked last week if there were any inclusions or resource children in the class and was told no. After yesterday's visit however, I could see that some children either needed an aide or the help of a resource room. During our math lesson, 1 child was just so lost that he chose to make faces (sticking out his tongue) and goofing around rather than doing the work. When I offered assistance he gladly accepted and became engaged in the lesson. I could see how frustrating it was for the teacher to have to always correct the behavior of the children who were so lost. I am now wondering why these children are not receiving help and if there learning issues are truly disabilities or due to attention problems?
I have also noticed that the children love the reading carpet. They seem so happy and ready to learn. This is the part of the day when almost all of the children are listening attentively and interacting with the teacher. Friday's are a very long day for them as they do not have any specials, so the carpet time really just gets them moving around and relaxed. I think this was my favorite part of the day because all the children were interested in the lesson.
I have a few ?'s concerning our 3rd visit.
1) What exactly is the climate of a classroom?
2) Is teacher centered where the teacher does the lecturing? If so what is student centered? Is it where the children teach themselves? Or am I totally off on this?
Thank you for any help you can give with this matter.