Contextual Information

Contextual Information Sheet

A. Class/Classroom Information

Grade levels in class (List all that apply.): 3rd Grade

Ages in class (List all that apply.): 8 years

Number of students enrolled in class: 22

Number of students typically present: 20

Time available each day to teach all students (in this class):
School day: 9:00AM-3:30PM
Practicum: 8:30AM-11:10AM

How would you rate the overall socio-economic status represented in classroom? (Mark only one)

Upper class:
Middle class: X
Lower class:

Ethnicity(ies)/Cultures represented (please specify):

African American: 5
Asian: 2
Hispanic: 8
Caucasian: 7
Pacific Islander: 0
Native American: 0
Other: 0

Gender make-up:

Number of males: 10
Number of females: 12
Number of students who perform at the following levels:

Below grade level: 7
At grade level: 8
Above grade level: 7

Teaching interruptions (ex. frequent intercom messages, student, parents, or teachers who enter class etc.):

Few: X
Some:
Many:

B. Resources (equipment and supplies) available for this class (Mark all that apply.)

Overhead projector: 1
Number of computer(s): 3
Video projector: 1
Phone/intercom: 1
TV: 1
VCR: 1

Also, guided reading table, globes, white boards for each student

C. Personnel resources available to you (Indicate all that apply.)

Instructional assistants(s) ---
Peer (student) tutors ---
Parent volunteers ---
Resource Teachers: 2
Other (describe) ---

D. Individual Differences

Number of ESL students in class: 7 that receive help
(Students can speak basic or broken English, however, their primary language is NOT English)

Number of non-English speaking students: 0
(Students who do not speak English at all)

Number of students in class with IEP’s: 2
(Students who have an Individualized Education Plan on file with the teacher or school)

Number of identified 504 students in class: 0
(Students who have been officially tested and are physically or mentally impaired in some fashion)


E. Number of students in pull-out or supplementary programs

Title I: the whole school is Title 1
Gifted: 7

Other (please list, for example: remedial reading): 2 children are Tier 3 of RtI and do skillbuilding

Please briefly describe the school’s immediate community:

Population (city or town): 591,982

Please list major industry(ies) (ex. oil, farming, steel mills, technology, automotive, etc.): Airlines, Medical, School (Education), Oil

Please list major employer(s) (ex. American Airlines, IBM, Wal-Mart, etc.): American Airlines, TPS, City of Tulsa, St. Francis Hospital, St. John Hospital, Bank of Oklahoma, Hillcrest Medical, Tulsa Community College

Students in your classroom mostly from:

Rural areas ---
Urban areas ---
Suburban areas X

Describe the school district:

Number of elementary schools: 13
Number of jr. high or middle schools: 2
Number of high schools: 2

Are there any of the following in your community? (Mark all that apply):

Community Colleges X
Career Technology schools X
Colleges X
Universities X


Contextual Information Narrative

Description of the Learning Environment:

Mrs. Overstreet’s classroom is set up in a very organized way. Everything is clearly identified either with physical or verbal labels (physical labels for her ESL students). Mrs. Overstreet introduced her classroom to her students during the first weeks of school and the children know where everything is located because they use various things in the room on a day-to-day basis. McAuliffe Elementary is a very safe and secure school, so children and parents are not concerned about their safety. Mrs. Overstreet has created a caring learning environment in her classroom in which all students feel safe to express themselves. Overall the learning environment is very positive and conducive to learning.

What implications will these factors have on your teaching methods, instructions, assessments, and activities?

A majority of the students in Mrs. Overstreet’s class are Hispanic and are (or were at some point) ESL. I will keep this in mind as I teach the class and realize that I will need to speak clearly, use visual cues and words, and body language to communicate with some of the students. I have conversed with every child in Mrs. Overstreet’s class and all of them are at a conversational level in English. I should not have to make too many modifications to my lessons because I have observed their grasp of the English language as being conversationally proficient.

Describe the specific learning needs of individual students that require you to change your plans.

There are two children with Aspergers disorder in the class. Had Mrs. Overstreet not informed me of their disabilities, I would never have known. I may need to modify my lessons in such a way that I keep those particular children engaged in my lesson. By keeping them near me, and encouraging their participation, I believe that I may ameliorate any problems that could potentially arise. Other than that, I see no learning needs that will require me to change my plans.