Essay on Third Grade Classroom Observation and Analysis

On Monday February 24, 2014 I visited Mrs. Randus’ third and fourth grade split class at Kline Elementary. Her classroom consisted of a mixture of third and fourth grade students who were tested and labeled as gifted in various subject matters. Mrs. Randus was responsible for teaching the children language and reading skills. The class consisted of an equal number of boys and girls, along with a wide variety of cultures. According to my observation, Cushner, McClelland, and Safford (2000) were correct when they stated, "Schools, in particular, are cultural crossroads in

Albert Einstein stated that “everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid”. At Highland Middle School, we understand that each student contain personal strengths and weaknesses in aspects of education. For this reason, we place a high amount of focus on incorporating Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences concept in our classrooms, lesson plans, assessments, and learning objectives. Essential elements that are conducive to implementing Gardner’s concept include allows students to have choices and let their curiosity direct their learning, incorporating technology that increases student learning outcomes, and incorporating hands-on learning opportunities throughout the school day.

‘‘Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory can be used for curriculum development, planning instruction, selection of course activities, and related assessment strategies. Instruction which is designed to help students develop their strengths can also trigger their confidence to develop areas in which they are not as strong. Students’ multiple learning preferences can be addressed when instruction includes a range of meaningful and appropriate methods, activities, and assessments. Gardner’s early work in psychology and later in human cognition and human potential’ led to the development of the initial six intelligences. Today there are nine intelligences and the possibility of others may eventually expand the list. These intelligences (or competencies) relate to a person’s unique aptitude set of capabilities and ways they might prefer to demonstrate intellectual abilities’’ ( (Armstrong, T., 2010). Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences

A strategy to be implemented in the classroom will be by including multiple opportunities for students to take in the core information or concepts and utilising Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory in learning centres. The students’ interest and developmental needs dictate their learning, as they are able to draw on prior experiences. To implement Gardner’s Theory in my classroom, seven learning centres will be organised, each dedicated to one of the seven intelligences. The students will spend time moving through the centres, dedicating fifteen to twenty

Children learn in various ways, and need various teaching methods and styles to accommodate those styles. The educational theorist Howard Gardner theorized his theory of Multiple Intelligences in 1983. This theory has influenced my teaching throughout my teaching thus far. It was most obvious during two times in my first practicum. The first time was during our Practicum 1 retreat. In order to become closer with our cohort, and predetermine how we all would work best together, we took various types of learning style quizzes. The test that stuck out the most to me was Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. During this test our cohort discovered that even though some of us may self-classify as a “visual” or “auditory” learner we also learned that we identified as a mathematical and/or spatial learners. Just as we all learn differently, so will our future students. Also, during my first placement in a Kindergarten classroom at Oak Grove Elementary I quickly discovered that even at the beginning of a student’s educational career they all learn

The local middle school I visited, observed and interviewed three individuals. The Food and Consumer Science teacher teaches student about food and nutrition during class. The class involves cooking. The students actively participate in cooking and learning about proper meal planning that involves health choices. The day before I came they made baked oatmeal squares and the day I observed one class made fresh food smoothies and the second class made homemade applesauce with apples that they had grown on the school property. The teacher assigns students to look up healthy recipes for homework and if unhealthy options are in the recipe the students and the teacher find ways to make substitutions to make the recipes a healthier option. The

Implementing the multiple intelligences theory will support the children in the scenario by catering to the children’s interests and abilities at the time, consequently engaging the children and causing fewer distractions in the classroom (Whitebread & Coltman, 2008). The EYLF states that when educators are responsive to a child’s strength, ability, needs, and interests, they build on the child’s skills and knowledge (DEEWR, 2009). This forms an important basis for curriculum decision making and allows the use of spontaneous teaching moments to scaffold children’s learning (DEEWR, 2009). This interactive approach is effective because it allows for social, emotional and physical growth alongside intellectual development to occur (Scott,

Multiple Intelligence (MI) theory (Gardner, 1983) has expanded the concept of intelligence to include academic abilities (linguistic and logical-mathematical) as well as aptitudes/talents (kinesthetic, music, spatial, naturalist) and personal intelligences (interpersonal and intrapersonal). Gardner used an inclusive definition of intelligence: "an ability or set of abilities that allows a person to solve a problem or fashion a product that is valued in one or more cultures" and it has direct applications to instruction, curriculum design, and career counseling at all age levels (Armstrong, 2006; Campbell & Campbell, 1999; Gardner, 1993).

I worked as a child and youth program assistant at a child development center from 2013 through 2014. I worked primarily in the toddler room with children from the ages of 18 to 24 months. I was responsible for maintaining control of and accounting for the whereabouts and safety of children and youth. I assisted in providing and leading planned activities for the toddlers. We helped the children develop basic life skills and meet developmental goals through play.

On October 13th, 2017, I went to observe Mr. R a science teacher at Governor Thomas Johnson High School, with an amazing personality and a well liked attitude. Walking into the classroom toke me back to my high school days regretting how I used to which its end everyday as I attended. The location of Thomas Johnson is in Frederick, Maryland. The city of Frederick is a well diverse town, which comes out in its schools. The students have a fifth period class day, with a connect period and thirty minute lunch that is sectioned into fourth period. Observing this school was very interesting experience. I am glad I had the chance to experience students personalities and attitudes towards school.

If a teacher is having difficulty reaching a student in the more traditional linguistic or logical ways of instruction, the theory of multiple intelligences suggests several other ways in which the material might be presented to facilitate effective learning.

Many of the things that we have talked about in class were illustrated for me in

The multiple intelligence theory of learning states that there are several different areas of intelligence; kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and interpersonal are just three of the seven. Throughout time this theory has been in debate for challenging the classic school systems own theory on how all students learn one way and one way only.

Before I observed this particular class, I looked up information about the English Language Program (ELP) on-line. This program is designed for people who wish to expand their English for communication, study, business, pleasure, etc. This program offers four core courses. The core course that I observed was an Intermediate Reading and Discussion group which meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 1:00-3:15.

Students are more positive about each other when they learn co-operatively than when they learn alone, competitively, or individualistically. Students are more effective interpersonally as a result of working together (Johnson and Johnson, 1984). My two lessons reflect good practice primarily because of the use of group work and the consideration of students’ differing learning styles. Good practice – Multiple Intelligences Howard Gardner is an American psychologist who came up with the theory of Multiple Intelligences. Multiple Intelligences are different ways to demonstrate intellectual ability. Gardner proposes seven different intelligences: linguistic, logic-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily kinesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal (http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm). Seven kinds of intelligence allow seven ways to teach, rather than one. Teachers, therefore, should to attend to all intelligences. Students should have opportunities to work on tasks where their style of intelligence can be utilised best.