Field Experience 1 - Delaney Dillard

Clay Middle School - February 2, 2024

Description of Critical Incident

Choose an incident that is complex and likely to draw you into an exploration of ideas, beliefs, and dispositions you have learned about in your teacher
education classes.

During my visit to Clay Middle School on February 2, 2024, I observed a significant incident in Mrs. Boyce’s room - room 825. A student came into the
classroom visibly distressed. She was clearly upset about something, and vocalized that to a few of the teachers in the space. I was assigned to go sit with
her. She filled me in on a bit of her life. She rides horses at Agape, a place whose goal is to “meet the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive goals of
participants through partnering with horses. The horses are our co-facilitators who help us teach valuable lessons that extend beyond the barn” (Agape).
The horse she rides, Captain, hurt himself last week and had to be put down this week. She expressed feelings of anxiety and fear over the change that
comes from having to learn to ride a new horse. We talked about recalling the good memories that she had with the horse. She suggested making a Google
Slides presentation to remember Captain and their memories. I had to leave before she finished her slideshow, but she seemed to be calming down on the
subject.

EMPATHETIC INTERESTED IMPRESSED

Thoughts

In this section, describe your initial thoughts and opinions in relation to the description and feelings you provided in Sections A and B

Initially, I was honestly a little worried about this student. Having no background on her or her tendencies, I didn’t know how she would react to this
new feeling of grief. However, after talking to her more, she came to terms with her emotions and talked more about her memories. It was amazing to see
her self-regulate like that - clearly a learned skill - and talk so freely and maturely about her sentiments.

Make Connections to Your Thinking

 1. What went well? What didn’t go so well? What do I want to do the same/differently next time?

Mrs. Boyce effectively multitasked and provided differentiated instruction in room 825, meeting the diverse needs of her students. Mrs. Mehl in room
104 demonstrated cultural responsiveness by providing instructions in multiple languages, creating an inclusive learning environment.
In Room 104, while the teacher’s efforts to provide instructions in multiple languages were commendable, there may have been room for improvement
in ensuring clarity and understanding for all students, especially those with language barriers. I was only in this room for a short amount of time, so this
statement may not be entirely backed up.
Next time, I would seek more opportunities to learn from Mrs. Boyce’s effective multitasking and differentiated instruction techniques to apply them in
my own teaching practice.

2. Make at least one connection to personal experience, other texts you’ve read, and/or what you know about schools.

Drawing from personal experience and my readings on educational equity and diversity, I recognize the importance of creating inclusive learning
environments where all students feel valued and supported. This aligns with the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and culturally
responsive teaching. This also connects to the significance of acknowledging and honoring students’ diverse backgrounds and experiences in the
classroom, as demonstrated in Room 104.

3. Expand on five High Leverage Practices or more you chose to use in your write up by telling which one, how you used it and what your thinking was in
choosing this for your student/students.

1. Feedback (22): Mrs. Boyce used feedback (“great job staying calm and focused”) to reinforce positive behavior and encourage self-regulation in
room 825.
2. Differentiated Instruction (12): Mrs. Boyce’s multitasking and individualized support exemplified differentiated instruction, addressing
students’ varying levels and needs.
3. Classroom Management (18): The structured progress chart in the back of the language workbooks in room 825 supported student
accountability and ownership of learning.
4. Cultural Responsiveness (7): In Room 104, the teacher’s use of multiple languages and attention to diverse student backgrounds demonstrated
cultural responsiveness.
5. Formative Assessment (6): The quiz administered in Room 825 served as a formative assessment, informing instruction and identifying areas f0r
further support.

4. Professional Next Steps

 1. How did the classroom environment (routines, procedures, student behavior, physical space, etc.) impact student learning?
2. Do kids like being in the classroom?
3. Does the teacher/you have fun with kids and is she or he peaceful in how they interact with kids?

The classroom environment, routines, and teacher-student interactions greatly impacted student learning. Both classrooms appeared to be safe and
supportive spaces, contributing to students’ engagement and comfort. It’s evident that students appreciate such environments, as seen in their positive
reactions and behaviors. Moving forward, I would focus on fostering even more meaningful connections with students and integrating culturally
responsive practices into instruction.

Raw Notes:
2/2/24 - Clay Middle School
9:30 am - 10:00 am -> 825, Mrs. Boyce
- Leen, non speaking student
- Communicates through typing/writing
- Classroom setting, ~5 students all working independently
- Boyce works with students on speaking/reading, Miss T works with one student on science homework
- Ava
- Horse getting put down
- Making slideshow to talk about feelings
- HLP - feedback (“great job staying calm and focused”)
10:00 am - 10:30 am -> 104, Multi Language Learning
- Giving a speaking test (WIDA) to seventh grade
- 36 students, levels 1 and 2
- Can “graduate” by scoring a 3
- Desks placed around the outside of the room
- She speaks English - the instructions on the slideshow are in 5 languages
- Give multiple examples
 - Walk through the platform, eliminating barrier to success
- Speaking 15% weight on test
- Classroom has representation of diversity
- Kids view her room as a safe space
- Learning disability vs. language/culture issue
10:30 am - 11:00 am -> 825
- Challenge books (Wilson Language Training)
- Two students pulled aside with Boyce
- Boyce is multitasking, servicing multiple students at once
- Giving sounds, words, and phrases quiz
- One student needs correction scaffolding, the other can self-correct
- Sends one student away for 1-on-1 grading with the other
- Progress chart in back
- Boyce explains it’s to “take ownership of your own learning.”