During the first week in the field I want you to observe the classroom environments in which children are being taught.  In your observations I want you to look for evidence that the classroom environment is Developmentally Appropriate for the children.  In Chapter 1 of your McDevitt/Ormrod text book they discuss characteristics of children at different ages.  Also, on page 23 of the text they provide a table in which "Development and Practice" is described, especially with regard to "middle childhood".  They describe 4 examples of issues of middle childhood ["Encourage family members to become active participants in children's education; Ensure that all students acquire basic academic skills; Give students the guidance they need to establish and maintain positive relationships with their peers; and Encourage children to be critical learners."]

Below is a form that I want you to use as a template for this assignment.  Merely highlight, copy, and paste it into your word processor.  Use the template below to write out the assignment (highlight/cut and paste it into your word processor and do the assignment "off-line".  Have the assignment completed after the first week in the field.   Then "highlight/cut/paste" the text from this document into the message window of our Online Discussion Site as your Field Assignment #1.  Be sure to come back later and REACT to someone elses posting of the field assignment.  Thus, even though we are all out in the field we can stay connected and see what each other is experiencing.   Also, I want you to print it out and turn in this assignment when you return to campus for our Monday class on 2-10-2003.

Assignment #1, EDP 201M.A, SPRING, 2003.

Your Name:

Date:

Describe the ages and grade level of the classroom you have been assigned:

School District and School:

Classroom Grade Level:

Approximate age range:

Throughout your first week in the field what evidence did you observe for the following DAP issues of Middle Childhood:

Encourage family members to become active participants in children's education;
[put your narrative observations here]
 

Ensure that all students acquire basic academic skills;
[put your narrative observations here and delete this line from your report]
 

Give students the guidance they need to establish and maintain positive relationships with their peers:
[put your narrative observations here and delete this line from your report]

Encourage children to be critical learners.
[put your narrative observations here and delete this line from your report]
 
 
 

Describe the Physical characteristics of these children (the teacher might be able to give you some estimates here).  Try to observe differences or similarities between boys and girls:

Approximate height:

 For the Boys:

 For the Girls:

Approximate weight:

 For the Boys:

 For the Girls:
 

Describe any other observable differences between the boys and girls (for instance the cloths they wear, hair styles, jewelry, etc.)
(Your Text here and delete this line from your report)

What observable physical evidence do you see in the classroom that might suggest that the props (for example the size of things like tables, chairs, pencils, books, the size of type/font in the books, etc.) are suitable for the age and physical development of the children (that is Developmentally Appropriate):
[put your narrative observations here and delete this line from your report]

From these observations what might you conclude about the relationship between the physical environment of the classroom and the developmental stage of the children?:
[put your narrative observations here and delete this line from your report]

TRY TO RELATE THESE OBSERVATIONS TO OUR MCDEVITT/ORMROD TEXT.
[put your narrative observations here and delete this line from your report]