The tone of the classroom was very inviting, but surprisingly, the lights are normally off with lamps that are always on that give the room a "cozy" feel. With posters on the wall, and student work portrayed on the walls, it is evident that my mentor has established a high sense of rapport with the students, so much so that they feel comfortable seeking her advice and consolidations. Not only is the room designed to welcome students, it is also thoughtfully displayed to favor learning in science. There is a section in the front of the room designated for science experiments, so there are lab materials set up, with the hard floor beneath it. On the other side, there are desks pushed together into clusters, to augment collaboration and social experiences. Some students are eager to communicate and bounce ideas off of others, while others are defined as very reclusive, rarely speaking to each other. In elementary school, even the quiet students seemed to share ideas with each other, almost as though they had no fear of judgments, while students in sixth grade seemed to be much more concerned with how they look in the eyes of others. There also seems to be a wide range of maturity, I see some students who I could easily mistake for a third or fourth grader, and others who I wouldn't be surprised to see walking down the freshman hallway at Davidson. Because of this, the students who act as though they are much older live by different social values, and are concerned by "Popularity," which can often amount to extensive deals of peer pressure. At this age, peer pressure isn't defined by some of the horrors that high schoolers endure, but in sixth grade it can be correlated with bullying, which should be avoided.
Most of the students were well behaved, but she didn't give them an option to mess around, or behave innapropriately. Occasionally, if students were starting to immerse themselves in their own world, she would have them jump up and stretch, for just long enough that their brains were refreshed. Additionally, she created several engaging activities that maintained a positive environment and kept her students focused, such as a lab to test different qualities of vegetables, and she used a hula hoop to demonstrate osmosis, which was a great visual lesson (that would've been very helpful in honors biology last year). Thus, students became excited about learning, and didn't find it necessary to discuss social obligations with their friends. My mentor also utilized very creative teaching methods, by giving each child a role as a doctor, and giving them the objection to save Mr. Potato Head. It was visible that each student was thrilled to be learning the material, and that in itself develops a desired learning environment.
Most of the students were well behaved, but she didn't give them an option to mess around, or behave innapropriately. Occasionally, if students were starting to immerse themselves in their own world, she would have them jump up and stretch, for just long enough that their brains were refreshed. Additionally, she created several engaging activities that maintained a positive environment and kept her students focused, such as a lab to test different qualities of vegetables, and she used a hula hoop to demonstrate osmosis, which was a great visual lesson (that would've been very helpful in honors biology last year). Thus, students became excited about learning, and didn't find it necessary to discuss social obligations with their friends. My mentor also utilized very creative teaching methods, by giving each child a role as a doctor, and giving them the objection to save Mr. Potato Head. It was visible that each student was thrilled to be learning the material, and that in itself develops a desired learning environment.