This paper presents a classroom observation of an eighth grade social studies class examined through the lenses of disability support, teacher collaboration, and culturally responsive classroom management (CRCM). The observed classroom comprised twenty-one students from diverse ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, including students with IEPs and individualized accommodations. The paper analyzes how the lead teacher employed culturally consistent communication, a caring environment, family engagement, and behavioral interventions to meet varied student needs. A comparative analysis with a second classroom highlights how culturally responsive and inclusive practices produce markedly better student engagement and equity outcomes than traditional, teacher-centered approaches.
The observation took place in an eighth grade social studies classroom consisting of twenty-one students from diverse backgrounds. The teacher is Latina. Not wanting to make any assumptions about ethnicity or culture, I asked the teacher about the demographics. She stated that of the twenty students present, eight were female and twelve were male. Three students were African American, two were Vietnamese American, two were Indo-American, five were Hispanic, two were Jewish, three were from mixed backgrounds, and four were white. Two of the students had Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) — one was an African American boy and the other a white student. Each of these students had specific learning and developmental disabilities. One of the Vietnamese American students had recently been diagnosed with auditory processing disorder, and accommodations were being made to move that student to the front of the classroom. The IEPs provided for specific accommodations and modifications to both the content and the instructional methods used in the classroom.
There are two students in the classroom with IEPs, and one additional student who also requires accommodations. Each student has different needs. The teacher meets once per week with the counselor working with each of the students with learning disabilities. These meetings are designed to provide the teacher with additional support and guidance, while also allowing the students to report on their own progress.
During classroom instruction, the teacher makes accommodations in several ways. One student has dyslexia and receives an audio recording of the class material. The teacher still asks her to write responses to questions but does not apply the same grading criteria used for the rest of the class. The other student with an IEP becomes easily distracted and causes some disruptions. When asked about disability supports for that student, the teacher said that no formal instructions or guidance had been provided to her, and that for the past three weeks the student had been receiving assistance from an additional special education instructor who offers one-on-one support as well as some assistive technology. Last week, a different special education assistant visited and sat with the student who has auditory processing disorder. That student has since been moved to a seat near the teacher and receives additional take-home material to review independently outside of class.
The special education teacher worked only with one student during the observation. There was very little collaboration between the two teachers during the class itself; only on one occasion did the special education teacher ask for input from the lead teacher about modifying a lesson. However, the lead teacher explained that they meet every week to discuss that student's progress and meet with the parent once a month. Although this is not a co-teaching environment, the school administrators ensure that students' needs are being met through active collaboration between the two teachers outside of class time. The teacher also noted that the special education instructor works with the student who has dyslexia, but that the main modifications to lessons involve reducing the verbal content burden that student experiences — both in terms of deliverables and instructional design.
Physical Setting: The seats were arranged in rows, but a collaborative learning assignment during class allowed students to work together in clusters. Inspirational sayings were displayed on the walls — some were commercial posters, while others had been drawn by the students themselves. The teacher used a large projection screen to display slides and incorporated ample visual aids throughout the lesson.
Behavior Expectations: The lead teacher pointed out the list she had created and posted clearly behind her desk, which outlined the core behavioral expectations for the classroom. The first item on the list was "do no harm." Others included "respect others," "learn from someone who disagrees with you today," and "It is OK to be shy." The teacher explained that she clearly communicates her expectations and relies heavily on students to maintain a strong normative environment.
Communicating in Culturally Consistent Ways: The teacher was adept at using culturally consistent communication, adjusting her manner of speaking with different students. She used some Spanglish when speaking with the Hispanic students. Her approach aimed to foster a collaborative learning environment that values social harmony rather than defaulting to the dominant white American discourse of individualism and competition. She recognized that cultural and individual differences might prevent some students from making eye contact or speaking up, while others were naturally more outspoken. She noted that one of the biggest challenges in a diverse classroom is preventing more extroverted students from dominating discussions without pressuring quieter students to "be someone they are not."
"CRCM strategies across environment, communication, and family engagement"
"Contrast of inclusive Teacher B with non-responsive Teacher A"
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