Field Placement Reflection: Thurmont Elementary School

Field Placement Reflection This semester, I observed in Ms. Scott’s fifth grade classroom at Thurmont Elementary School. There were about 25 students in the class, and there were more boys than girls. Ms. Scott’s classroom was a positive learning environment for the students. The classroom was very welcoming and decorated with bright colors and posters. In the front of the room, there was a “Wall of Encouragement” where the students could post messages. This wall encompassed the attitude of the classroom. During my observations, I usually observed the science lesson and then the beginning of the writing lesson.

Instruction and Learning Activities During a few of my visits, the students had extra recess. This was something that they had

One way that teachers can use reinforcers in the classroom is to award points (reinforcement) for good behavior and take away points (punishment) for bad behavior (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2002). In Ms. Scott’s classroom, there were various reinforcements used to regulate behavior. As an entire class, the students could earn points for good behavior. When going to their specials, like music or art, the class got ranked from 1- 10 for behavior and that number was added to the class total for points. They could also earn points for all being on task or working quietly. There was a goal set to reach a certain amount of points and when the students reached that, they earned a reward like extra recess. The students were then divided into color groups based on where they sat. Each group could earn or lose points depending on their behavior. Then as a table, they could earn rewards like the table with the most points could line up first. Then, the students were all responsible for their own behavior. Ms. Scott used clips that could be moved between blue (the best), green, yellow, and red. If the students were moved all the way down to red, then there was a phone call home and it students were moved up to blue then they received “cougar cash”. The cougar cash allowed students to “buy” things such as a homework pass, lunch with the teacher, or pick your own partner. Using the various reinforcements in the classroom made the students accountable for their behavior as a class, table, and