Field Blog 2 Beachwood Middle School

Beachwood Middle School

       The first thing I noticed walking into Beachwood  middle school was the strong aroma of garlic bread and two security doors. I observed the school was very open in space.  I interpreted the vast amount of openness meant there was a big student population.. I was wrong, there is actually 320 students in the school. Having diversity in this school is no issue. Besides African Americans and whites, there are many Jewish and disabled students! I noticed there was blue alarms around the halls and in each classroom. I interpreted this as just an alarm for everyone. When I asked it was actually for deaf students. I learned Beachwood middle school is one of the few schools in Ohio with a program for deaf students. Surprisingly, like Mercer elementary school, there was much art work on the ways. This was art work in Chinese about the student which is really cool because it personalizes the school to the students.

    

      During 3rd period, I observed 7th grade science. The first second I entered Mrs. Spence's classroom, I was greeted with such warm and kindness. The kids were asking me me questions about myself. One student even gave me thumbs up because he saw I was writing with my left hand. I was shocked, when I was in 7th grade I was watching Hannah Montana and this kid was noticing how I was writing. I noticed all the students had brief cases. I interpreted this as the new style. I was wrong, the students each have a laptop and carry it in brief case bags. Also, I noticed a kid with a heavy speech impediment because I am in speech therapy classes. The other students actually interacted with him like a normal student. This surprised me because when I was younger if you had a speech impediment, others excluded you and you were separately taught.

     

      When class started, the teacher never once taught from the front. She moved from the back to the middle of the room and would occasionally sit on students desks. Even though the students were quite chatty, they had constant eye contact and engaged with the teacher at all times. Mrs. Spence really connected the lesson to her students everyday life. For example, when talking about force she went up to the students and made them push their hands against hers. If they were hesitant she would make a joke like " come on , did you not put on deodorant? Lift those strong arms." I saw the students faces light up when she did this. Also, she pulled up a Superbowl commercial and tied this into the lesson. Instantly the kids were engaged.

   Audi commercial shown

     Mrs. Spence had a key teaching concept- give the students the answer and make them explain. She repeated " claim + evidence + reasoning = explanation. Instead of a student just giving an explanation, she made them find proof through pictures, videos, diagrams and in THEIR own words. From observing this classroom, even though it looked boring, it was full of creative minds.

   Overall, I was stunned by this school. Beachwood middle school is with the times of technology and puts their students to an advantage by teaching this. The behavior and atmosphere was spectacular and no doubt I would send my future child there!