School and Community Study

EDUU 510 School and Community Study Assignment Description

This assignment gives you an opportunity to study a specific school and its surrounding community in depth and gather contextual information that could assist you in determining how best to meet the needs of students in that school. You will be asked to gather contextual information about the school and community from a variety of sources and reflect on how that information could be used to inform your teaching.

Directions: 1. Select a School in California to Study

2. Gather Data About the Community

The U.S. Census Bureau website will be helpful in locating this information https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/INC110215 or you may use other sources

City Description Urban, rural or suburban Population Race/Ethnicity Educational Attainment Levels (High School or higher, Bachelor’s degree or higher, etc…) Median Household Income Percent of people living below the poverty level (percentage) Major employers in the area

3. Gather Data About the School a. Use the Ed Data website http://www.ed-data.org/ as your source for demographic

information about the school and staff

School Description Name of School Name of District Name of County Type of School (Elementary, Middle, High School) Grade Levels

Special School Designations (Which, if any, of these designations apply to the school you selected?) Immediate Intervention Underperforming School Program Title 1 School wide program Bilingual Waiver Program Charter School Magnet School California Distinguished School Blue Ribbon School

Student &Staff Demographics

Student Demographics Total Number of Students at the school Average Class Size Languages of English Learners Ethnic Diversity Index Foster Youth Count Students on Free/Reduced Price Meals (Percent of Total)

Certificated and Classified Staff Demographics Number of Teachers Per Pupil Ratio: Teachers Average Teaching Experience Number of Administrators Number of Classified Staff

b. Interview a teacher and ask them to respond to questions related to school and classroom

support for students and families described below.

School Support What school wide programs are available for students? (Reading intervention, AVID, Character Counts, other?)

What facilities are available for students beyond the classroom? (Computer Lab, Library, Gym, other?)

What student support services are available at the school for students? (Counselor, Nurse, Resource Specialist, School Psychologist, Social Worker, other?)

What special programs are available at the school for students? (English Language Learner Program, Preschool Program, Afterschool Program, other?)

How does the school reach out to families? Is there a school newsletter? If so, what information is contained in the newsletter and how often is it sent home? If not, how are parents notified of events? How are parents notified of curriculum, students’ grades/academic achievement? Does the school have an organized community outreach program? If so, how does it work? Is there a representative from the school who works with parents who are non-English speakers (such as an English Language Advisory Council)? Are there regular social occasions or events at which parents and school staff can get to know each other? In what ways are parents able to be involved in the school? Classroom Support What information do you gather about students that you find helps to inform your teaching? What strategies do you utilize to create a positive learning environment for all students? What strategies do you use to communicate and collaborate with parents?

What resources do you rely on when you are struggling to meet the needs of a student or students?

4. Observe an Experienced Teacher

Observe an experienced teacher teaching a lesson. Describe the lesson you observed. What evidence were you able to gather during the lesson observation that demonstrates the teacher used his/her knowledge about the students to meet any or all of the Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) described below?

a. Engaging and Supporting Students in Learning b. Creating and Maintaining an Effective Environment for Student Learning c. Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning d. Planning and Designing Learning Experiences e. Assessing Student Learning

5. Write a 3-5 page paper that includes:

a. A summary of information gained from your internet research and teacher interview about the school and community context based on the criteria and questions described above b. A summary of the lesson observation including the name of the teacher, grade level, subject

area observed and date of the observation as well a description of the lesson and evidence that the teacher used his/her knowledge about the students in the classroom to meet the TPEs

c. An analysis and reflection about the school and community study that includes answers to the following questions:

-What are the similarities and differences between your own school experiences and those of the students in the school and community you studied?

- How would the information you gathered about the school inform your teaching? - How would the information you gathered about the community inform your teaching?

- What insights did you gain about teaching from completing the school and community study?