IFO Classroom Culture and Climate

13 September 2022

For my classroom observations, I am there on two different days (white and purple days). Both classes on purple and white days are senior literature classes. Both classes are fairly quiet and mild-mannered, but the class on white days is significantly quieter even still. For the purposes of this observation, I was only observing the white day class. The far side of the classroom by the entrance almost never talks, not even amongst each other. Two girls in the middle of the classroom really only interact with each other and the teacher (Mrs. Kendall). There are three kids that sit around me in the classroom that only talk to Mrs. Kendall and sometimes to each other. One of these students has had this teacher for several classes so they know each other quite well. This same student is also very good friends with the boy that sits directly behind her. There is a boy who sits at the very back of the class that isn’t surrounded by anyone, but he is very friendly and intelligent. He is a foreign student and doesn’t seem to talk unless spoken to first, but he speaks English very well. The class is working on a project over the coming weeks during class time so most students are either working on their assignment or playing on their phones during class time. Every once in awhile a student has a question for Mrs. Kendall or starts talking to the friends sitting around them. The classroom is generally pretty quiet while they work, until about halfway through the period when Mrs. Kendall addresses the class in order to check in on students and observe what progress they’ve made during the class period. Most students, though, are on their phones, not talking, and not working on their essays. It feels very weird for me, because the only ones in the room who are talking are myself and Mrs. Kendall, and we are discussing what the plans for me are for the coming weeks. 

To recap, it doesn’t seem like the people in this class know each other very well and don’t have an interest in getting to know anyone they aren’t already friends with. Maybe this is only because students are currently working on projects, but Mrs. Kendall doesn’t really seem to have an interest in cultivating a classroom culture. I’m torn between thinking this is weird, but also thinking that maybe she just doesn’t want to make students feel awkward by forcing them to interact with each other.