OBSERVATION STAGE REPORT

Task 1: The School and Learning Environment

Name of student: Pilar Escalona Requena

Name of School: Pan American College

Number of students: 9

Date: September 30, 2009

Class: 3º m

1. The school:

Pan American College is located in 1 North Avenue # 2065, Viña del Mar. Their founders are Mr. Hector Soazo and Madam Nelda Rojas de Soazo. The school starts its educational activities in the year 1960. In 1969, the first generation of students graduates from the school, marking an important step in the history of the school. Until this date, twenty six generations of students have graduated from the school.

The school offers students incorporation since kindergarten up to high school. Students that want to be a member of the school have to take a Language test, an English test, and a Math test. They also have to give a personal interview, and have a general annual grade of 5,5 or more.

The general formation of the students is to:
• Develop artistic, scientific and sporty abilities and aptitudes.
• Orientate their values towards respect, responsibility, honesty, tolerance and solidarity.
• Develop their self-esteem, creativity and capacity to solve everyday issues and troubles.

The school offers extracurricular activities, such as swimming, basketball, soccer, choir, instrumental music, catechism and psycho-pedagogy.

Pan American College is an English school, therefore, English is taught since kindergarten. Since 11 grade, English is divided into three levels, being level one the lowest; according to their grades, the students are placed in each level. In elementary school the students have fours hours of English peer week; and in high school the students have six hours of English peer week.

In the year 2002, the school incorporates itself to the Jornada Escolar Completa Diurna (JECD); and in 2003 it adopts a subsidize modality.

The organization of the school includes a supporter; finances; the principal; administration and secretary; inspector; UTP; teachers; orientation; assistants; representatives; parents; CCPP; CCAA; and students.

Pan American College seeks to form children and youngsters with proper academic preparation and with solid ethic and moral values which allows them to be creative and autonomous, with a positive self-esteem ables to incorporate themselves into superior studies and ables to successfully manage themselves in our society.

2. The classroom

The classroom is located in the oldest building of the school. It is used for English class (level 1) and for extracurricular activities. The classroom remains looked after class; the English teacher and the inspector have the key, and are the only ones who are allowed to open it. Since it is an old classroom, it is not impeccable; it has a broken window, holes on the wall, and a cracked whiteboard. The students seat on individual chairs and usually around the teacher’s table. It is poorly equipped; it does not have a clock or a whiteboard eraser.

The students do not feel engaged, they do not take their English book with them to the class, they rarely bring classroom materials, such as pencils, erasers and paper; they rarely write on their notebooks. They do not study for tests; they are always late for class.

3. The activities & resources

a) The teacher uses the English book for every activity. He usually explains an activity of the book for the students to complete; or he writes and activity from the teacher’s book on the whiteboard, and the students have to complete it on their notebooks. After completing the activity the students give their notebooks to the teacher and he checks the answers. The book used for this class is Blockbuster US 3 by Express Publishing. Usually one activity covers the entire hour.
b) The resources the school has are English dictionaries, a datashow, a computer lab, TV, DVD and a radio. At this moment the datashow is not working. When I asked about technology usage for English teaching, my guide teacher told me that the computer lab it is not in its best conditions, therefore it is not advisable to use. Paper is also an issue, due to it is only for tests and not for activities, therefore my guide teacher only uses the whiteboard and the English book for classroom activities.

Task 2: Student´s learning

1. The learners
The students are in the lowest level of English, therefore it is not a meaningful subject for them; they do not feel motivated because for them English I is a relaxing time in their schedule. The students have to be explained several times a subject or an activity because they don’t pay attention, thus they prefer the teacher to do most of their work asking him to do the exercises as examples.

2. Behaviour during classroom activities
There are not any students with special needs. The students are encouraged only when there is an extra point for a test, or a grade involved. For managing issues and motivating the students, the teacher talks to them regularly about respect, responsibility and their future studies at the university and the importance their school grades has for their next studies.

3. Discuss the learning styles and levels of English in the classroom.

Observation scale:

Observations clear & well informed: not observed
Demonstrates understanding of social and educational factors: medium
Objective & factual information: Not observed
Evidence of active search of information:low
Use of English expression clear:low