The classroom where I conducted the research from this project is where I did my student teaching during this semester. It was a sixth grade classroom that was set up in a team environment. I taught Language Arts as well as Social Studies, and my team teacher taught Math and Science. The team I taught consisted of 38 students, and the academic range among the students was quite wide. It was a full inclusion school, so there were students with different learning disabilities included in the classroom. Having such wide gaps in the academic level among students was quite a challenge when planning instruction and assignments that could incorporate students of all learning levels. In my student teaching, I taught topics starting from the Abolitionist and Women’s Suffrage Movement through the Civil War.
As for the technology that could be found in the schools, it can be said that there were some limitations. Due to some certain circumstances, the school had to recently vacate their usual building to one that was much older and with limited resources. My cooperating teacher apologized to me on my first day in the classroom, explaining that their school had some setbacks with their technology due to the building change. However, I told her it’s what you do with the technology you have that matters. Not every child had their own laptop as in some schools, but there were three different computer labs and the library for the use of the students in grades 6-8. However, every classroom did have smartboard located in them, and there is a lot that can be done with them to engage the students.
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