The site in where I am doing my practicum is Hazel Valley Elementary their mission statement is “every student is known by name, strength and need. We will empower our scholars to be resourceful, considerate, curious, problem solvers who will graduate ready for college, career and citizenship.” In my short time here I have noticed some strategies taken towards meeting this mission statement. One of the things I first took notice of was how every day is started in the classroom in where I am working. First thing in the morning the teacher greets each student by name and then they all sit in a circle in the carpet and go around saying good morning to each other; They then go around once again saying what mood they are in and why. To describe what mood they are in the students use the mood meter that is divided in four quadrants of a different color each, representing what they are feeling. Another thing that I have noticed has been how in the daily announcements the students are reminded that they are “resourceful, considerate, curious, problem solvers”. In the short time that I have been here I’ve also noticed that the students have built a community in their classroom in where there is trust, and they feel safe to share personal experiences and it is evident how the classroom is supportive and considerate towards others.
Hazel Valley has an enrollment of approximately 680 students in where 51.4% of the student body is male and the other 48.6% is female which is about half male half female. Regarding ethnicity 51.2% which is a bit more than half of the student body is made up of Hispanic/Latino students, 16.8% is White, 14.9% Asian, 7.7% African American, 6.1% two or more ethnicities, 1.7% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and 1.5% American Indian. Other demographic breakdowns include english learners (39%), low income (76%), and students with disabilities (18.7%).
Education 240 