Field Blog 2: Shaker Heights High School

For my second field blog my class and I visited Shaker Heights High School. While there I examined many different interesting things. I sat in on two separate classes the first was an English class and the second class was a history class. The classrooms had two very different environments that I was interested in. The question I had in mind going to Shaker Heights High School was if it was going to be similar or different than Mayfield Middle School. The differences was major between the two schools is what I found out quickly.


The first class I had the opportunity to attend at Shaker Heights was an English class that I spent about 30 minutes in. The class was presenting a poetry project that they all had to do research on. The class had to do research on a poet, and a poem by the poet then, present many facts about the poem and the author. This particular class did not seem too interested in the project. About half of the students didn't even have a project to present. Many of them said, "I didn't have time to do it" or "I'll get it done tonight and then, turn it in tomorrow." Also, throughout most of the thirty minutes students had their phones out and were not paying attention to the other students who were presenting. Many of the students also got up and moved seats a lot. The teacher did their best to control the class, but it seemed as if it was a challenge. Another thing I noticed was the arrangement of the seats, they were in a format which I had never personally seen before. Perhaps this was the teachers attempt to get the class more involved and motivated to learn and to pay attention. I wish I could go back and see the class again, it was definitely and eye-opening experience for me.


The next class I had the opportunity to sit in at the school was a history class for about only 15 minutes. The classroom setup was what most classrooms look like, many rows of desks all faced in the same direction looking at the teacher in the front of the room. However, there was a major difference in this classroom compared to any other class I had been in before. It consisted of one teacher, but also the class had three aides to help students. This definitely helped the students as a whole with more guidance the students were certainly more involved. During this class the students read a short story about, Napoleon Bonaparte. After they completed the reading each student had to do a small paper filled with questions about the reading. I left the class as soon as they were given the worksheets, so I do not know how each student did on them. I'd like to think with all the help each student did well on the paper that was assigned.


In conclusion, my experience at Shaker Heights High School was something that I honestly enjoyed. The students and faculty were all very welcoming and it was an honor to sit in on two different classes. It would be an honor to go back and see some of the teachers and students again. However, my choice of education is still Early Childhood, but definitely wouldn't mind teaching at the high school level.