Dayschool Leadership through Teaching (DeLeT), Brandeis University
State of Massachusetts Licensure Requirements
Pre-Practicum Observation Form 2009-2010
Student: Laura Ruth Rheinheimer
Student Signature:
Field Instructor: Elaine Kohen
F.I. Signature:
School Visits Assignment
Due May 27
This assignment is designed to give you the opportunity to visit four schools and experience the
way that different schools are organized.
Spend a half a day in each school. Observe in one or two classrooms. If possible, arrange for a
tour of the school. Prepare a brief (less than one page) reaction after each visit focusing on the
following questions:
What stands out to you about the school as a whole?
How do the classrooms accommodate student diversity? Explain.
What are teachers doing to promote understanding?
What makes these classrooms “Jewish?” (If visiting a Jewish day school)
How would you characterize the culture of learning in the classrooms where you observed?What
are some dominant values in the teachers’ practice?
Did you see instances of integration? If so, describe them.
What, if anything, surprised you about this classroom?
The chart "What to look for in a classroom" by Alfie Kohn, found at this site:
http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/wtlfiacchart.htm suggests a framework to guide your
observations. Be sure to include the date and time of your visit and the school name.
School Name
Location
Affiliation
Date of Visit
SASSDS
Norwood, MA
Conservative
Jan. 25, 2010
Maimonides
Brookline, MA
Modern Orthodox
Jan. 27, 2010
Wornick
Gideon Hausner
Foster City, CA
Palo Alto, CA
MAT/JDS – DeLeT at Brandeis University
Fundamentals of Teaching Seminar; Spring, 2010
Pluralistic
Pluralistic
Feb. 22, 2010
Feb. 19, 2010
1
School Visit Reflection #1
School:
South Area Solomon Schechter Day School
Date:
Jan. 25, 2010
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
What stands out to you about the school as a whole?
The school is unique in that the teachers in the lower grades teach both Jewish and general
studies.
 How do the classrooms accommodate student diversity? Explain.
SASSDS claims that they pride themselves on accommodating all types of learners. From what I
hear about the school, this happens by providing students outlets for their needs. Most
prominently, there is one student who is allowed to get up and color any time he wants. From the
lesson I saw, there was a small group of first graders who sat around a semicircular table, and
participated in the lesson on short vowel sounds in a more traditional way (teacher calls on
students).
 What are teachers doing to promote understanding? The teachers were continually checking
in with students during the lesson on vowel patterns.
 What makes these classrooms “Jewish?” (If visiting a Jewish day school) The first grade
teacher teaches across Jewish and general studies. Around the classroom, there are
materials in both Hebrew and English, about Jewish and general topics. On the spelling wall,
there are words that are in English and transliterated Hebrew words. During the lesson,
students offer words that are in both languages.
 How would you characterize the culture of learning in the classrooms where you observed?
What are some dominant values in the teachers’ practice? The teacher was trying to be very
inclusive, and her main goal seemed to be checking for understanding. It was a very goaloriented lesson.
 Did you see instances of integration? If so, describe them. Students wanted to spell Hebrew
words during a lesson on vowel patterns in English.
 What, if anything, surprised you about this classroom? I was surprised at the amount of
attention put on one child. I was also surprised that the child seemed to have a different set of
rules than the rest of the students.
MAT/JDS – DeLeT at Brandeis University
Fundamentals of Teaching Seminar; Spring, 2010
2
School Visit Reflection #2
School:
Maimonides
Date:
Jan. 27, 2010
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
What stands out to you about the school as a whole? The school is very clean. I did not see a
lot of students out in the hallways. I saw them only with teachers in the classrooms or on the
playground. It seemed very clean and professional. I also didn't notice a lot of student work
displayed on the hallway walls. In the individual classrooms, there was student work
displayed, but more teacher material was displayed (20% student work, 80% teacher
material).
How do the classrooms accommodate student diversity? Explain. There were 22 students in
each section of the fifth grade class. When I went there, the general studies teacher was
implementing a project to create a business plan to propose a new flavor of ice cream to the
owner of JP Licks. They were in charge of all aspects of this project, from calculating profits,
to making promotional posters, to working on how to welcome the businessman to their
school.
What are teachers doing to promote understanding? The teacher was going around to the
groups to check in. He was making suggestions and having the students explain their
thinking to him.
What makes these classrooms “Jewish?” (If visiting a Jewish day school) There was writing
work on the walls that was Jewishly themed. They were making posters in Hebrew to
welcome the Jewish businessman to their class. Before they got started on the project, they
davened.
How would you characterize the culture of learning in the classrooms where you
observed?What are some dominant values in the teachers’ practice? Students take charge of
their own work. The teacher is more of a guide. They are responsible to make work they are
proud of, and to take initiative for their own learning.
Did you see instances of integration? If so, describe them. The whole project was in order to
propose creating a new flavor of ice cream for some JP Licks stores, where the proceeds
would go to Haiti earthquake victims. The entire project was integrated Jewishly: bringing in
Jewish values of tzedakah to create a project that used math, art, ELA skills, and Hebrew.
What, if anything, surprised you about this classroom? I was surprised at first by the way the
classroom was run. It seemed more like a classroom that ran itself, rather than a teacher at
its head. The teacher only got involved in the student work to check on progress and to check
for understanding (to make sure they made sense).
The other class I went to was with fifth grade to their computers class. They went in and
immediately put their headphones on and worked on a Language Arts program that the
school is trying out this year.
MAT/JDS – DeLeT at Brandeis University
Fundamentals of Teaching Seminar; Spring, 2010
3
School Visit Reflection #2
School:
Wornick Jewish Day School
Date:
Feb. 22, 2010
 What stands out to you about the school as a whole?
How do the classrooms accommodate student diversity? Explain.
What are teachers doing to promote understanding?
What makes these classrooms “Jewish?” (If visiting a Jewish day school)
How would you characterize the culture of learning in the classrooms where you observed?What
are some dominant values in the teachers’ practice?
Did you see instances of integration? If so, describe them.
 What, if anything, surprised you about this classroom? During a guided reading lesson, one
student would read a large portion of text while sitting on top of her desk, while the other
students sat at their desks. The head of general studies explained that they like to work on
their skills speaking and reading in front of people.
MAT/JDS – DeLeT at Brandeis University
Fundamentals of Teaching Seminar; Spring, 2010
4
What stands out to you about the school as a whole?
How do the classrooms accommodate student diversity? Explain.
What are teachers doing to promote understanding?
What makes these classrooms “Jewish?” (If visiting a Jewish day school)
How would you characterize the culture of learning in the classrooms where you observed?What
are some dominant values in the teachers’ practice?
Did you see instances of integration? If so, describe them.
What, if anything, surprised you about this classroom?
MAT/JDS – DeLeT at Brandeis University
Fundamentals of Teaching Seminar; Spring, 2010
5