University Classroom Reconnaissance Projectby Example

I observed an undergraduate History class at Sac State

Lecture class

Classroom culture:

a little bit formal; based upon the students attitude Quiet atmosphere Students were paying attention without much

interaction. They just asked a few questions. Even during the break time I did not notice

interaction between the students .

Classroom demographics:

Heterogeneous class Around 30 students More than half women Diverse etnic mix, with the majority being

caucasian One elderly woman attended the class There was a variety of age groups

I think the course pretty much filled the subjects written in the course description

While I was doing my notes I could make some comparisons with the history of my country during the same time period discussed in the class

Topics:

Slavery / abolition Declaration of sentimentals (1848); equality Decoration of the independence Democracy Formation of the middle class Religion with moral justification: In God We Trust The portion of the lecture on woman in history caught my attention. The

professor cited the name of some outspoken women who were in favor of the right to vote, the right of better work conditions and abolition of the slavery.

Distinctions between women from the north US (New York) and women from the south ( South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississipe)

Code of honour Cotton King

Classroom procedures:

The professor used transparencies Students were doing taking notes. A majority of them were hand-

writing, and 6 of them were using laptops. I noticed many students were checking their cell phones during the

class. After class some students went to talk to the professor about an

additional books they were reading . Moreover, the professor made indications about some books during the lecture.

http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=1099671

Classroom demands:

No homework They were reading abook during the course and they were

going to read another book for the final exam The students were going to be evaluated with two

dissertations, one in the midterm and the other in the final exam

Reflection

The lecture was similar to the classes I attended in Brazil

I could follow and take notes in English about all the content

I did not feel lost with new vocabulary or concepts mentionned. They were very familiar to me.

I felt comfortable listening to the lecture in English

Another important consideration is the evaliation method. A good written essay is quite important i the History field.

I could undertand why ELI stresses the importance of grammar and composition classes