TCH 130 Shadow Study 1

TCH 130 – Shadow Study

Dr. Kristina Falbe

9 November 2018

Your name: John Anderlik

Student pseudonym: Michael

School Name: Metcalf Laboratory School

Grade Level: Seventh Grade

Gender of Student: Male

Date of Visit: 27 September 2018

Time of Arrival: 8:00 A.M.

Time of Departure: 11:00 A.M.

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Metcalf Laboratory School, located in Normal, Illinois, lays within the heart of Illinois

State University (ISU). Metcalf, a unique and diverse educational environment, sits across from

the ISU quad and the College of Education’s DeGarmo Hall; the students have the privilege of

observing college life as adolescents. Normal is an urbanized town within central Illinois, South

of Peoria. According to ​Neighborhood Scout​, the uniquely named town of Normal is populated

by 54,264 people with an average household income of $54,496 (Neighborhood Scout, 2018).

Although the average household income is below the national average, nearly all students who

attend Metcalf appear to be associated with an affluent household. Walking through the halls of

Metcalf, students could be seen wearing name-brand clothing (i.e. Nike, Under Armour, PINK,

etc.); students also wore smart watches, or other fitness trackers. My subject, Michael, was one

of those students. The day the Shadow Study began, Michael wore what appeared to be brand

new Air Jordan shoes, Nike t-shirt, athletic shorts, and leggings–accessorized by an Apple Watch

and Nike backpack. Michael’s choices in apparel were not the only factors that contributed to the

affluent status of himself and others attending the school. A majority of those responsible for

dropping students off to their classes, appear to drive well maintained and relatively new

vehicles. Although statistical information based on gender was unavailable, ISU appears to

maintain a student population that is dominantly female.Walking through the halls, or sitting in a

classroom, it is prevalent that female students outweigh their male counterparts by a ratio of 2:1.

Female students, at Metcalf, are typically taller than males; “girls’ growth spurts peak about two

years earlier than boys’” (Brown & Knowles, 2014, p. 17). The demographic report of Illinois

State University’s Laboratory Schools, the ​2016-2017 Laboratory Schools: Annual Report,​ states

that of Metcalf’s 387 students, 74.9% are White, 9.3% are Hispanic, 4.4% Black, and the rest are
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classified under Asian, Alaskan, or identify with two or more races (College of Education, 2017,

p. 4). Aside from Metcalf’s ethnic demographics, the school houses a diverse range of grade

levels beginning with pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As a Laboratory School, it is

required for students to submit an admissions application to qualify for enrollment. According to

Metcalf’s admissions website, only 5.6% of middle school applicants are accepted into the

school; class sizes are similar to public schools, hosting 20-30 students (Thomas Metcalf, 2018).

Based on what I learned from the educators of Metcalf, it was difficult to understand what a

typical day for a student might be– ranging from a normal seven to eight period or blocked

schedule. ​The Glossary of Education Reform​ states that a block-schedule is, “a system for

scheduling the middle or high school day, typically by replacing a more traditional schedule of

40-50 minute daily periods with longer class periods that meet fewer times each week” (Great

Schools, 2014). As Michael progressed through his daily routine at Metcalf, I was unable to

understand the staff’s pedagogy for student success throughout the study. Following the

completion of the study, I was unable to discern Metcalf’s implementation of teaming, advisory

and or planning periods, however staff relations seemed positive. The school has a multitude of

technological advancements at their disposal; Michael, along with his peers, have one-to-one

laptop technology available to them. Most classrooms were also equipped with a SmartBoard, or

an interactive whiteboard, for teachers to use for instruction; those classrooms that did not have a

SmartBoard had an overhead projector that mirrored a computer screen.

First period: home economics. Michael’s obvious demeanor made him stand out amongst

his peers, creating indirect distractions within the classroom. The greatest distraction was

Michael’s apparent injury he suffered when banging his hip on a rounded countertop. Although
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Michael may have been wounded, the likelihood of the injury developing lasting discomfort was

questionable; Michael’s limping may have instigated sympathy from his peers as he walked

to-and-from classes. When exploring young adolescent’s emotional development, Michael’s

countertop injury, may be a result of his egocentric characteristics. “Much of young adolescents’

emotional energy is expended in responding to an ​imaginary audience​” (Brown & Knowles,

2014, p. 44). Many young adolescents dwell on self-centered thoughts; their behavior results in

over dramatization an egotistical expressions that can be communicated to their peers. When the

class began, students were asked to cut vegetables for their veggie-trays. While working with his

station partner, Michael respectfully took turns sharing the knife and cutting board. Michael was

not afraid to experiment with techniques that neither he, nor the class, had been taught. Through

Michael’s actions within his home economics course, it was evident that he displayed

characteristics associated with Bruner’s Discovery Learning Theory. The theory addresses that

students draw on their past experiences and existing knowledge to discover new solutions. Due

to Michael’s previous cooking experience, he was able to present new techniques within the

kitchen.

During second period, Michael entered the locker room to change into his gym uniform.

As he exited the locker room, it was evident Michael was not dressed in the school’s standard

gym uniform. Instead, he wore red Nike athletic shorts and a black t-shirt. “All these cognitive

changes among young adolescents create another challenge in their lives: the desire to engage in

risky behaviors” (Brown & Knowles, 2012, p. 31). Although the infraction would have been

minor, Michael’s selective behavior suggests that he participates in [small] risk-taking decisions.

The day’s activity was to volley a lacrosse ball between peers. When students were asked to
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choose a partner, Michael and the rest of his class already had an idea of whom they wanted to

work with. Each student glanced around the gymnasium and exchanged a head nod with their

soon-to-be partner. As Michael searched for a potential partner, he seemed to identify a select

few, exchanging a head nod with these ones. Similar to the actions of his peers, it was evident

that Michael was familiar with a set of his fellow classmates, a clique. The clique Michael

associated himself with “...assists [him] in overall adolescent development providing a context

for values and roles and offering the security of a temporary identity” (Brown & Knowles, 2012,

p. 37). As the activity preceded, it was apparent that Michael was enjoying this interaction with

his peers; he was engrossed in participating amongst his fellow students. “Most of you are using

your partners as a target instead of a teammate,” said Michael’s gym teacher. Michael, however,

was recognized as a positive example of using his teammate for correct instruction. Michael is

progressing through the moral aspects of social development, becoming aware of socially

acceptable behaviors. As the text highlights, “They are capable of more complex moral

reasoning and begin to see things from various perspectives” (Brown & Knowles, 2012, p. 41).

An important aspect of middle school education is the implementation of exploratory curricula.

“We want students to explore band, choir, art, physical education, and technology” (Brown &

Knowles, 2014, p. 95). The emphasis on exploratory classes allows students, such as Michael, to

pursue their interests and identify thinking processes that will become relevant within adulthood.

Michael’s music class was next in his schedule; he plays the trumpet. As the class began,

the teacher handed out assessment results and students practiced their assigned sheet music.

Respectfully, Michael took advantage of this time; his peers, however, muddle through their

rehearsal, making the music room sound like an unorganized symphony. As time went on,
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Michael joined in on the rambunctiousness behavior of his fellow students. Michael’s behavior

reflects concepts found in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. The theory states that​ ​“...largely

through their actions that people produce the environmental conditions that affect their behavior

in a reciprocal fashion” (Bandura, 1977, p. 9). The behavior Michael’s peers participated in

would eventually be prevalent within the future actions he may make.

Fourth period contained Michael’s first core-content class of the day: Language Arts. As

students walked in, they were given the option to sit anywhere that may learn best; the classroom

was full of cushioned rocking chairs, standard desks, and couches. Michael ultimately chose the

cushioned rocking chair. According to Brown & Knowles, “...the changing skeletal structure of

young adolescents is that the three tailbones fuse and harden into their final adult form” (p. 17).

The process may cause severe pain and discomfort, resulting in students, such as Michael, to

choose flexible seating options. As time dwindled down for Michael, and his peers, for

independent reading time, the teacher instructed that students should pull out their 3-ringed

binders to organize them. Michael’s binder seemed to be organized, which indicates that his

prefrontal cortex (PFC) is in its developing stage; the PFC influences young adolescents’ ability

to plan for the future, make appropriate behavioral decisions, and organize their materials. When

Brown & Knowles asked middle school teachers what the most important concept for a young

adolescent to learn, they responded with, “‘To learn how to be organized… ’” (p. 28). This

explains the reasoning of Michael’s teacher allotting time for students to organize their materials.

For the remainder of class, Michael and his peers were instructed to write their realistic-fiction

papers on their Chromebooks.​ ​The use of technology plays a dramatic role in young adolescent

development. Students begin to lose face-to-face interactions, relying only on social media as a
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way of communicating; social media can cultivate concerns for safety, emotional drama, and a

false sense of security among friends.

Before the Shadow Study, and the course as a whole, I imagined that young adolescents

share similar characteristics: wants, needs, and particular behaviors. Although I only was able to

observe Michael in one content course, he challenged the thoughts I previously held about young

adolescents; I was able to recognize the importance of a middle school concept: incorporating

characteristics such as exploratory classes and flexible schedules to help meet student’s

developmental needs. As an educator, I plan to incorporate flexible seating within my classroom.

I hope this tool will help my students become further engaged in their learning, tailoring their

focus to academic success rather than uncomforting seating arrangements. Through the use of

group collaboration, students will learn to work as a group and build necessary social

relationships; working independently will allow for PFC growth and stimulation. Through these

processes, I believe I can create a supportive learning environment for my future students.
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Works Cited

Bandura, A. (1977). ​Social learning theory​. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc.

​ ortsmouth,
Brown, D.F. & Knowles, T. (2012). ​What every middle school teacher should know. P
NH: Heinemann.
College of Education (2017). Laboratory schools annual report. ​Illinois State University​.

Retrieved from

https://education.illinoisstate.edu/labschools/annualreports/18-6276%20COE%20Lab%2

0Schools%20Annual%20Report%202016-2017_ADA.pdf

Great Schools Partnership (2014). Block schedule. ​The Glossary of Education Reform​. Retrieved

from https://www.edglossary.org/block-schedule/

Neighborhood Scout (2018). Normal, IL demographic data. ​Neighborhood Scout.​ Retrieved from
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/il/normal/demographics
Thomas Metcalf School (2018). Frequently asked questions. ​Illinois State University​. Retrieved

from https://metcalf.illinoisstate.edu/admissions/faq.php