The educational process in classrooms varies greatly, yet there are universal patterns that might be observed. Children’s psychological and physiological growth is impacted dramatically by their environment, upbringing, and schooling. As a result, teachers tend to follow well-known techniques in order to create the most friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Educators try not to overexert children and teach them in a relaxed setting. Moreover, teachers tend to utilize different methods that can help assess the cognitive abilities of children. In the given work, classes with 4-year-olds were observed. I analyzed their behaviors and intellectual and psychological characteristics. Additionally, nutrition habits and running records were analyzed.
A running record is an evaluation system that gives real-time information about a child’s reading capabilities. This system includes a score based on word reading accuracy, an examination of a child’s mistakes, and self-corrections (Barone, Khairallah, & Gabriel, 2020). In the observed class, a running record was utilized for numerous reasons. For example, the first reason involved evaluating word complexity and children’s comprehension. When the teacher showed everybody the words, both strong and struggling students were tested. In my opinion, this helped the teacher understand whether the children were ready to read the material of the given complexity and topic.
Another noteworthy observation is that the children in the classroom were grouped. With the help of a running record, the teacher was able to group children with different abilities. However, it must be mentioned that the groups had names of colors, such as green, purple, and blue. Moreover, a running record helped monitor the reader’s development and observe specific issues in students. When the record was conducted, the teacher made notes in order to help the student later.
According to the conducted running record, several children performed excellently, and four children struggled with the proper reading and comprehension of the material. The rest of the children showed average results and a strong desire to learn, trying to give their perceptions of the questions. The teacher did not single out students who were struggling. Instead, she navigated them and helped them by correcting their mistakes.
In an educational setting, it is also vital to pay attention not only to the process but the nutrition of the students. Nutrition plays a crucial role in the learning process of children due to the vitamins and minerals their organisms receive that help in the further development of skills and knowledge. In the given classroom, I noticed a child who was not able to concentrate due to poor eating habits. The child refuses to eat lunch like other children, and to help the student eat; the teacher must oversee him. As a result, due to malnutrition, a child lacks concentration, reading ability, and a will to study and interact with other children.
New research has shown that diet influences children’s cognitive abilities, attitude, and well-being, all of which have an effect on academic performance. According to studies, diets heavy in trans and saturated fats can impair cognitive performance (Burrows et al., 2017). Nnutrient deficits at a young age can impair intellectual abilities in school-aged children, and accessibility to nutrients enhances students’ intellect, focus, and activity levels.
Additionally, nutrition has an indirect influence on academic achievement. Inadequate nutrition might make students prone to sickness or cause headaches and stomach problems, which might lead to poor schooling (Haapala et al., 2017). Learners’ intellect, focus, and activity levels have been found to boost when they have exposure to nourishment that includes protein, carbs, and glucose. Nutrient deficiencies, especially zinc, vitamin B, Omega-3 fats, and protein at this age, on the other hand, can have an effect on mental performance as well (Burrows et al., 2017). Lastly, studies have found a relationship between diet and behavior. Exposure to proper nutrition, especially breakfast and lunch, has been shown in studies to improve a student’s psychological well-being, minimize aggressiveness and lessen discipline difficulties.
When observing the lunch eating patterns, the only child who stood out was the student with malnutrition. It is vital to be able to solve this problem, and the teacher was prompt. The parents of this child were contacted and informed of the situation. The decision was made to prepare a special lunch for the child. Thus, one of the main problems the teachers might face is the child’s malnutrition.
Nevertheless, there are many other issues that educators might encounter. For example, during the observation, there was a child who misbehaved. The approach the teacher chose was to tap on the table in order to attract the attention of the child. This approach is the most appropriate since it does not scare the child. In this case, the child’s inattentiveness could either be the inadequate amount of nutrients he was receiving or his predispositions.
Hence, in the given educational setting, the running record was conducted by the teacher in order to determine the complexity of the new words and assess the reading abilities of children and their development. As for eating habits, all children were eager to eat their lunch, except one student. His parents were contacted, and the decision was to prepare different lunches for him. Another example noticed was the child who misbehaved, and this was handled by tapping on the table to attract his attention.
References
Barone, J., Khairallah, P., & Gabriel, R. (2020). Running records revisited: A tool for efficiency and focus. The Reading Teacher, 73(4), 525-530.
Burrows, T., Goldman, S., Pursey, K., & Lim, R. (2017). Is there an association between dietary intake and academic achievement: a systematic review. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 30(2), 117-140.
Haapala, E. A., Eloranta, A. M., Venäläinen, T., Jalkanen, H., Poikkeus, A. M., Ahonen, T.,… & Lakka, T. A. (2017). Diet quality and academic achievement: a prospective study among primary school children. European Journal of Nutrition, 56(7), 2299-2308.