Conrad Johnson 

Dr. Hoyte

Education 492 - Student Teaching II

April 15, 2013

Reflection on Math Lesson

            Today, I taught my third lesson; for this lesson I also recorded it as well. My lesson was aligned with the Common Core Mathematics standards 2.MD.A.4 and 2.MD.D.10. After collaborating with my cooperating teacher, Ms. Bell, she and I both agreed that I follow the Everyday Mathematics that the students were doing. When I was first presented with the materials for the lesson I wondered what your arm spans and long jumps has to do with math. Then as I continue to plan my lesson it began to unfold to me how arm spans and long jumps coincide with math. My students learned how to measure length to the nearest centimeter and to the nearest inch. They also learned to measure the length of a standing long jump in centimeters and the length of an arm span in inches. My lesson was centered on how can we tell how long objects are? To get my students involved in the lesson, I asked them a question. They were asked “have you ever wondered how long the length of your arm is? As the students were eager to answer, some said they were interested in finding out while others said no. Once I demonstrated to my students what I meant when I used the term arm span. I used four students as volunteers to provide my students with visual representations of them measuring their peers arm spans and long jumps.

            After the students watched their classmates measuring their peers arm spans and long jumps. Now I wanted to see whether or not if my students knew if they would get a larger number when you measure in inches or in centimeters. As they collaborated with their peers I was looking to hear them explain their answers with supporting details determining if they will get a larger number in inches or centimeters. When I was planning my lesson, I wanted to make sure I placed my students in groups where I know they will perform well. Vygotsky’s believes that one way to foster cognitive development is to approach learning as a social process through peer interaction. Peer interaction is important because “students can often accomplish more difficult task when they work together than alone; in such situations students are essentially providing scaffolding for one another’s efforts.” (Ormond, 2011, p.49). Some of my students have an IEP, so to ensure that my students are improving their cognitive development, I will place my students in groups to work together to help each other measure one another. While my students were in their assigned groups, I monitored two while my two paraprofessionals (special education and general education teachers) assisted the two groups in the back. When the students were placed in their perspective groups, I assigned them jobs. In each group there were a jumper, line judge, marker, and measurer. They all took turns until everyone received their measurements. The students were eager to get their arm spans measured and their standing long jumps.

            When it came time for my students to go and complete their independent work, I wanted my students to still enjoy doing math. At first I did not have a clue what assignment can the students do and still be creative. I gave out two different assignments; the grape and pear group were asked to make up and solve their own number stories using their arm spans and standing long jump measurements. For my students who were in the apple group (my IEP students) their assignment was to construct a bar graph with the data they collected. I also had an assignment for my students to complete if they were finished before everyone else was. They were to complete page 175 in their Everyday Mathematics Math Journal 2. Some students wanted to share with me their number stories; they wrote creative and interesting stories.

            As I reflect on my previous lesson I feel this lesson has been my best lesson. The students were excited to work with their peers collecting each other’s measurements. From this lesson my students walking away with information that they did not know beforehand. I picked three explamars work that received either an emerging, competent or explemary grade. Looking at chart below (f.g.1) I noticed that my students was able to walk away from this lesson knowing information that they did not know beforehand. It has also showed me the things I need to work on to make my lesson better for the next time. Also, I will allow my students to share their work in class. When planning my lessons, I have to make sure I monitor the time more carefully in order for me to conclude the lesson.

                                                                                                                                    Table f.g.1

Reference

Ormrod, J. E. (2011). Educational psychology: developing learners (7th ed.). Boston:        Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.