Observing math instruction free essay sample

In every aspect of life there is a need for some kind of standard, in mathematic instruction there are two aspects of these standards, processing and constructivism. Standards are an example of what learning should occur in students. Standards are important because it gives schools and districts a goal. By incorporating standards it allows everyone involved to be aware of what needs to happen, what the teacher will teach, what the student will learn and any assessments that will be done (great schools). In my opinion standards can improve student achievement because students and parents know what information they have to learn and they can better prepare themselves. Most people like having a pattern or guide of some sort to follow because it takes the guess work out. With such good guide lines in place some people still use traditional math instruction verses constructivist programs. With tradition al instruction the teacher provides the information and is the main authoritative figure, they usually disseminate their knowledge. We will write a custom essay sample on Observing math instruction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The students react directly to the teacher’s instruction, and the classroom atmosphere is very passive. Students are not expected to rely on prior knowledge or background for learning experience. The lessons are usually revolved around a textbook and the assessments are usually formal and informal tests. On the other hand constructivist programs are based on theory. Constructivist teachers interact with their students, promote the construction of their own learning, allow students to have points of view and encourage participation in classroom activities. The students are usually active and work in groups. Constructivism focuses on problem solving, and the application of knowledge. Finally in a constructivist setting there is the use of such tools as running records, observations and portfolios when the student is being assesses because these tools capture knowledge and comprehension of concepts (Mazarro 2009). During recent observation of a math class in an elementary school the opportunity was permitted to see if and how certain math standards were being used in the classroom. The objective of this lesson was students will be able to improve their critical thinking skill by practicing solving problems. This particular teacher was using mathematical processes. In this particular standard the student focuses on problem solving, reasoning, and proof of. This particular teacher had already pre-assigned her students with partners to work with. This evidentially was done in the very beginning of the school year so all the students were familiar with their partners. The teacher presented the students with several sceneries and the students had to develop questions that could be used. She reminded the students they should focus on what the question is asking. There were several little games already in place for problem solving strategies. One of the questions was packing for camp, what things would one need to bring. The students worked with their partner and came up with different questions. The teacher was practicing constructive response. She used pictures, and drew something that resembled a T, this tool allowed the students to visualize the questions she was asking. The question was how many ways can 36 tiles are drawn? The students seem to enjoy the exercise, and the partners they had chosen were actively engaging in exchange of ideas. The teacher had a few students in her class that were Spanish speaking, there were no special education students, disabled students. For the Spanish students there was a paraprofessional that translated and helped the Spanish students to understand the questions being asked. When the teacher was asked about differentiation she stated â€Å"they have been here for a while and they comprehend pretty well with the paraprofessional giving them assistance†. She also explained that sometimes there are special education students in the class but the same procedure takes place with the paraprofessional. As far as this lesson goes the results and expected outcomes were pretty clear. The questions were everyday questions that any of the students could identify with regardless of background or culture. There was no need to make any changes and in my opinion I would not have done anything different. I have often been surprised when doing my practicum at this particular school because there is so little technology available to students. The teacher did however use an overhead board that had some technological tools. The students would go up to this particular board and click on what they wanted to use and then preceded to write whatever their question was. This particular assignment was more or less thinking skills so the use of technology was not necessarily needed. The teacher had different little rhymes she would use to jog the students memory. She allowed time for each question to be answered and when the class was over the students didn’t appear to be as though they were rushed. The assessment of the learning was through group activity so it was based on constructivism. The students were also given test prep questions as homework. The class was mostly based on allowing students to process information and practice problem solving. The best way to describe the assessment was observations. I did notice the teacher kept some type of record of student activity. The opportunity was not awarded to investigate this record. After the lesson and the practicum experience it has become very clear that the use of standards are a very important aspect of education. Standards are the baseline for most things we do in life. The math standards are clear and concise, so the use of these standards has become practical and easy for most teachers to use. The use of standards can make teaching a better experience on my opinion. According to several statistics noted student achievement has greatly improved, but the use of these standards is slow to catch on. The reasoning for this is many teachers have been in the system for a while and are not as open to using updated information. As more new teachers are put into the system the use of these standards will take precedence