Course I Reflection
Please answer the following questions, either on paper or on the computer. After you finish, use your answers to brainstorm some possible guiding questions for the master’s program. At the end of the course, please finalize your answers (typing up if necessary) and post this Reflection to your E-Portfolio under “Guiding Questions and Reflections.”
1. What are your current strengths as a teacher in regards to content knowledge (the subject or subjects you teach)?
- Numerical Relationships , Integers, Expressions and Equations, Ratios/ Proportions, Geometric Concepts, Probability and Statistics
2. What are your current challenges as a teacher in regards to content knowledge? Are there topics that you wish you knew more about? Why?
- How to make math more accessible to struggling students, specifically those who lack skill but have the will.
- I wish I knew more about fractions, with specific regard the division of fractions and with solving and identifying correct operations within a word problem
- Fractions are embedded in the 6th grade curriculum. We see them heavily early on in our unit on Numerical Relationships. When deconstructing a math problem, students can struggle with how to analyze the math question and the steps for solving.
Standard of focus: 6.NS.1 - Interpret and compute quotients of fractions, and solve word problems involving division of fractions by fractions, e.g., by using visual fraction models and equations to represent the problem
3. Are there topics or content areas for which you have a particular passion? Why?
Expressions and Equations is my favorite unit- I use a power point, manipulatives, drawings, highlighters, and project based learning to teach the content. I enjoy teaching this content because there are a variety of tools I have on hand to make the math accessible to my students depending on their needs.
I want to have the same set of tools for fractions.
4. At this point, if you had to choose, what is the single subject/content area that you would like to learn more about during the MAT program? What are some specific questions or subtopics that you would like to investigate in this content area? Please note – these should be questions that help you learn more about the content, not your students. (CONTENT QUESTIONS)
I would like my focus to be with special attention on the use of fractions and how to a) how to unpack a math problem and correctly identify which operation is being asked in the problem b) how to set up the math problem and c) how to solve the math problem appropriately/ set up models appropriately
- What is the value of learning fractions? ( pull up Common Core and benchmark standards on fractions- primary source documents that are official records that prove our society dictates that fractions are important)
- How are they applied in daily life? ( other primary sources: pull up recipes, picture of prices, percent ( ie, unit rate), shoe sizes, money and cents, measurements for building/ measurements, anything in our daily life that uses fractions, pull up ads that has fractions that work and don’t work)
- What is the use of fractions? ( part to whole)
- Why are fractions a core standard of 6th grade?
- Why are arithmetic fractions so difficult to learn?
- Why are arithmetic fractions so central to future mathematical success?
- Why does one need to create a common denominator when adding or subtracting fractions but not when multiplying or dividing?
- Why does one flip the second fraction over when dividing fractions?
- How does one correctly identify the operation needed to solve when reading a word problem?
- Why does the order of the fractions matter when subtracting or dividing?
- What are the common mistakes that occur when dividing fractions?
5. Think about the subject/content area you chose for question 4. What are some questions that you have about teaching this content? Do you have any current challenges in teaching this content? Would you like to understand more about student thinking or learning in this area? (PEDAGOGICAL QUESTIONS)
- How much time will now be allotted for each section in the unit?
- What, specifically, do I have time to implement?
- How does one incorporate manipulatives within the lessons? What kind of manipulatives?
- How do I teach with common mistakes in mind?
- What are the relevant scaffolds needed to teach the division of fractions?
- How does one incorporate models within the lesson? Which models?
- What study skills can one incorporate into the lessons?
- How does one unpack a math problem to help students identify a problem type?
- How does one teach the concept of grouping when dividing fractions?
- How does one teach key words to identify problem type? Which key words?
- What specific models and pictures are used to demonstrate operations?
- Are picture models better than tactile models?
- How would one teach how to build the fraction?
- What kind of check-in assessments will be needed? / How often are they needed?
- How will my biweekly study hall change?
- Could one teach replacing fractions with whole numbers when reading a math problem?
- What are some key manipulatives and/or strategies one can implement to better demonstrate the rules for solving with various operations?
New Reflection
Please answer the following questions, either on paper or on the computer. After you finish, use your answers to brainstorm some possible guiding questions for the master’s program. At the end of the course, please finalize your answers (typing up if necessary) and post this Reflection to your E-Portfolio under “Guiding Questions and Reflections.”
1. What are your current strengths as a teacher in regards to content knowledge (the subject or subjects you teach)?
Studied Yoga, Tai Chi and deep breathing. Was a struggling Math student who later learned how to succeed in the subject.
2. What are your current challenges as a teacher in regards to content knowledge? Are there topics that you wish you knew more about? Why?
How to get my students to buy into the idea of the growth mindset and not view math as a competition or a way to determine self worth
3. Are there topics or content areas for which you have a particular passion? Why?
Yes, I am passionate about the growth mindset because it was helpful for me to succeed with Math and it took the pressure and anxiety away from learning and succeeding in the subject.
4. At this point, if you had to choose, what is the single subject/content area that you would like to learn more about during the MAT program? What are some specific questions or subtopics that you would like to investigate in this content area? Please note – these should be questions that help you learn more about the content, not your students. (CONTENT QUESTIONS)
I would like to know what the growth mindset is in depth, what techniques work and why they work.
5. Think about the subject/content area you chose for question 4. What are some questions that you have about teaching this content? Do you have any current challenges in teaching this content? Would you like to understand more about student thinking or learning in this area? (PEDAGOGICAL QUESTIONS)
I would like to know how to teach, the growth mindset, how to implement the techniques , how much time activities take, how to embed the growth mindset with the Math curriculum, etc.