Kasey Sipler ELD-375 4-23-14 Reflection paper 2 The lesson that I taught was all about dominos and

counting the dots of a domino. This lesson was taught by using a team teaching approach with myself and another Rider intern. We started by teaching a mini-lesson about multiple strategies that the students could use to solve an addition problem using dominos. We demonstrated to the students three possible ways to solve the problems. Next, we had the students come up to the board to try to solve a problem using one of the methods taught. After the students were finished with the examples, we explained the two worksheets that the students would be completing. The other Rider intern explained the first worksheet. She explained to the class that they would make addition problems using the dominos. She demonstrated a couple of examples for the class. I explained the next worksheet to the students. I told the students that they were going to be making numbers by using the dots on the dominos. I showed a few examples on the worksheet to illustrate to the students what to do. We broke the class up into two groups; one group stayed on the carpet to work on the first worksheet and the second group went to their seats to do the second worksheet. After ten minutes we switched so both groups had a turn at both activities. When the students finished their work, they came back to the rug to go over what was talked about and to answer any questions they might have. This lesson was taught during the classs designated math time. Math time takes place in the late morning. Before math time the students have special time. On the particular day that I ran this lesson, the students had gym before math. On the day that I ran my lesson, there was a half-day of school. The classs schedule was slightly different because of the half day. The change in their schedule seemed to throw the students off slightly. My mathematical goal for this lesson was to have the students achieve a better understanding of addition. I wanted students to walk away from this lesson being able to add the dots on a domino by using multiple methods. I believe that the students met the goals of my lesson. The first goal of this lesson was to have the students be able to add the dots on a domino by using three strategies. To ensure that the students met this goal, I collected the worksheet that the students completed on which they used the dominos to create numbers and to see if they were able to do this correctly. I developed a method to assess the worksheet that would sort the students into three groups. The three groups were mastery, satisfactory, and struggling. The student has mastered this concept if there are no errors on the students worksheet. The student is satisfactory if there are one or two errors. The student is struggling with this concept if there is more than two errors. If the student is struggling with this concept I will reteach this concept during silent time the next day. As I evaluated the worksheets, I placed those students with no errors into the mastery group. A few of the worksheets had one or two errors and I placed those students into the satisfactory group. There were one or two worksheets where there were more than two

errors; I placed these students into the struggling group. To ensure that the students were able to add the dots of a domino using multiple methods I developed a second method to assess the students. When the students came up to the board to do the examples, I kept anecdotal records. I documented which students came up to the board to do an example. I also documented whether the student was able to complete the problem using the method of their choice. I developed a method to assess the second worksheet that the students completed. For this worksheet, the students had to add the dots on the domino. For this worksheet I came up with a similar method of assessment as I did for the first worksheet. On the worksheet, I looked for the students to put the top number of dots on one blank and the bottom number of dots on the second blank of the equation. I also looked to see if the student wrote the correct number of total dots next to the equals sign. I came up with categories in which to place the students based on how they did on the worksheet. The three groups that the students where placed in as mastery, satisfactory, and struggling. The student has mastered this concept if they answered eight of the nine problems correctly. A student is satisfactory if they answered seven out of nine problems correctly. The student is struggling with this concept if they answered six or less of the nine problems correctly. If the student is struggling, I will reteach this concept during silent time the following day. As I went through the students worksheets, the majority of them were placed into either the mastery group or the satisfactory group. One or two of the students were placed into the struggling category. Based on the students achievement on the assessments, I feel that the majority of them met the goals that I had set for this lesson. The students seemed to have learned the material and were able to apply what was taught. This lesson succeeded in several ways. The first way that this lesson succeeded was that it was engaging. The students seemed to be focused and engaged in the lesson. Another way that this lesson succeeded was classroom management. During the minilesson, the students sat very nicely and were focused. I feel that the students sat better for this lesson better than they have for others. I think that it is because both myself and the other Rider intern taught this lesson together. I feel we had a better handle on the students because there was always one of us teaching while the other managed the group. There were fewer interruptions and fewer times that either of us had to ask the students to sit correctly. I dont feel as if this lesson was unsuccessful in any way. This lesson was interesting and the students seemed to have learned the material that was taught. I believe the students were very engaged in the lesson. One way that I know that the students were engaged in the lesson was that there were fewer problem behaviors. If the students were not interested in the lesson, they would have been restless and not participating in the lesson. Another way that I know that the students were engaged in this lesson was that they wanted to volunteer to do the example problems. There were four problems with three different methods to solve them. I had a different student solve use a different method for each problem. The students were disappointed if they didnt have a turn to come to the board. If the students were not engaged in the lesson, they

wouldnt want to volunteer. If this were my classroom, the next lesson would reinforce the same ideas as this lesson. For the mini-lesson, I would introduce the students to the game of dominos. I would show the students how to play the game and I would go through some examples. The game of dominos has the players add up the dots on the domino, which is the same as what the students had to do in the previous lesson. I would go through a few examples and have the students try it out. I would have two groups for this lesson. One group would sit with me on the rug playing dominos and the other group would be at their seats practicing adding up the digits of a domino. After ten minutes we would switch groups in order to have both groups have a turn at each activity. When both groups have had a turn with each activity, I would have them return to the rug where we would discuss what we did today in math. If I were to do this lesson again, I would teach the lesson by myself and not team-teach. I feel by team teaching, there were some timing issues. Each of us had to stand idol while we waited for the other teacher to talk. I feel that I gave up some control of this lesson by team teaching. I think I would have preferred to teach this particular lesson by myself. While it would be great to have two teachers teach other lessons, I feel it would have been better to teach this lesson alone. Another thing I would change is how I explained the directions of one of the worksheets. I started to get nervous and I explained the directions incorrectly. Next time, I will make sure that I understand the directions clearly before I start the lesson. I also have to work on not getting nervous when I teach the lesson. Writing this reflection has helped me to think deeper about how I taught this lesson. By writing this reflection, I thought about what I liked about this lesson and what I didnt like about it. I was also able to take into consideration what I might change if I were to teach this lesson again. I was able to think about things that I need to work on as a teacher. For example by writing this reflection I realized that I need to control my nerves better when I am teaching a lesson. Overall, I feel this reflection made me think back on my lesson and helped me develop a plan in which I can improve as a teacher.