Exit Portfolio

Exit Portfolio
Rebecca Snider
Georgia State University
Master of Education
Specializing in Mathematics Education
April 2015
Table of Contents
Overview 3
Professional Profile. 4
Mathematical Preparation.. 13
Content.. 28
Historical Development.. 33
Teaching Preparation and Connections.. 39
Diverse Learners 46
Professional Community. 51
Technology 57
Assessment.. 62
Instructional Strategies.. 68
Impact on Student Learning 74
NCTM Standards. 82
Artifacts.. 85
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Overview
This portfolio is a collection of work to show mastery of the Master of Education in Mathematics
Education program. The portfolio will show the knowledge, teaching expertise, and dispositions
related to the standards that I have developed throughout the program. It provided the
documentation that I have met each standard and beyond in content knowledge, teaching
performance, and my impact on student learning.
The narrative will provide you with a clear sense of my understanding of each standard. Each
narrative will describe my knowledge of the standard and what it means, will provide citations from
the professional readings that meant something strong to me, and will show artifacts and examples
of the work I completed both in the program and work that I used in my own classroom over the
course of the program.
I hope you enjoy what you are about to read.
Thanks for your Consideration,
Rebecca Snider
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Professional Profile
Teaching Philosophy
Philosophy of Teaching and Learning:
Using Mathematics to Solve Life's Little Mysteries
Before defining my personal philosophy of Mathematics, I want to explain that I am expanding

the ideas from a previous paper from a different class. The paper was written to cover two distinct
topics, my idea behind a personal philosophy of mathematics and the nature of mathematics. The
reason I want to expand on those ideas for this assignment is because those ideas truly represent who I
am and what my beliefs are not only as a mathematics instructor, a mathematician, but as a person.
They are beliefs that hold me down to my core and are an important part of who I am.
Definition of Mathematics
As I indicated before my definition of mathematics is simple and so is my philosophy. I believe
that Mathematics represents a way to solve lifes little mysteries and can make understanding life less
chaotic and confusing. Mathematics can be found in all facets of life. Since most students find it so
hard to believe that they have been using mathematics since they were born, I find it to be important to
show them otherwise as often as possible. Specifically I like to discuss how mathematics has a direct
impact in everything that we do outside of the classroom so I like to bring up things like shopping,
cooking, driving, walking, riding a bike, riding the bus, doing laundry, playing on a playground,
watching a movie and even receiving a paycheck. Using these real-world examples has become second
nature to my teaching methods and something I consider to be extremely important especially since
most jobs cannot be completed well without using mathematics in some way or another.
Knowing Mathematics
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Mathematics is constantly changing, evolving and presenting new ideas. Knowing mathematics
means that we need to understand that as our society grows our math content will change like a flowing
river, constantly carving out a new path in the river bed. Einstein said it best We cant solve problems
by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them (Albert Einstein's Quotes). A
teacher of mine once said that we are only as smart as our mathematics. I didnt understand him at
the time, but the more I research and learn the mathematics language, the more I think I understand
what he meant. Everyone likes to say that we are only human. I believe that most people are referring
to mistakes that they have made that need to be explained away. As a mathematician and a
mathematics teacher I believe that saying refers to our limitations and our potential. Every second new
discoveries are being made by people just like you and me and all it took was a little bit of mathematics.
So getting back to what my teacher said, by knowing mathematics we are able to buy the things we need
to survive and the things we need to satisfy, we are able to get from one place to another, we are able to
clean our clothes and our food, we are able to heal our sick and wounded, and we are able to expand our
knowledge to new ideas. Primitive knowing was the background mathematical understanding needed
to build an understanding of some particular concept. It is therefore possible that a full or partial
understanding of that concept could then, in turn, be observed as the primitive knowing for a new
mathematical exploration (Kieren & Pirie, 1994, p. 68). Knowing mathematics means being able to
start at the beginning with one idea and expand it into a new idea.
Knowing mathematics also means understanding that errors occur constantly without means for
prevention and without any fault, for example a space shuttle crashing while attempting to land. At the
time there were no known errors that would explain the crash, however as mathematics grew and
changed and our level of learning expanded at an exponential rate we would be able to study the crash
and explain the reasoning behind it. Mathematics always provides ways to manage, explain and
compensate for both human and computational errors. This is one of the biggest examples and reasons
for why mathematics is constantly evolving and changing with time. Like I said earlier, we are only
human and it takes time for us to catch up to the technology of mathematics.
Learning and Teaching Mathematics
Learning and teaching mathematics are both complicated and yet simple concepts to grasp. So
many things have changed in the mathematics field related not only to discoveries, but teaching
methods to help students learn. One statement sticks out in my mind constantly as teaching methods
evolve. I shifted in my conception of mathematics as a human construction which must be made by
each individual person. I realized that, by exhibiting and modeling finished mathematics, I was
essentially robbing my students of opportunities to make mathematics. (Hatfield, 2001, p. 199). This
statement resonates within me because it is so true to todays teaching. It used to be that teachers were
supposed to show students the problem, the step-by-step math to solve the problem and then the final
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solution. Traditional instructional is associated with behaviorist perspective on education. Behaviorist

practices are said to emphasize transmission of knowledge and stress the pedagogical value of formulas,
procedures, and drill, and products rather than processes. Behaviorism also puts great value on isolated
and independent learning, as well as conformity to established one-way methods and predilection for
pure and abstract mathematics (Handal, 2003, p. 47). As society progressed, careers advanced, and
more learning disabilities came to light, so did the methods used for teaching. Now we are supposed to
allow the students the chance to discover the solutions on their own using the teacher as a facilitator
to answer questions when needed. Socio-constructivism, which for the sake of brevity will be called
just constructivism, gives recognition and value to new instructional strategies in which students are
able to learn mathematics by personally and socially constructing mathematical knowledge.
Constructivist strategies advocate instruction that emphasizes problem-solving and generative learning,
as well as reflective processes and exploratory learning (Handal, 2003, p. 47). I believe there needs to
be a balance between the two methods which is what I promote in my classroom. Students need more
guidance than just a simple title of the concept. I have found in my own classroom that leading by slight
example, finding that balance between discussing the concept without giving step-by-step solutions has
worked for my students. It makes the discovery process easier on the students which makes teaching
more rewarding, especially when hearing students express their excitement when they understand and
have found the answers.
Learning Environment and Teaching Strategies
The optimal learning environment is one where the students feel completely comfortable to work
and ask questions. All good teachers build up their own stores of empirical knowledge, and have
abstracted from these some general principles on which they rely for guidance (Skemp, 1976, p. 13). As
I have indicated before I encourage learning by providing an environment where my students discover
answers to problems on their own through supervised discovery. To me, the proper learning
environment is a place where students feel not only safe to voice their opinions, but structured enough
to stay on topic. This allows me to pull out all the stops when teaching a subject. Students need to know
that they will be listened to no matter what their ideas and thoughts are. They need to know they will
not be laughed at or talked down too. I believe that learning environments are one of the single most
important aspects to learning. The easiest way to make this happen is by relating as much of the
content to real-world situations as possible, and to pull on real-world examples similar to my students
experiences. This allows the students to relate to the math which leads to a better understanding of the
math. Another strategy I like using to help with my learning environment is group work. When the
students can bounce ideas off each other and work as a team they are better able to figure out not only
the concepts but catch mistakes. I keep a quote displayed in my classroom that says I cannot teach
anybody anything, I can only make them think (Gutierrez). When students ask about it I explain that it
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helps keep me focused on what is important, which is helping students to learn how to approach and
solve problems on their own.
Conclusion
In the end my philosophy is very simple. Mathematics represents a way to solve lifes little
mysteries and can make understanding life less chaotic and confusing. Although mathematical
understanding remains a complex and intensly individual phenomenon, there are common key features
underlying the cognitive processes involved (Martin & Pirie, 2000, p. 144). My job as an educator is to
help students learn the concepts they need mathematically to advance either into the job force or into
college and be successful. As I have said before, it is amazing to me the number of students that walk
through my classroom doors unaware that they use mathematics on a daily basis. Seeing the surprised
looks on their faces when I point out all the examples where mathematics can be found is priceless and
something as a teacher I will never forget. One example I find extraordinary and love presenting is the
fact that Abraham Lincoln used mathematics to both understand the theory of law and in writing his
presidential speeches. He was known to carry a copy of Euclids Elements and Lay on the floor of his
room studying it. His logical speeches and understanding of the terminology in law came from reading
Euclid (Ketchum, 2006). Using our great leaders as examples has always given weight to mathematics
and for a brief time allows me to gather the attention of all my students which just might tip the balance
in my favor and provide a win in the battle for mathematics education.
References
Albert Einstein's Quotes . (n.d.). Retrieved September 2014, from Albert Einstein's Quotations:
http://www.albert-einstein-quotes.org.za/
Ernest, P. (1989). The impact of beliefs on the teaching of mathematics. Mathematics
teaching: The state of the art, 249 , 254.
Gutierrez, A. (n.d.). Socrates . Retrieved May 2013, from Math Quotes:
http://www.gogeometry.com/math_geometry_quotes/socrates-teach-think-education.html
Handal, B. (2003). Teachers' mathematical beliefs: a review. The Mathematics Educator,
13 (2), 47-57.
Hatfield, L. L. (2001). On becoming a constructivist mathematics teacher. (F. Stephensen, Ed.)
193-201.
Ketchum, H. (2006). The life of abraham lincoln. (EBook #6811).
Kieren, T., & Pirie, S. (1994). Growth in mathematical understanding: how can we chatacterise
it and how can we represent it? Educational Studies in Mathematics, 26 , 165-190. Retrieved
from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3482783
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Martin, L., & Pirie, S. (2000). The role of collecting in the growth of mathematical
understanding. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 12 (2), 127-146.
Skemp, R. R. (1976). Relational understanding and instrumental understanding. Mathematics
Teaching, 77 , 1-16.
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Resume
R. M. SNIDER
212 WILLOW POINT LAN E SAVANNAH, GA 31407 PHONE (612) 385-2822
EDUCATION
August 2015 present

University of West Florida
Master of Science in Mathematics
July 2012 May 2015
Georgia State University
Master of Education in Mathematics Education
Aug 2003 - May, 09
Iowa State University
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, including 54 credits in chemical engineering
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
Pensacola, FL
Atlanta, GA
Ames, IA
EXPERIENCE
Teacher
2011 - 2014 Chatham County School District
Savannah, GA
*Teach Mathematics in grades 9-12 specifically. It is my responsibility to ensure that my
students have a good understanding of the standards presented in the curriculum.
*Therefore helping my students to be successful in their mathematics career as well as
pass the state standardized testing that occurs at the end of the year .
Georgia Teaching Fellows
2011 - 2011
Savannah Georgia Teaching Fellows Chapter
*Obtain a teaching certificate in Mathematics .
Savannah, GA
Senior Manager
2010 - 2011 Picture People
Des Moines, IA
*As senior manager at the Picture People studio in Merle Hay Mall, I am responsible for the
daily operation of the studio, including the supervision of 4-5 employees. I am in charge of
opening and closing the studio as the manager on duty. Additionally, I am responsible for
opening and closing registers, balancing the finances, creating deposits and delivering them to
the bank.
*I was brought into the studio to help manage the business while our general manager was out
on maternity leave. I was responsible for keeping track of the sales numbers and making sure
that everyone was using the correct techniques when at our selling stations. I was also
responsible for making sure that the studio was running the way it was supposed to.
*One of my main duties is supervising the studio associates in their daily activities. This
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includes making sure that each associate is meeting his or her daily sales goals, teaching new
sales techniques to associates, and ensuring that all associates are informed regarding current
store promotions.
*As senior manager position I also promote the studio through marketing endeavors. This
consists of driving the business through past customers and company contacts. I am
responsible for ensuring that all associates are properly trained in the best way to invite
customers into the store for new photo sessions, and I supervise all events that the studio
participates in.
*In my position, the satisfaction of customers is my primary responsibility. I promptly and
professionally address any customer concern or complaint so that every customer leaves the
studio satisfied and happy with their experience.
Chemist
2009 - 2009 LGI Labs
Ellsworth, IA
*I was certified to do testing of Ammonias, TKN, Cyanide, Phosphates, Zincs, Sulfate, Nitrate,
Fluoride, BOD, CBOD, and Bacteria in soil and water samples given to the lab.
*I was certified to use the FIA or Flow Injection Analysis instruments to test for phosphorous
in the soil samples. I was certified to use the Buchi instrument for digesting Ammonia and
TKN for water samples.
*I was certified to test for BOD and CBOD which requires you to judge water samples for fecal
matter and other bacteria present for larger companies.
*I was certified for digesting Cyanide for landfills and other companies, making sure that the
cyanide levels in the water samples were at safe levels.
*I was certified to test well water for nitrates, phosphates, sulfates and fluorides by using IC
Chromatography.
*I was also required to make sure that all preliminary reports for tests I was working on were
done correctly and submitted by the deadline for review. All data had to be entered correctly as
well as any samples that needed to be tested multiple times by dilution. Any and all math
needed to be calculated correctly and displayed for final reports.
Lab Assistant
2009 - 2009 Iowa State University : Dr. Veysey, Department of Chemistry
Ames, IA
*Weigh out samples for graduate research, maintain the lab, responsible for recording weights
of both the samples and reference samples.
Math Grader
2008 - 2009 Iowa State University : Dr. Hentzel, Department of Mathematics
Ames, IA
*As a math grader I was responsible for grading homework assignments and exams for a both
Calculus 1 and Calculus 2 class. I was required to be knowledgeable in the class, as well as
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attend the class lectures so that I could follow along with the students. I was also responsible
for keeping track of student grades and making sure that everyone was doing the correct
assignment.
*As a grader for math courses, I was required to keep the professor up to date with how the
students were progressing and inform the professor if anyone started to slip in their grades. I
was required to have a quick turn around when grading both homework assignments and
exams so that the students would be able to make any corrections to assignments and be able
to study homework for upcoming exams.
*I was required to make myself available in case students had questions about how a problem
was graded or solved.
Math Tutor
2004 - 2008 Iowa State University : Academic Services; and Self Employed
Ames, IA
*As a tutor at Iowa State University, I was responsible for knowing the course material of the
class I was tutoring and being able to easily explain that material to the student. I was also
responsible for making myself available to students for answering questions and helping with
homework assignments.
*I was responsible for being able to tutor not only an individual student, but also groups as
large as 4-5 students. This required me to be able to multi-task between students while still
being able to make sure that everyone understood the material and passed their classes.
*I was a certified tutor for Pre-Calculus, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, High school algebra and Calculus
*I was certified to tutor college students and high school students
Private Math Tutor
2004 - 2008 Self Employed
Ames, IA
*I tutored individual students from elementary school through high school. I worked both out
of my dorm room as well as on campus.
*Spring 2005 tutored high school freshman in algebra. Helped work through homework
problems, study for exams and answer any questions that came up.
*Summer 2007 Taught 5th and 6th grade math to an elementary student. Worked through
math problems, gave homework assignments, administered exams and quizzes to check
learning.
Private Violin Teacher
2000 - 2003 Self Employed
Eden Prairie, MN
*Taught private violin lessons to elementary students in my home as well as helped teach an
elementary class for learning the violin, viola and cello.
*Taught scales, songs, and proper ways to take care of the instrument.
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*Gave lesson assignments for practicing and had stickers and treats in place to inspire
learning.
*Gave work book assignments to expand knowledge of music to help students understand
everything about the instruments and songs they were playing.
ACTIVITIES (WHILE AT ISU )
Academic Chair for 6th and 7th floors, Buchanan Hall

Buchanan Residence Hall Vice President
8th/9th floor Buchanan Residence Hall President
Classical violinist
Private Math Tutor
Private Violin Instructor
Mock Trial
AMESFA (ames science fiction and fantasy association) Vice President
Active Member of WiSE (women in science and engineering), SCUM (society of chem
undergrad majors), SWE (society of women engineers)
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Mathematics Preparation
Standards
NCTM.7-12.1
MATHEMATICS PREPARATION - The Four Themes: Problem Solving, Reasoning,
Communication, and Connections are four overriding themes that should permeate all
mathematics programs. Although these four areas are inherently interrelated, for the purpose of
this review you are asked to explicate how each of these areas is incorporated into your teach
preparation program.
NCTM.7-12.1.1
o Problem solving: Submit a narrative that describes how the requirements of your program
provide opportunities for your candidates to mature in their problem solving abilities
NCTM.7-12.1.2
o Reasoning: Submit a narrative that describes how the requirements of your program provide
opportunities for your candidates to make and evaluate mathematical conjectures and
arguments, and to validate their own mathematical thinking.
NCTM.7-12.1.3
o Communication: Submit a narrative that describes how the requirements of your program
provide opportunities for your candidates to use both oral and written discourse between
teacher and candidates and among candidates to develop and extend candidates mathematical
understanding.
NCTM.7-12.1.4
o Connections: Submit a narrative that describes how the requirements of your program
provide opportunities for your candidates to demonstrate an understanding of mathematical
relationships across disciplines and connections within mathematics
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Narrative: Problem
Solving
Standard NCTM.7-12.1 talks about
Mathematics Preparation. As a math teacher,
it is incredibly important that Mathematics
Preparation is a part of my everyday
planning. The standard states that there are
four themes: Problem Solving, Reasoning,
Communication, and Connections. These
four are the overriding themes that should
permeate all mathematics programs. To me,
this standard speaks to every day teaching. In
all mathematics, no matter the content or
topic, students need to understand how to
complete these four themes. In general,
problem solving references a students ability
to look at a problem or question and be able
to figure out what information or mathematics
is needed to come up with a solution.
Reasoning means students are able to
validate their mathematical thinking with the
correct proofs, theorems and math concepts. It also means that students are able to make their own
mathematical arguments and conjectures about the questions asked and show evidence to back up
their ideas. Communication is where students are able to discuss mathematics either orally or
written with their fellow students and or teacher. It is the ability to talk math when needed to
explain their solutions in full. Finally Connections is where students are able to demonstrate that
they understand all the mathematical relationships that span across other disciplines and are able to
make references to those disciplines within mathematics. In other words, students are capable of
realizing that mathematics exists in other content areas beyond mathematics and are able to make
those ideas known within mathematics.
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Specifically I am going to talk about Problem Solving. Again, problem solving is where a
teacher evaluates a students ability to look at a problem or question and be able to figure out what
information or mathematics is needed to come up with a solution. Problem solving is a complex
form of intellectual activity. It is because of this complexity that you should develop a good
understanding of the nature of problem solving (Charles, Lester, & O'Daffer, 2008, p. 4). As a
teacher I have to say I agree completely. It is my job to teach students the art of problem solving
and since there are so many different ways to attempt problem solving, it makes my job challenging
and rewarding. Everyone has the ability to think differently which means no two people are going
to attack a problem in the same way. Some students might see the answer immediately, but struggle
with the how to get there portion of problem solving. Other students might see bits and pieces of
the steps to get to the solution, but struggle with the actually answer. There are also those that fall
in between. That being said, all students need a general push to get started. The process of
problem solving involves a variety of thinking skills, seven skills to be exact (Charles, Lester, &
O'Daffer, 2008, p. 7). In my experience, telling my students how much actually goes into problem
solving usually shocks and surprises them, leaving me staring at a sea of gaping mouths and puzzled
faces. Therefore I try to break problem solving down into simple steps or sections, giving them a
small piece of the pie at a time. The seven thinking skills that are particularly important are as
follows: 1. Understand/formulate the question in a problem, 2. Understand the conditions and
variables in the problem, 3. Select or find the data needed to solve the problem, 4. Formulate
subproblems and select appropriate solution strategies to pursue, 5. Correctly implement the
solution strategy or strategies and solve subproblems, 6. Give an answer in terms of the data in the
problem, 7. Evaluate the reasonableness of the answer (Charles, Lester, & O'Daffer, 2008, pp. 79).
A student of mine showed me the image displayed above. She had found it on the internet
one afternoon while she was trying to look up math help for the homework assigned in my class.
She told me that seeing this sketch made her laugh and the distraction caused her to see the problem
at hand and figure out the solution and that she felt foolish because the solution was so obviously
simple. From that point on, I started showing this image when discussing how to problem solve as
a way to lighten up the conversation and to show students that everyone gets discouraged at times.
However the idea is that you can take that frustration and turn it into new productive problem
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solving. The key to successful problem solving is to be in control of the process (Posamentier,
Smith, & Stepelman, 2010, p. 111).
I feel I have met and mastered this standard in two different ways. The first way is as a
student, and the second is as a teacher. While attending Georgia State University, I was a student
advancing my skills as a teacher in taking educational and mathematical classes. While in my math
courses, like special problems and solving strategies, History/Cultural Development of Math I & II,
college geometry, intro to statistical methods, and Integration Technology in Mathematics
Instruction, I was asked to solve problems, proofs and examples presented in both class discussions
and homework. The assignments required me to demonstrate my ability in mathematics through
problem solving. Since the standard stating that problem solving is where a teacher evaluates a
student's ability to look at a problem or question and be able to figure out what information or
mathematics is needed to come up with a solution, I feel through all my assignments submitted, I
have mastered the standard from a student's point of view.
As a teacher I feel I have mastered this standard every time I teach a concept and grade the
assignments that go along with it. Watching my students attack problems in the classroom is a big
part of my day. I look forward to seeing my students solve problems on their own, to watch those
light bulbs go off when they understand a problem for the first time. I will never forget a freshman
I taught my first year as a teacher. She was struggling with every concept presented, including
basic mathematics skills including the order of operations. Class was a struggle because she was
constantly acting out to mask her lack of abilities. Finally, she confided in me that she has been
passed along from teacher to teacher without ever actually learning the concepts. We started
working together after school, starting with the basics of addition, subtraction, multiplication,
division, etc... and worked our way up to the topics taught in class. It was right after spring break
when I assigned the class task work. This meant that the students would work in groups of 3 - 4,
assigned by me, to complete a state standardized task. These tasks were very intense and took a lot
of thinking outside the box to complete. At first I was worried that the student would pull her
normal fighting attitude stunts to get thrown out of class, however was pleasantly surprised when
she actually contributed to her group. She was finally seeing that math problems for what they were
and it was amazing to watch her puzzle out the solutions. She even taught one of her group
members how to understand the concept in question. The topic was covering statistics in the
freshman Mathematics I (as it was called before Common Core was released and
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it became Coordinate Algebra). In this student alone, I mastered the standard for problem solving
in evaluating the transformation my student showed when she was finally able to look at the
problems asked and figure out what was needed to find the solutions. A more recent example is a
senior I worked with. He was a student that had many serious learning disabilities. In fact I, along
with his counselor, parents, grandparents, administration and fellow teachers, all tried to convince
him to change his degree from a regular degree to a special education degree because there was no
way he was going to graduate. His abilities were so low, he was registering all of his classes at
elementary to middle school levels. It wa his frustration with thinking that he understood the topics
covered when in fact he had no clue that caused his to skip classes and not complete assignments.
My co-teacher and I struggled with how to both teach and reach him as a student without taking
away from the other students in the classroom. This is when I developed the idea of teaching my
seniors all about college study groups. I thought it would be a good way to get my students to work
together in a "study" session which would free up my time to work one-on-one with him.
Eventually all of us convinced him to change to the special education degree which meant that he
needed to get his math grades up and had less core classes required. Again, I started with the
basics, slowly teaching him how to do things taught to 1st and 2nd graders. Since I already know
that he was going to have to retake my class anyway, we stopped worrying about catching him up to
the rest of the students and instead focused on his foundation. It took almost the entire second half
of the school year but I was able to get him to start problem solving. By the time the year was
coming to a close, this student was able to look at a middle school word problem related to algebra
and state the information and equations needed to find the solution. He was also finally able to
follow through in the correct way to achieve the correct answer. It was a huge deal to watch him
smile when he found the right answer. It meant his brain was finally grasping the mathematics and
I had high hopes that when he took this course for a second time he would pass.
On a different note, in looking beyond my own teaching experiences, I have to say that this
masters program has really opened my eyes to my own problem solving abilities. Right out of the
starting block I took a class called Special Problems and Solving Strategies. I had no idea how
intense that class was going to be and realized that I was a bit rusty with my own mathematics. The
professor was awesome and took the time to answer questions when asked and gave hints to solving
the problems presented. I spent more time filling a notebook with mathematics notes and ideas
before completing the proofs assigned, then anything else. I even found myself working on the
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problems during my planning periods. I had a student once come to my classroom during my
planning period and I was so focused on figuring out what was needed to solve my problem that I
didn't even notice him standing there. He was in shock at the math I was performing and just stood
mesmerized as I worked. By the time I realized I had an audience, the solution was popping into
my mind and I remember telling my student to wait just another second so I could get it down on
paper. Later that night I submitted my assignment to be graded. What sticks out to me so much
about that particular assignment and problem is that when the homework was returned there was a
note on that problem that said "good attempt, however see my solutions for an easier way to solve
this problem". I remember being proud of myself for completing the solution and then foolish
because I went the super long way about doing so. It was a huge learning experience that I brought
into the classroom. I used this problem as an example of how to go about problem solving to help
my students see what they need to do on a smaller scale.
Bibliography
Charles, R., Lester, F., & O'Daffer, P. (2008). How to evaluate progress in problem solving (10 ed.).
Reston, VA: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, INC.
Posamentier, A. S., Smith, B. S., & Stepelman, J. (2010). Teaching secondary mathematics: teaching
and enrichment units (8 ed.). (K. V. Canton, Ed.) Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon
Narrative: Reasoning
Standard NCTM.7-12.1 talks about Mathematics Preparation. As a math teacher, it is
incredibly important that Mathematics Preparation is a part of my everyday planning. The standard
states that there are four themes: Problem Solving, Reasoning, Communication, and Connections.
These four are the overriding themes that should permeate all mathematics programs. To me, this
standard speaks to every day teaching. In all mathematics, no matter the content or topic, students
need to understand how to complete these four themes. In general, problem solving references a
students ability to look at a problem or question and be able to figure out what information or
mathematics is needed to come up with a solution. Reasoning means students are able to validate
their mathematical thinking with the correct proofs, theorems and math concepts. It also means that
students are able to make their own mathematical arguments and conjectures about the questions
18 | P a g e
asked and show evidence to back up their ideas. Communication is where students are able to
discuss mathematics either orally or written with their fellow students and or teacher. It is the
ability to talk math when needed to explain their solutions in full. Finally Connections is where
students are able to demonstrate that they understand all the mathematical relationships that span
across other disciplines and are able to make references to those disciplines within mathematics. In
other words, students are capable of realizing that mathematics exists in other content areas beyond
mathematics and are able to make those ideas known within mathematics.
Specifically I am going to talk about Reasoning. Reasoning means students are able to
validate their mathematical thinking with the correct proofs, theorems and math concepts. It also
means that students are able to make their own mathematical arguments and conjectures about the
questions asked and show evidence to back up their ideas. Reasoning is considered to be one of the
process standard for mathematics. Recognize reasoning and proof as fundamental aspects of
mathematics; make and investigate mathematical conjectures; develop and evaluate mathematical
arguments and proofs; select and use various types of reasoning and methods of proof
(Posamentier, Smith, & Stepelman, 2010, p. 9). Mathematical reasoning is the meat of
mathematics. In my classroom I like to stress that with everyone being different, the approaches to
problems will be vast and all different. For example, I was teaching system of equations using more
than 3 equations to my senior double math class. When giving the example I showed the students
how to solve the system using row replacement by placing the equations into matrix form. After I
was done I challenged the students to come up with a different way to solve the problem in an effort
to demonstrate that there are an infinite number of ways to approach mathematics problems. This
example demonstrated mastery of this standard because as a teacher I forced my students to validate
their own mathematical thinking when approaching system of equations. Since my students were
able to create their own arguments to prove their solutions are correct, I am able to confidently say
that demonstrating mastery of this standard was achieved. I also challenge my students to come up
with new ideas for approaching popular problems like Pythagorean theorem, Pascal triangle and
even finding the next numbers in pi. The students have to be able to state the theorem they are
using and show not only the current respected proof, but show their own argument, pointing out the
differences and similarities to the two arguments. The students must also show all their thought
processes down to brainstorming so that I can really see where they were headed with the
mathematics and to search for any mistakes made. This forces the students to think outside the box
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by creating their own conjectures and arguments as well as show the appropriate evidence needed to
prove their theories.
The conversations we have as a class involve discussing how to prove their reasoning which
validates their thinking from guessing to plausible truth. My students also discuss the complexity of
reasoning from the simple to the challenging. They use mathematics in practical ways, from
simple applications such as the proportional reasoning for recipes or scale models, to complex
budget projections, statistical analysis, and computer modeling (Schoenfeld, 1992, p. 4). It is
through these classroom discussions that as a teacher I am able to learn what my students are
thinking in terms of proof writing and solution discovery. The conversations tell me where extra
help is needed as well as where students are excelling.
The classes I have completed at Georgia State has helped to widen my horizons and views
of mathematical reasoning, showing me that reasoning exists even when you dont expect it to.
Specifically I am referencing the Special Problems and Solving Strategies, History/Cultural
Development of Mathematics I & II, and Integration Technology in Mathematics Instruction. These
three classes challenged me more in mathematical reasoning then any other class I took and it was
refreshing. Taking on tough challenges helps to keep your brain young. In the History class, I was
able to learn and experience mathematics through the ages. It was challenging and rewarding to see
how mathematics has evolved over the years into what we have today. The assignments given
forced me to delve deep into my own experiences with mathematical reasoning skills in order to
figure out the correct proofs and solutions using my own mathematical arguments and conjectures.
With each problem I was given the chance to think outside the box and discover solutions I had no
idea were possible. It was a rewarding experience and one that I shared in detail with my own
students. I used to talk about the history class all the time and share with them the different
mathematical concepts I was being taught. I even gave my students challenges to see if anyone
could come up with their own correct arguments to the questions presented. My students seem to
love the challenge and I enjoy watching them puzzle through the mathematics that they know to
find simpler solutions. I have always been one to rally that mathematics is found everywhere and
tell my students all the time that mathematics is a concept that our brains reference on a constant
basis no matter what we are doing. However, I never thought to take it deeper. Yes it is true that
mathematics is everywhere, but so is mathematical reasoning. The main objective of the study of
mathematics is to develop reasoning skills that are necessary for problem solving (Schoenfeld,
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1992, p. 72). In my Integration Technology in Mathematics Instruction class, I have found that I am
the one challenges and rusty with proof writing. The content has been interesting and something
that I am working hard to integrate into my classroom. However, the assignments related to proof
writing have proven to be quite challenging, showing me how much I still have left to learn and
remember. Overall, I know that I have mastered this standard not only as a teacher, but as a
student.
Bibliography
Posamentier, A. S., Smith, B. S., & Stepelman, J. (2010). Teaching secondary
mathematics: teaching and enrichment units (8 ed.). (K. V. Canton, Ed.) Boston, MA:
Allyn & Bacon.
Schoenfeld, A. H. (1992). Learning to think mathematically: problem solving,
metacognition, and sense-making in mathematics. (D. Grouws, Ed.) Handbook for
Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning , 1-102. New York, NY: MacMillan
Narrative: Communication
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Specifically I am going to talk about Communication. Communication is where students are
able to discuss mathematics either orally or written with their fellow students and or teacher. It is
the ability to talk math when needed to explain their solutions in full. As a teacher it is important
for me to communicate to my students. This means more than just my ability to talk. It is my
ability to reach out to each student in such a way that they can understand the formulas, concepts,
topics and standards being taught. Only then can my students learn how to communicate back with
what they have learned and accomplished. This is how I constantly assess myself, I ask if my
students are understanding what they need to know or are they making excessive misconceptions.
Teachers cannot possibly know all of the nuances of the varied cultural backgrounds their students
bring to classrooms (Fitzgerald & Graves, 2004, p. 52). This also lets me know what I am doing
right, as well as what needs correcting. It is a form of assessment used in the classroom. As the
year goes on, it is not surprising if the means for communication changes as the students become
more comfortable with me as a teacher and more confident in their work. Students tend to figure
out how to shout out their responses be it right or wrong and work together to find common
solutions. In the beginning of the year the communication is heavier between the student-teacher
relationship. However, by the end of the year the communication tends to shift and become more of
a student-student relationship, using the teacher as a facilitator in the background. Getting to this
point is my goal as a teacher, allowing my students the ability to discover solutions and definitions
all on their own. Knowing how to think mathematically and talk mathematically is a wonderful and
beautiful thing that is a reward in itself.
I feel that there are two courses that really helped me master this standard. Those courses
are Integration Technology in Mathematics Instruction, and Integration Technology School-based
Learning Environment. For the first course, I am currently finishing this course before graduation.
Therefore I am still learning and expanding my abilities to communicate to my students in a variety
of ways. I will admit that using technology in the classroom has always been a challenge for me.
Stretching the mind beyond laptops, projectors and smart boards for instructional purposes only has
been interesting to say the least. However I have noticed that the more technology I use, the better
my students discuss and work with the mathematics presented. The excitement shows more and
more each day as my students come to class and the willingness to complete assignment while
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holding proper math discussions has increased. This course has taught me how to integrate
mathematical programs into my classroom in ways I didn't think were possible. The second course
I took towards the early middle of the program. It is the course that really opened my eyes to the
possibilities of technology expansion in my classroom. I learned how to communicate through
websites that I create which gives my students a different outlet for homework submission.
Communication is where students are able to discuss mathematics either orally or written
with their fellow students and or teacher. When you look at the foundation for this standard, I have
to say that in general, I have mastered this standard every time I participate in a group project (like
in the college geometry class), or complete discussion questions as well as respond to classmates
through the discussion board. I have completed this standard every time I have sent a professor an
email related to the class work. Discussing mathematics does not mean that I have to have all the
correct answers. What it means is that I am capable of talking to others about my thought processes
and use classmates and professors to help me expand my own knowledge. It also means that I am
there to help other students expand their mathematical knowledge in an effort to solve problems
collaborate. Taking these classes at Georgia State has helped me to become better at
communicating my successes and frustrations with others. It has also opened me up more to my
students in a way that promotes more academic achievement.
Bibliography
Fitzgerald, J., & Graves, M. F. (2004). Scaffolding reading experiences for englishlanguage learners. Norwood , MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.
metacognition, and sense-making in mathematics. (D. Grouws, Ed.) Handbook for
Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning , 1-102. New York, NY: MacMillan
Narrative: Connections
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Specifically I am going to talk about Connections. Connections is where students are able
to demonstrate that they understand all the mathematical relationships that span across other
disciplines and are able to make references to those disciplines within mathematics. In other words,
students are capable of realizing that mathematics exists in other content areas beyond mathematics
and are able to make those ideas known within mathematics. the connections between
mathematical reasoning in the formal context of the classroom and mathematical reasoning outside
of it would have to be made explicit (Schoenfeld, 1992, pp. 76-77). An example of a student
connecting math to the real world is more than just a check book. It is getting the students to
understand that the connections can be anything from shooting a basketball or playing pool to
administering prescribed medication and cooking. It is recognizing that when they step out of the
math class and walk into an English class, the mathematical concepts still following them.
Mathematics is present in English by counting the pages you read or the words on a page; it's
present in the History class whenever you look at the dates of a war or historical figures; it's present
in Science in the experiments you perform and the reports you write up; and it's present in Physical
Education when you go for that run or count the number of sit-ups you accomplished. Mathematics
is even present when you walk from one class to another and have to keep track of the passing time
in which you have to do it. Students would need to reflect both on their doing of mathematics and
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on the connections between the reasoning in both contexts (Schoenfeld, 1992, p. 77). It is even the
connection from childhood to adulthood and knowing that mathematics follows you no matter how
old you are. For example, as a parent you might count the number of first steps your baby takes in a
row, or the fever that they have when they are sick. It is keeping track of the speed you are driving
in comparison to the speed limit posted for the road. Mathematics is also knowing how long it takes
you to get from point A to point B depending not just on the distance, but the traffic you might
encounter. Mathematics is everywhere and most students have a hard time grasping that concept no
matter how many examples a teacher gives. Building connections is tremendously important
(Fitzgerald & Graves, 2004, p. 27). As a teacher we need to take into consideration the barriers that
might exist with your students. There is always a reason why making the necessary connections is
to complicated. First we need to realize that language embodies culture and that each of us may
have understanding that seem so real to us that our own reality also seems right. At the same
time, the social expectations and understandings that are tied up in our language are so natural to us
that they may be invisible (Fitzgerald & Graves, 2004, p. 52). Even though I am a mathematical
teacher, I find it frustrating the amount of math that goes on in my own head on a daily basis.
However that doesnt mean that I have given up my passion.
Meeting this standard took more effort to accomplish. Most of the course work was
orientated to mathematics and didn't really reference other content areas. To stretch my mind, I
enrolled in the Theory/Pedagogy Study of Reading course to learn more about English as a second
language, etc... learners. This course has referenced more about how to incorporate reading into the
classroom and has really forced me to expand my own teaching comfort levels to include a new
content area in my classroom. Learning and figuring out how mathematics flows into other content
areas is simple, however learning how other content areas flow into mathematics was a bit more
challenging. Meeting this standard means mastering both parts of connections. Not only does a
student need to show that they can understand the mathematical relationships that are shown in
other content areas, but you have to show that you can understand how those other content areas are
represented in mathematics. One way I mastered this was by utilizing the classes I took and
incorporating the messages into my own teaching. When taking the reading course, I have been
able to hold discussions with other GSU students covering the readings and how they relate to all
our individual content areas. In this class I am one of very few Mathematics Education students.
The majority content area represented are those orientated towards English. It has been interesting
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discussing the differences and similarities between math classes and English classes in relation to
incorporating reading. I see now that reading has a huge place in a math classroom due to the
amount of word problems, theorems and proofs that the students must learn. If you do not have the
reading skills then you will have a tough time getting through these upper level math classes.
Therefore adding a reading element to my teaching has become necessary. I can also see where in
an English class, mathematics can be present depending on the articles and/or books that the
students read. When English teachers encourage free reading time, students could read articles
about different mathematic topics. By partnering together we can teach cross curriculum and reach
the same goals.
Another way I mastered this standard is through the History classes I took. History part 1
and part 2 walked me through the history of mathematics starting with the very first mathematics
ever accomplished and ending with present day. This course forced me to be able to show that I can
understand how mathematics is represented in history as well as how history is represented in
mathematics. It has allowed me to partner with my History colleague to create lessons that span
across both content areas to teach the students not only about the historical people involved in
mathematics as it related to the history standards, but about the actual mathematics these people
created all those years ago. It also made me realize that in a way I had been teaching cross
curriculum/cross content areas since I was a first year teacher learning the ropes. I had created
lesson projects related to researching historical mathematicians for presentations to shake up the
curriculum I was teaching. Now I have been working to reform that project so that part of it can be
completed in the math classroom for credit and the other part can be completed in the history
classroom for credit. I have also been smoothe talking my English colleague to use the project in
their classroom for English credit...hopefully in the future we will have multiple classrooms all
working the same project for credit. Talk about true connections between content areas.
Bibliography
Fitzgerald, J., & Graves, M. F. (2004). Scaffolding reading experiences for englishlanguage learners. Norwood , MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.
metacognition, and sense-making in mathematics. (D. Grouws, Ed.) Handbook for Reserch
on Mathematics Teaching and Learning , 1-102. New York, NY: MacMillan
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Artifacts
Trying to find artifacts for this standard was a
little challenge. However, I believe that I have
found artifacts that show my mastery of the
different parts to the standard. In the artifact
snider problem solving, you can see how I
attack and problem solve questions given to me.
It shows how I work through the problems and
the thought processes involved. The scaffolded
reading experiences artifact is how I am able to
approach mathematics from different angles. It
shows that I can learn different ways to instruct
my students and communicate my knowledge of
mathematics. The artifact homework 7610 is a
collection of assignments where deep problem
solving is evident.
I have also attached the two assignments that I
designed as a beginning teacher. These assignments are the "Famous Mathematician" and
"Mathematicians World Newspaper". The reason I am attaching these is because they demonstrate
how I have mastered and how I have required my students to master Connections across content
areas. These assignments are started in the math class and finished in either the history or English
class. For the "Famous Mathematicians" project, I partner with the history teacher to complete the
assignment. The students are asked to research and create presentations based around the
mathematician they choose. For math credit the students have to achieve certain requirements and
for history credit, the historical facts presented have to be true and not made up. For the
"Mathematicians World Newspaper" project, I partner with the English teacher. Since this
assignment requires a lot of writing, the students are able to get credit for mastering English
concepts like grammar, sentence structure, etc.. whereas for the math side, they have to properly use
the order of operations in their stories. I thought it would be interesting to design assignments that
earned the students double credit.
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Content
Standards
NCTM.7-12.1.5
Programs prepare prospective teachers who can (do the following).
NCTM.7-12.1.5.1
... apply concepts of number, number theory, and number systems
NCTM.7-12.1.5.10
... have a firm conceptual grasp of limit, continuity, differentiation and integration, and a
thorough background in the techniques and application of calculus
NCTM.7-12.1.5.11
... have a knowledge of the concepts and applications of graph theory, recurrence relations,
linear programming, difference equations, matrices, and Combinatorics
NCTM.7-12.1.5.12
... use mathematical modeling to solve problems from fields such as natural sciences, social
sciences, business, and engineering
NCTM.7-12.1.5.13
... understand and apply the concepts of linear algebra
NCTM.7-12.1.5.14
... understand and apply the major concepts of abstract algebra
NCTM.7-12.1.5.2
... apply numerical computation and estimation techniques and extend them to algebraic
expressions
NCTM.7-12.1.5.3
... apply the process of measurement to two-and three-dimensional objects using customary
and metric units
NCTM.7-12.1.5.4
... use geometric concepts and relationships to describe and model mathematical ideas and
real-world constructs
NCTM.7-12.1.5.5
... understand the major concepts of Euclidean and other geometries
NCTM.7-12.1.5.6
... use both descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze data, make predictions, and make
decisions
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NCTM.7-12.1.5.7
... understand the concepts of random variable, distribution functions, and theoretical versus
simulated probability and apply them to real-world situations
NCTM.7-12.1.5.8
... use algebra to describe patterns, relations, and functions, and to model and solve problems
NCTM.7-12.1.5.9
... understand the role of axiomatic systems and proofs in different branches of mathematics,
such as algebra and geometry
Narrative
This area has been one of the harder areas to put down in words. When I look at all the
standards that are involved, what I realize is that Content is not necessarily talking about the content
I teach or how I teach it, but the content that I have learned while being a student at Georgia State
University. It is the mathematical concepts, relationships, areas, and proof that I am fluent in the
mathematical terms, topics and processes that make up mathematics in general. There is currently
much practical interest in mathematical understanding. Curriculum reform advocates in many
countries cite the need for teaching mathematics with understanding (Pirie & Kieren, 1994, p.
165). Each standard listed in this area deals with a different mathematical concepts. Essentially,
these standards say that teachers are supposed to be well versed in the content they are going to be
teaching. We need to have an advanced working knowledge of what mathematics is from all
angles, and not just the literal sense. Mathematics is a complex animal, growing and changing. It
only makes sense that the content included would do the same thing. A professor once told me that
just because you believe you have mastered a concept like calculus does not mean that six months
from now the definition of calculus hasnt changed. Mastering the content is only a temporary
achievement. It needs to constantly be nurtured and tended too, just like a vegetable garden in a
green house.
It has been said that mathematics is like taking a journey through three worlds. The first
grows out of our perceptions of the world and consists of our thinking about things that we perceive
and sense, not only in the physical world, but in our own mental world of meaning. The second
world is the world of symbols we use for calculation and manipulation in arithmetic, algebra,
calculus and so on. These begin with actions that are encapsulated as concepts by using symbol that
allow us to switch effortlessly from processes to do mathematics to concepts to think about. The
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third world is based on properties, expressed in terms of formal definitions that are use as axioms to
specify mathematical structures (Tall, 2004, p. 285). Part of me completely agrees with this idea
and I think the list of content areas proves it. Each content area in mathematics requires that a
student to approaches the problems in different ways. Even though I gained mastery over these
concepts as an undergraduate, I still have to go back and refer to these standards as equations and
our understanding of mathematics changes as we grow. There are always new ideas floating around
that need to be discovered and it is usually going back to the basics that helps with those
breakthroughs. I have recently read an article about how the big bang theory might be disproven
and the math of Einsteins theory of general relativity might not work. This is just one perspective
of how we learn mathematics on a daily basis. It is also a great example to students that just
because theories are created and written in a text book does not always make them set in stone. As I
teach new students, they often come up with different ways to solve for an answer. Whereas it
might not always be the right way to approach the problem, it does make me pause to think about
what their thought process might have been in order to reach that solution. There are an infinite
number of ways to solve different problems and an infinite number of ways to attack situations. No
two students will ever approach the problem in the same way, yet we can learn from each other,
hence mathematics grows and changes as well as our concepts that we present.
Since I cannot worry about the working of tomorrows problems, I can take pride in
knowing what I understand today. That being said, what I understand is this. I have to use my past
experiences with the content in order to properly teach mathematics to my students. In using my
past experiences I have to pull on all my college courses ranging from mathematics to chemistry to
chemical engineering. All of it makes up who I am and the knowledge based that I possess. Most
of the standards, NCTM.2-12.1.5.1-14, are all talking about mathematics specifically and how they
need to be used in a classroom. It is true that some of these standards deal with content well over
my students heads, it doesnt mean that the knowledge needed to complete those problems does not
stem from the same fundamentals that I am teaching my students. Mathematics builds on each
other from one content topic to another and it is that very fact that makes mathematical content such
a fluid yet stable curriculum.
The classes that I had to take in order to obtain a Master of Education in Mathematics
Education were all designed to help me show mastery of content. With each assignment I
completed, each exam I passed, each project I worked on, and every discussion I was apart of, I
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showed mastery for those classes. Mastery of the content was further demonstrated every time I
passed one of the required classes, thus demonstrating my knowledge of the curriculum and the
focus of those classes. For example, in the college geometry class, we were asked to work with
Geometer's Sketch Pad, a program that I had never used before. The course was designed to teach
me how to incorporate geometry concepts into technology beyond just paper and pencil. In the
beginning I struggled to get used to the program as well as to refresh myself with geometry in
general, however by the end I had things figured out and was able to demonstrate everything I
leaned by passing the final exam with almost 100%. Another class that helped me was the
psychology courses I had to take. I have never been very good with analyzing what people think or
looking at things from the psychology point of view. However the design of these classes has
helped me become a better teacher. I was able to discover that my learning style, where as it is
unique, I am not alone. It also helped me tailor my teaching to better help my students. I have
learned how to read those negative out bursts that students have and thus made myself more
approachable because I understand the frustration. All of these courses have come together in a
special way to give me a well balanced and well rounded look into how to make myself a better
teacher.
Specifically, in Math 7610, Special Problems and Solving Strategies, I had to complete
homework assignments, exams, and power point presentations to show mastery in that class. The
power points are math problems that were completed either individually or in a small group. These
presentations include an auditory component to explain in detail the problem and the thought
process behind the work. In Math 6301, college geometry, I had to complete assignments,
discussions, and a few papers. One of those papers was the Pythagorean Proofs paper where I
demonstrated my ability to take a theorem and explain it in great detail. I cannot wait to use this
exact assignment in my own teaching to expand the minds of my students. In EDMT 7560,
Theory/Pedagogy of Mathematics Instruction, we had to submit a variety of discussions, along with
some group work to show mastery of the class. One of the group assignments was the Snider Week
10 problems. It is a collection of mathematical problems that I solved with a partner. The problems
were designed almost like riddles which forced my partner and I to think outside the box when
answering. Lastly, in EDMT 7360, Integration Technology in Mathematics Instruction, I had to
submit a variety of assignments using different technologies and the proofs associated with them. I
also had to create a podcast, which is a vocal description of my ability to teach a concept using
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technology. There is so much more that goes into demonstrating mastery of the content taught. I
could discuss it all day long, however I wanted to show a few specific pieces of evidence that really
tells the story of my mastery.
Bibliography
Tall, D. (2004). Thinking through three worlds of mathematics. Group for the Psychology
of Mathematics Education, 4 , 281-288.
Pirie, S., & Kieren, T. (1994). Growth in mathematical understanding: how can we
characterise it and how can we represent it? Educational Studies in Mathematics, 26 (2/3),
165-190.
Artifacts
The artifacts I chose to include are all demonstrations of mathematics content that I
completed. Some of the artifacts are exams that I took or homework assignments turned in. The
power points that I included are math problems that were completed either individually or in a
group. These presentations include an auditory component to explain the problem and thought
process. I wanted to present a variety of the work I completed in this program that shows my
growth as a student and my mastery of concepts presented. I believe that these artifacts are a wellrounded representation of the work I have completed in this program to represent my all around
abilities as a mathematical student as well as my abilities as a teacher.
The Pythagorean proofs artifact was chosen because it shows an ability to take a theroem
and explain it in detail. This is an artifact that I plan to use in future classes to help my students
grow and understand the concept. The midterm exam and final exam are two examples of
assessments that I had to pass in order to show mastery for that particular class. It is an assessment
technique that is well used by many teachers, the paper pencil exam, and something that I use in my
classroom often. The snider week 10 problems is a collection of mathematical problems that I had
solved with a partner. It demonstrates my knowledge in that specific content area as well as my
ability to work in a group, something I ask my students to do often. The podcast is a vocal
description of me demonstrating my ability to teach a concept.
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Historical Development
Standards
NCTM.7-12.1.6
Programs prepare prospective teachers who have a knowledge of historical development in
mathematics that includes the contributions of underrepresented groups and diverse cultures
Narrative
Standard NCTM.7-12.1.6 states that programs prepare prospective teachers who have a
knowledge of historical development in mathematics that includes the contributions of
underrepresented groups and diverse cultures. This standard was very interesting not only to learn
but to incorporate into my own classroom. Like many others, the idea of using history when
teaching mathematics was lost to my classroom. Thus you could say that my classroom was stale or
dull. However once I took the two history classes at Georgia state, I was able to see that I could
include the history behind different math concepts and still meet the standards I am required to
teach. We can use the history of the subject, including lives, loves, successes, and failures of the
people who created it, to breathe life into what might otherwise be rather dull (Posamentier, Smith,
& Stepelman, 2010, p. 190). This is what sparked the idea to push incorporating more projects like
my Famous Mathematician Project that I used years ago. I also started incorporating historical
statements into my lessons about the concepts I was teaching to help spark fascination in my
students. I developed an extra credit opportunity asking my students to research and discover
interesting facts about different content topics. For example, students can research quotes, facts,
tidbits, etc. about Pythagoras or Thales, etc. In my classroom I had an entire wall dedicated to the
Word Wall. Since there was so much space, I cut the wall in half and added the Famous
Mathematicians Wall. This is where students would post their facts. The goal was to completely
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cover the wall with as much historical information as we could by the end of the school year. It was
and still is a fun challenge that I give my students and I have this course standard to thank.
To me, this standard is talking about a teachers ability to use historical facts related to
mathematics in order to beef up the content being taught. It is the ability to incorporate the history
into lessons, projects, and fun assignments for the students to complete and learn. By the 1800s,
the public high school had become an important urban educational institution, the culmination of
decades of institution building. This higher form of learning grew directly from efforts of the elite
to preserve the social and economic status quo in a highly stratified society (Altenbaugh, 2003, p.
163). Expanding the math standards into the history of where that standard and or concept came
from gives students a better chance to really learn the content in a way that will stick. This standard
is also a challenge for teachers. It forces us to have to think outside the box and come up with new
ideas to incorporate more into the curriculum. Being able to look at a concept and expand on it is
both rewarding and crazy all wrapped into one. In teaching my seniors, I am covering concepts like
conics, trigonometric functions, trigonometry in general and in detail, radical functions at an
advanced level, and even some advanced algebra topics. Adding the diverse cultures and history
has been very interesting on my part and making sure that it is delivered in a cohesive way has
made me feel insane. However, my students absolutely love the connections to the past, present and
future so I know it works.
In my freshman class, we have a mini chapter covering geometry. The original
development of geometry in Egypt and Babylonia was a result of the desire of priests to construct
temples and of kings to survey land for tax purposes (Posamentier, Smith, & Stepelman, 2010, p.
190). I love this statement and have started using it as my introduction into geometry. Knowing
where geometry started and the fact that it was in places like Egypt blows my students away. It is
the perfect ice breaker for the content and grabs my students attention which helps me lead into the
introductory lesson covering geometry. Another reference I like to call on is Archimedes. I use
Archimedes as a way to discuss the importance of showing and proving all aspects to your work.
What distinguishes Archimedes work in geometry from that of Euclid is that Archimedes often
presented his method of discovery of the theorem and/or his analysis of the situation before
presenting a rigorous synthetic proof (Katz, 2009, p. 103). This leads the class into a discussion
about backing up your work when presenting findings is the appropriate way to discuss
mathematics.
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One of the biggest content areas taught in my freshman class and referenced in my senior
class is algebra. Specifically we talk about Pythagorean theorem which leads me into some fun
facts that I found while taking classes at Georgia State that I have started using. One of the
Babylonian square root problems was connected to the relation between the side of a square and its
diagonal. That relation is a special case of the result known as the Pythagorean Theorem (Katz,
2009, p. 19). This statement usually gives rise to questions and comments from my students which
starts the class into a major discussion about Pythagoras and his famous theorem. This theorem,
named after the sixth-century BCE Greek philosopher-mathematician, is arguably the most
important elementary theorem in mathematics, since its consequences and generalizations have
wide-range application. Nevertheless, it is one of the earliest theorems known to ancient
civilizations. In fact, there is evidence that it was known at least 1000 years before Pythagoras
(Katz, 2009, p. 19). As a fun aside, I am able to tie both algebra and geometry together through the
history of Pythagoras which makes my students work and focus on the content they need to master.
Since incorporating history into the mathematics curriculum I was and am teaching has been
such a challenge, I took to the examples and advise given from the book used in my History class
that I took here at Georgia State University. The advice was to use anecdotes, broad outlines,
content examples, and the development of mathematical ideas. The goal was to use the content
topic I was about to teach as inspiration to pull on the appropriate history. Not only did I use my
own research ideas, but I pulled directly out of the book. For example I used an anecdote about
Archimedes to grab attention Archimedes jumping out of his bath and running through the streets
of Syracuse shouting Eureka upon discover of the laws of hydrostatics (Katz, 2009, p. 935). I
then went on to explain what he was discovering and how he accomplished it. I used this anecdote
to inspire my students to see math no matter what they are doing. With my seniors, I started using
the broad outline example when introducing trigonometry. describe the origins in Greece in the
search to solve spherical triangles so as to predict heavenly phenomenatrigonometry was
reintroduced to Europe in the work of several mathematicians, all of whom learned significant ideas
from their Islamic predecessors (Katz, 2009, p. 936). It is nice to inspire class discussions where
my students take the topic and run with it. And since we are allowed technology in our, which
means cell phones for educational purposes is ok, my students love jumping on the internet
immediately to keep the conversation going with more and more historical facts. Usually my
introductory lessons becomes more of a history lesson with my seniors, which leads into the actual
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math content the following day. My students are eager to see the mathematics used in the history
they looked up. I have also been able to relate these ideas to quadratic equations, geometry, limits
and sequences, system of equations, and complex numbers.
Bibliography
Altenbaugh, R. J. (2003). The american people and their education: a social history. Upper
Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Katz, V. J. (2009). A history of mathematics: an introduction (3 ed.). (D. Lynch, Ed.) Boston,
MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Posamentier, A. S., Smith, B. S., & Stepelman, J. (2010). Teaching secondary mathematics:
teaching and enrichment units (8 ed.). (K. V. Canton, Ed.) Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
36 | P a g e
Artifacts
I chose quite a few artifacts to represent my mastery of the history standard because it was
too hard to pick only 3. I felt there needed to be more to really show case my growth with the
standard and demonstrate my true mastery.
Starting from my classroom, I feel the "Famous Mathematicians Project" is a good
representation of using history in my classroom. You will get to see the directions given to my
students and the rubric used for grading. I have sense expanded on the project making it more
technology savvy and giving the students even more options to choose from. I took inspiration
from the history class to expand on the project idea and have even incorporated it into my senior
class, using topics from my Math 4 class and the related mathematicians.
In terms of the other artifacts, I pulled them from the work that I accomplished taking Math
7820 and Math 7821. Starting from the beginning, my first artifact is
"Test_1_Bryndal_Rebecca_Graded_math7820". This is the first exam that I took and provided me
with a starting point to grow from. This exam taught me where I needed to imporve and what I was
looking for in this class. It also provided me with examples to expand on for teaching my classes.
The next artifact in order is "Test_2_Bryndal_Rebecca_Graded_nath7820". This artifact shows my
growth in the class and my increasing mastery of the standard as it related to the first part of the
history classes. The next artifact is "Bryndal_final_exam". This shows the end result and what I
mastered and accomplished in Math 7820. The last and final artifact to Math 7820 is the final
paper, which demonstrates what I was able to research and create. The artifact is
"bryndal_final_paper". The paper is titled "Mathematics in Medieval Europe and Around the
World up to the turn of the 14th Century". This rounds out what I learned and was able to
demonstrate from the first part of the history series.
For the second history class, I started with artifact
"Test_1_Bryndal_Rebecca_Graded_math7821". This, like before, is the first milestone showing
mastery with the history standard. It shows the math that I have been able to accomplish and
diversity that I am learning. The next artifact is "Test_2_Bryndal_Rebecca_math7821". This is the
next exam checking mastery of the standard. It shows improvement and growth in the class and
that I am capable of achieving the goals set before me. The last artifact is "final_paper_snider".
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This paper is called "Compare and Contrast Algebraic Concepts from the Renaissance
through the 19th Century". It is a paper that almost picks up from where I left off with my previous
paper and demonstrates what I have learned in the class.
All of these artifacts show how I have grown in the History series of Math 7820 and Math
7821.
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Teaching Preparation and Connections

Standards
NCTM.7-12.2
TEACHING PREPARATION - Integrated Essential Outcomes: Certain essential outcomes
within a program preparing teachers of mathematics are integrated throughout the program.
Such outcomes include teaching diverse learners, the appropriate use of technology, and the
alignment of assessment and instructional practices.
Narrative
The Standard NCTM.7-12.2, Teaching Preparation, speaks to everything I have worked so

hard to accomplish in my own teaching. The standard addresses teaching diverse learners, using
technology in the classroom and the alignment of assessments and instructional practices. "One of
the most important things a mathematics teacher can do is help students make sense of matheamtics
ideas" (Malloy & Flores, 2009, pg. 117).
As a teacher it is important to ensure that my students
receive well balanced lessons each and every day. This means that not only do I need to deliver an
informative lesson covering the content, but I need to tailor my lessons to suit my students abilities.
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"Engaging diverse groups of students in discussions about mathematics is important because

students strategies often vary and thinking about multiple solutions can promote deeper thinking
about mathematics" (Malloy & Flores, 2009, pg. 17). Since every student is different, my lessons
have to be able to reach a wide range of abilities from enriched/advanced students to students with
severe disabilities. To accomplish this I strive to use technology to aid in content delivery, I also
like to have my students use technology when proving mastery of the standards to help make
learning the mathematics fun and easy. "The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics states
that technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences the mathematics that
is taught and enhances students' learning" (Posamentier, Smith, & Stepleman, 2010, pg. 130).
would not say that I am not the best at using technology in my classroom, but I do make it work
where ever possible. The NCTM also says that "The teacher's use of technology can enhance
students' learning experiences by taking advantage of what technology does efficiently well graphing, visualizing, and computing. Technology does not replace mathematics teachers, but it
gives teachers additional tools to help them teach and to help students learn
mathematics" (Posamentier, Smith, & Stepleman, 2010, pg. 130).
As a teacher, I push myself to
learn new technology, teaching techniques and mastery skills to help in my classroom. Using new
ideas gives teaching the content new meaning, allowing my students more ways of demonstrating
masters beyond the usual paper and pencil options. "To motivate students is to channel their
interests to the specific topic to be learned" (Posamentier, Smith, & Stepleman, 2010, pg. 62). The
last step is creating and analyzing assessments. "New mathematics teachers might think of
assessment as an examination designed to measure student progress and achievement. Although
examinations , as well as other graded materials, are an important component of assessment, they
are but a piece of a greater whole" (Posamentier, Smith, & Stepleman, 2010, pg. 159). When I
was a new math teacher, just learning the ropes, I thought the same thing. To me assessments were
strictly a way to measure what a student has learned be it through an exam, project presentation,
group presentation, etc. However the more I learned about assessments, the more I was able to see
that there was more to giving an assessment beyond students achievement. I started using the
assessments to grade my own teaching performance, looking for ways to improve my delivery and
increase achievement in my classroom. "The key to these standards is that assessment be used not
to separate or rank students as examinations often do, but as a tool to improve instruction as well as
report the results of that instruction" (Posamentier, Smith, & Stepleman, 2010, pg. 159). I learned
how to use assessments to expand my learning as a teacher, mostly as a reporting tool to hold not
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only my students accountable of learning the content, but myself accountable to teaching the
content appropriately.
Preparing lessons is one of the most challenging and rewarding aspects to teaching a lesson.
In my district, we are required to prepare lessons and teach the curriculum as a group. What I
means is we are required to prepare everything we do collaboratively. This method allows me the
opportunity to work with my fellow mathematics teachers, passing and bouncing ideas off of each
other to best help the students.
At my school we usually meet three times a week, sometimes four depending on what is
happening that week. During these collaborative sessions we discuss the current lessons we are
teaching and any issues or successes we have had. From there we discuss the upcoming calendar
and where we are headed in the curriculum. Sometimes this means creating the unit exam, or
sometimes a chapter exam if the unit is huge. At other times this means writing the next batch of
lessons including homework assignments, questions we might want to ask and responses we expect
to receive from our students. Our meetings last anywhere from the entire planning period (one
hour) to more than one planning period (two or more hours). The final minutes of our meetings are
usually dedicated to filling out to meeting minutes as well as planning what comes in the next
meeting.
Our actual and specific lesson planning is very simple. During the teacher pre-planning, we
all get together and sit down with a master calendar. This is usually where we assign jobs (like
department secretary, etc) and figure out when our weekly meetings will take place. It is at this
first meeting that we also reference the district curriculum calendar and decide which units will be
taught when and how long they might take. We then pencil in the tentative exam dates and give all
content teachers a copy for reference. From there we start right in with writing the unit exams for
all units taught during the school year. Our goal is to have tentative exams already compiled with a
bank of questions to pull from for each unit. This way as the exams get closer, finalizing the exams
becomes easier and more straight forward. The bank of questions also allows each teacher to add
their own extra questions to the exam beyond the standard we created to individualize the exam
for their students. One reason for this is because you might have a class that really understands a
certain concept better than another and thus you need to modify the exam to reflect the knowledge
your students have. Having the base test allows for easy comparison between the classes keeping in
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mind the extra questions that might be added and are declared in the exam report. After the exams
are written, we generally start in with the first unit. The goal is to plan every step of the way so that
each teacher knows what they are doing opening, working time and closing of each class taught.
We want the questioning to be the same, the examples to be the same, the assignments to be similar
if not the same so that no matter what classroom administration steps into, it is all the same or at
least close enough. This creates unity within the grade levels and ensures that if a student happens
to change classes, they are not way behind or way ahead of everyone else. It also helps with
substitute teachers. The only potential negative to planning this way is it might jeopardize
differentiation if the individual teachers are not careful.
The reason we plan this way is because the mathematics curriculum is constantly changing,
as is the state standardized testing and the baseline for which schools are measured. Since a lot
always seems to ride on knowing the mathematics, it just seemed smarter to plan everything
together. Collaboratively planning means that you can share the work, bounce ideas off others, ask
questions, share goals and class scores, get help if you are struggling or be the one helping if you
are succeeding. It allows you to lean on other teachers for support or be the one leaned on when
support is needed.
The class that best help me adapt my planning to incorporate everything that my
administration requires as well as new skills for student achievement was EDMT 7560,
Theory/Pedagogy of Mathematics Instruction. In this class we had to create different lesson plans
using both our own template and the advice from the course. The lesson plans had to be extremely
specific so that our ideas would be Understood. One thing I discovered is that my administration is
very relaxed when it comes to lesson plans and accepts very generic and abbreviated plans. The
first lesson plan that I submitted was heavily corrected and pointed out where I had missed
information. I actually had to redo the assignment, giving more detail to explain the questions and
thinking process behind the lesson. It took me a few tried to adapt to the more descriptive lesson
plan. However it taught me that being specific makes it easier to actually give the lesson.
Nowadays I use a more descriptive lesson plan to teach from, being sure to include all part to the
lesson plan, even though I have a co-teacher who is responsible for all the differentiation and
special education information. Thus I feel that this class has really pushed me to master this
standard in ways I never realized were possible. The reason I know I have mastered this standard is
because now I am better with explaining differentiation which helps in teaching diverse learners; I
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am better with adding technology into my classroom beyond power point lectures; I am better at
writing down my questions in advance so I know where I am headed with the lessons and what I
specifically want to test that students learned or didn't learn; I am better at including all assessment
information with the lesson plan; and I am better at including the relationship between the standards
presented and the work I am asking my students to complete.
Bibliography
Malloy, C. E., & Flores, A. (Eds.). (2009). Responding to diversity: mathematics for every
student grades 9-12. Reston, VA: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, INC.
Posamentier, A. S., Smith, B. S., & Stepelman, J. (2010). Teaching secondary
mathematics: teaching and enrichment units (8 ed.). (K. V. Canton, Ed.) Boston,
MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Artifacts
Micro Teaching Video Case Artifact
The reason I chose this lesson plan example is because it demonstrates my ability to plan
outside my comfort zone. During the Theory and Pedagogy of Mathematics Instruction class, I was
unfortunately on medical disability leave from my school. This meant that I did not have a
classroom in which to do the activities needed. Therefore I reached out to a friend and colleague of
mine and with the permission of my professor and her principal, I was allowed to borrow her
classroom when needed. My colleague teaches Environmental Science, a discipline that I am
familiar with since I hold a Bachelor of Science on Chemistry degree, however it is a subject that I
have never had to plan for. Going into the Micro Teaching assignment, I had to learn the
Environmental Science standards, design a class that would be taught following my colleagues
timeline and be able to take control of a classroom that are not my students. It took a lot of effort
and skill to make sure that I had classroom management in control so that I could deliver my lesson
properly. This artifact describes everything that I went through in preparation for the Micro
Teaching as well as gives the lesson plan that I had to put together and use.
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I believe that this artifact shows mastery of the standard taught, standard NCTM.7-12.2, in
that I had use of technology, aligned my lesson to the current standards in the class, followed my
colleagues instructional practices (meaning I mirrored her rituals and routines to the best of my
ability) which making sure that I was aligned to the assessment my colleague was going to give at
the end of the unit.
Unit Plan Artifact

The reason I chose this artifact is because it demonstrates all aspects to preparing to teach a
concept. This is a unit plan, a plan that I have actually used in the classroom. Here you will see
descriptions about the units goals, the standards covered, the expectations of the students, the
essential questions and mathematics concepts that will be answered or solved, the goals of the unit,
management strategies, assessment strategies and evidence of learning in the classroom, my quick
fire questions presented to students at the beginning of each day, the lessons planned and prepared,
assignments, and notes. The unit plan is very detailed and explains everything needed for
presenting the unit in a successful way. It also provides a space for teachers (meaning me) to write
notes and comments about the specific lesson that was taught so that changes can be made and
misconceptions can be corrected when needed.
This artifact shows mastery of the standard, NCTM.7-12.2, in that it demonstrates not only
the alignment of my lessons to the standards taught to my students, but it aligns with the standard in
question. Thus unit plan also shows in detail all aspects to how I prepare for the units that I teach
and the detail I put in so that my administrators can understand where my classes are at any given
day during the unit. This unit plan also shows is detail how I include teaching diverse learners in
my classroom and the strategies I use to inspire learning and participation.
A02 Artifact
The reason I chose this artifact is because it demonstrates the beginning thought process
used when creating a unit of study. It is the "bones" of the actual unit plan, discussing the goals and
ideas needed for the unit to be successful. This artifact shows the design of the unit, the key
standards needed, the performance standards used to help students master the key standards, a
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description of how the unit will be broken down and a look at the individual lessons used with the
standards taught during those lessons referenced. This is the brainstorming needed to create the unit
in the most efficient way to achieve the maximum student success. This artifact shows mastery of
the standard, NCTM.7-12.2, because it shows the alignment of assessment and instructional
practices used in my classroom as well as use of technology.
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Diverse Learners
Standards
NCTM.7-12.2.1
Diverse Learners: Teachers of mathematics use their knowledge of student diversity to affirm
and support full participation and continued study of mathematics by all students. This diversity
includes gender, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, language, special needs, and
mathematical learning styles
Narrative
Diversity in classrooms has been increasing over the years. "European experiments in
educating exceptional children exerted a strong influence on American teaching methods and
institutions. In the United States, deaf children were the first to receive attention, followed in
succession by the blind and mentally ill" (Altenbaugh, 2003, p. 99) . Back when I was in high
school, students with a disability use to have special classrooms and were kept separate from the
rest of the students. Nowadays, all classrooms are mixed with normal students and SPED
students. Special Ed teachers have been given a new name, co-teacher, so that no one knows the
wiser about the true reason behind a classroom having two teachers in it. Standard NCTM.7-12.2.1
is discussing this very fact. This standard means that a teacher has the ability to reach ever single
student in their classroom no matter the background. To compensate for the diversity in the
classroom, teachers have been taught how to differentiate the instruction. This means that your
lesson and all assignments are designed to cover advanced work all the way down to extra help and
extra time work. This is where having a co-teacher really helps. It allows me to break the students
down into groups, essentially grouping advanced students with struggling students, so that my coteacher and myself are free to walk around monitoring the class. The teacher is responsible for
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creating an intellectual environment where serious mathematical thinking is the norm (Arbaugh,
2009, p. 7).
I try hard to make sure that my classroom is set in such a way that it is conducive to student
learning and academic achievement. In that way, I try to be considerate and understanding of all
types of diversity that occurs within my classroom. I myself have a diverse background as far as
my students are concerned. I teach in a school district where white students and white teachers are
actually more of a minority. That being said, I love telling my students that I am a white chick
from the Twin Cities in Minnesota. By this what I am getting at is that my accent will be different,
my appearance will be different and my vocabulary will be different. I do this to open up my
classroom as being one that is acceptable of everything. My students get a huge kick out of it and
usually spend most of the year pointing out the differences between my vocabulary and accent when
talking as compared to theirs. I have learned more terms from my students that I never knew then I
ever did going to school to obtain my degrees. Students in any classroom differ in many ways,
only some of which the teacher can reasonably attend to in developing instructional plans. Some
differences will be cognitive for example, what previous concepts and skills students can call
upon. Some differences will be more about learning style and preferences, e.g. whether the student
learns better through auditory, visual, or kinesthetic approaches. Other differences will be more
about preferences, including behaviors such as persistence or inquisitiveness or the lack thereof and
personal interests (Small & Lin, 2010, p. 1). Gender diversity is referencing to being male or
female. This is always an interesting discussion, especially related to the big job searches because
of the percent difference between male and female workers in certain jobs. Culture diversity is
discussing a persons nationality and background. It is getting into where someone came from and
comparing it to others, knowing the similarities and differences to avoid offending that person.
Ethnicity is talking about anything from nationality to religious beliefs in an effort to get to know
each other and show that everyone is different, and yet the same. Even though I come from the
same nation as my students, the fact that I come from a different state with a different background, I
can relate to students who move to this school. Socioeconomic background is your social class.
Are you a student from wealth or one from poverty or a student in between? Language diversity is
referring to those students where English is a second or third (etc) language, deaf students that
speak sign language or might know how to lip read, and the blind students that have to read brail .
Its that student who does not quite understand what you are saying due to their own language
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background and the crossing of definitions. Special Needs diversity is talking about those students
who have academic challenges. This can be anything from a learning disability to a mental disease
or disorder that prevents learning at the same level as other students. There are actually more of
these students in a single classroom than are identified by the school. Unfortunately, special needs
tends to be misdiagnosed or undiagnosed more often than schools like to admit. Students fall
through the cracks all the time and it is part of the teachers responsibility to account for those
students as well as the ones that are in fact identified. It is this part of differentiating instruction that
can be quite challenging, especially if you are working with a student that refuses to admit they are
having problems. Finally, mathematical learning styles is discussing the way your students learn,
be it visually, auditory, tactile or by example. It can also be how fast or slow a student
comprehends the content taught. It is the understanding that not everyone will learn the same way
you do so your teaching methods need to vary.
Each class I took at Georgia State University has helped shape my diversity abilities. One
aspect about myself that I don't advertize often is the fact that I have a learning disability. As a
child I was diagnosed with A.D.D.. It was actually my 5th grade teacher that caused my parents to
look into my learning abilities more closely. I will never forget the afternoon when my parents
came to the school to talk to my teacher about the struggles I was having grasping concepts
presented and listening to my teacher tell my parents that not every student will be a shining star
and that they might just have to settle with knowing that I wouldn't be as smart as other students.
My parents were so angry with my teacher that they started talking to my doctor about the
difficulties I had been experiencing which lead my doctor to refer me to a specialist. I went through
numerous tests where they monitored my attention span and my ability to learn. The specialist
diagnosed me with Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.) and placed me on medication. I was told
that my brain was too busy listening to everything and anything and it was making it hard for me to
retain information presented. The medication helped to calm my brain down and force me to focus
on the task at hand. Almost immediately I noticed a huge difference in my academic studies. My
grades improved, my test scores improved, and it became easier to complete homework assignments
at home. So how does this relate to me mastering the diversity standard? Well for one thing I have
personal and direct experience being a diversity student with a learning disability. My disability
caused me to have to find the best learning style for retaining information and thus I am able to
relate to my students better. My personal experiences has helped me to relate to my students and
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teach to many different learning abilities. It has also made me open to the idea that all students are
different, hence the term diversity. Since no two students truly learn the same way, as an educator I
have had to learn how to adapt my teaching abilities to reflect the classrooms. The classes I took
here helped me to reform and streamline my ability to work with diversity in my classroom and
gave me the change to refine my differentiation abilities. I was able to take what I currently knew
and expand my knowledge into more current knowledge that my school had not taught us through
professional development. There is so much more to differentiation then what I have learned it
amazes me. I have more respect for my co-teachers (the special education teachers) now because of
the struggles they face every day. As a general ed teacher I only have to deal with the students in
the classroom. As a special ed teacher you have to not only deal with the students, but with the
parents and with the districts. Being able to take all this knowledge and adapt it into my own
classroom is the biggest way that I can say I have mastered this standard.
Bibliography
Altenbaugh, R. J. (2003). The american people and their education: a social history. Upper
Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Arbaugh, F. (2009). Enhancing the learning environment through student-led mathematical
discussions. In C. E. Malloy, C. E. Malloy, & A. Flores (Eds.), Responding to Diversity:
Mathematics for Every Student Grades 9-12 (pp. 7-16). Reston, VA: The National Council of
Teachers of Mathematics, INC.
Small, M., & Lin, A. (2010). More good questions: great ways to differentiate secondary
mathematics instruction. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Artifacts
"culturally_diverse_activity_snider" is
an activity designed using cultural diversity. It
shows two different statistical games, one
from today's culture and one from an African
and Caribbean culture. The idea was to bridge
the gap between culture in the United States
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and culture from around the world. The students would first play the M&M game (United States)
and answer mathematical questions. Once finished, they will switch to Mancala (African and
Caribbean) and again they will play the game and answer mathematical questions. The final part
would be a class discussions about the similarities and differences between the two games as well as
a class vote covering which game was the favorite to play and a discussion about why.
"Unit_plan_snider" is an artifact that shows how the diverse planning occurs when I sit
down to plot out my lessons. You can see, specifically on pages 28-33, the detail that goes into my
lessons covering diversity and what you can see in my classroom if you were to step in an observe.
I believe that this is an excellent artifact to use because it demonstrates my mastery of the standard
in a clear and concise way.
"two_bakeries" is an artifact that I created in order to help explain negative exponents to
students that were struggling with the concept. One thing I strive to do as a teacher is come up with
interesting and fun ways to explain concepts to my struggling students that will help shed light on
the misconceptions they have. This is merely one example of a brief example that I would use.
Generally this mini-lesson is followed up with asking the students to complete a similar problem so
that I can gage who is still struggling with the concept and who has finally grasped it.
"action_research_report_snider" is an artifact demonstrating a research project that I
performed on my class of students to see which teaching method would best help my students
prepare for and be successful on state standardized testing. This artifact shows the disabilities that I
dealt with in the classroom and the accommodations made to help my students reach academic
mastery of the content. I believe this artifact shows my mastery of this standard because it shows
one way that I was able to accommodate my students and make changes to better reach all my
students for an overall raise in student achievement in my class.
"power_point_presentation_snider" is the power point presentation created to go along with
the "action_research_report_snider" artifact. This is the power point that sums up everything I did
in my research so that other teachers in the program could see what I accomplished. The power
point was created for the presentation part of the action research assignment. Just like with
the "action_research_report_snider" artifact, this artifact shows my mastery of this standard.
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Professional Community
Standards
NCTM.7-12.2.10
Programs introduce and involve prospective teachers in the professional community of
mathematics educators
Narrative
The standard NCTM.7-12.2.10 deals with the professional community. In simple terms, this
standard is talking about how educators need to stay current with new research related to their
profession. The mathematical community is constantly changing with new curriculum, new ideas
for managing a classroom, new ideas related to differential instruction, among others. It is the
responsibility of a teacher to make sure that they are keeping current so that they can promote
academic achievement to the best of their ability.
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Becoming a member of the professional community in mathematics has been an interesting

endeavor. While attending Georgia State, I joined the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics, the American Mathematical Society, and the Association of Mathematics Teacher
Educators. This adds to the professional community of science that I have been a part of since my
undergraduate career at Iowa State University. I am a member of the Society of Women Engineers,
the American Chemical Society, and the Women in Science and Engineering. I joined those
programs while obtaining my Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with 54 credits of Chemical
Engineering. Using my experience from the science community, I thought that the mathematical
community would be similar. What I discovered is that the mathematical community is very
different. For one thing, it is a lot more educational based and research based, where as the science
community is more strictly research based.
What I have learned is how important it is that to follow the research in your particular
field. One of the biggest reasons is because with all the research happening, you need to know if
someone else is researching the same ideas that you might be. It is also important to know what
research was done in the past related to our ideas. To this end, as an educator and a student
expanding my knowledge in the field, I have included some artifacts that show the research I have
started doing related to the educational field.
The first artifact that I want to include is my methods paper. This paper demonstrated my
learning ability for completing literature reviews and writing research papers. Comprehensive
literature reviews involve more than simply a recitation of information gleaned from other
sources They clearly define and clarify the problem; summarize previous work in the area;
identify relationships, contradictions, gaps, and inconsistencies in the literature; and suggest the
next step or steps in solving the problem (Granello, 2001, p. 293). In this paper I talk about the
standardized testing field; how it started, has changes and is used currently. Researching and
writing this paper was an eye opening experience. Before this the only papers I had researched and
written were related to the science community, where the guidelines and stipulations are a lot
different. It was refreshing to complete research in the mathematical field and made me feel like I
was contributing to the community. It was my introduction to this type of research, and something I
look forward to continuing after I have obtained my Master of Education.
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The next artifact included is my article reflection paper and my article critique paper. Both
of these papers involved reading an article already published and analyzing the information
presented. The article reflection was the my introductory into literature review research writing. In
this paper I only analyze and reference one article, picking it a part to find the problem,
methodology, actionable research, data and analysis, and factual conclusions. It was my preparation
for being able to write the big research paper (methods paper snider). The article critique was a
mini version where I was asked to not only summarize the chosen article, but to critique the article
for pros and cons related to methodology research. Again this paper shows the ability to use written
work from the professional community in an effort to better my own abilities related to the
professional community.
I have also included quite a few additional artifacts, all demonstrating the same ideas and
principles. These artifacts include reading reflections snider; impressions of an indian childhood;
snider paper, philosophy of teaching paper; power point presentation; and action research report.
All of these artifacts show growth and development in the professional community and will aide me
in all my future connections to the professional community.
The action research report is an artifact where I took an idea and used it in my classroom.
The research report and power point presentation are the two ways that I analyzed my own research
data and wrote up my findings. This is my first contribution and first step into what it will be like to
become a member of the professional mathematical community. My idea was how to better help
students prepare for the state standardized testing. Since it is clear that standardized testing is only
increasing in importance, teachers need to know how to cope with it in their classrooms. Some
ideas currently include cramming for the exams, which means that teachers rush through teaching
all the content so that they have at least one (or more) months available for recapping and
teaching test taking skills. Even in the school I teach, we are required to leave 3 weeks time
before the state test for review and test taking practice. Having to rush the content makes things
difficult, especially for those students that need time to comprehend what they are being taught.
Therefore my idea was to change around some of the structure of the class. I used research when
creating my teaching idea and used my classes to run my experiment. I was then able to collect the
data I needed and come to conclusions to better my teaching tactics.
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For my own personal growth, I feel that I have gained a lot of knowledge and inspiration to
keep up with the professional world. "Education is a wide-ranging concept that may comprise
training and formation, coaching in specialized competencies, fostering the ability to think,
promoting manners, culture, taste, and other accomplishments" (Glasersfeld, 2001, pg. 191). In my
school we have professional development meetings once a week and every other month the
mathematics department is sent to a professional development seminar relating to the content and
curriculum we currently use. These professional development meetings discuss new ideas for
teaching content in the classrooms, as well as stress the idea of teaching cross curriculum, meaning
referencing history in the math class or referencing mathematics in a science class, etc. These
meetings are always very informative and inspire me as a teacher to make tweaks and changes to
my current unit plans and teaching methods. I also try to attend as many mathematical professional
development meetings and seminars as I can and as will be sponsored by my school during the
summer. I have always felt like teaching mathematics is a moving target. Especially since the
curriculum keeps changing.
Like my students, I keep goals for bettering myself as a person and as a professional. I
stress to my students that having goals helps to keep you focused and that once you achieve a goal it
make you feel accomplished and ready for the nest challenge. As a professional my goals include 1.
Bettering my teaching ability for academic achievement, 2. Obtaining a Master of Education in
Mathematics Education to aide in my desire to teach at the college level, 3. To stay versed in the
professional community, and 4. To evidentially become published both in the academic community
and as an author. Like everyone, my goals are constantly changing and evolving as the professional
community changes. To obtain my goals, I plan to continue my education, by earning my Master of
Education in Math Education from Georgia State University followed with earning my Master of
Science in Mathematics from the University of West Florida starting this fall. In all the professional
development seminars and meetings I have attended, the biggest idea presented is that the role of
the teacher has to change. The hardest thing for me as a math teacher is stepping back and allowing
the students to discover the solutions and definitions of the content presented. It takes a lot of
getting used to as well as explanation to parents that do not understand. There have been quite a
few occasions when I have had a teacher come into my classroom and accuse me of not teaching.
The students do not understand that facilitating the material is a teaching method designed to
encourage and promote discovery which leads to student achievement. Explaining this method to
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parents that were part of the teacher time period has been an interesting endeavor, one that I
foresee continuing to happen well into the future. Therefore another goal of mine is to continue to
modify my teaching ability so that student success continues to rise in my classroom.
I believe I have showed mastery of the professional community standard by the professional
groups I have joined and the research I have completed while attending Georgia State, as well as
when attending my undergraduate college of Iowa State University. I am a member of three
mathematics groups and three chemistry groups. These groups include the NCTM, the American
Mathematical Society, the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, the Society of Women
Engineers, the American Chemical Society, and the Women in Science and Engineering groups. I
try to keep up with all the latest publications and research in an attempt to keep my classroom
current. I encourage my students to read the articles published on these sites to increase their own
mathematical and science knowledge base. Once graduating from Georgia State, I plan to take
everything I have learned and accomplished with me both back into my classroom as well as into a
new Masters program, thus continuing my education for the betterment of my teaching career and
future work in the community.
Bibliography
Glasersfeld, E. v. (2001). Radical constructivism and teaching. Perspectives, 31 (2), 191204.
Granello, D. H. (2001). Promoting cognitive complexity in graduate written work: using
bloom's taxonomy as a pedagogical tool to improve literature reviews. Counselor Education
& Supervision, 40 , 292-307.
Artifacts
I chose these artifacts because each one demonstrates a connection to the professional
commuity. The standard is talking about being able to be involved in the professional community
of mathematics educators. One way to accomplish this is by researching topics you feel interested
with and then expanding upon it. Mathematics is constantly changing and this so is the research.
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Each artifact shows my understanding of the professional standard and shows how I have
been and will continue to work at being a positive member in the mathematical professional
community. The artifacts include my own research papers, a research project and presentation, as
well as the stepping stones completed in learning the professional community process. Each one
represents the work I am capable of completing and shows my willingness to continue to increase
my knowledge and growth as an educator. Nothing is more important than my students
achievement and success, therefore keeping up to date with the new ways to help my students is
something that is very important to me.
Artifacts that I have which are not in document for are the professional communities that I
have joined since I graduated from Iowa State with two Bachelor of Science degrees in 2009. I
have always believe that being a member of the professional community in even a small capacity is
better for not only your career but for your mind. It keeps you up to date with new break throughs,
formulas, elements, and teaching ideas. These professional community groups include the NCTM,
AMS, AMTE, SWE, ACS, and WiSE
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Technology
Standards
NCTM.7-12.2.2
Technology: Teachers of mathematics use appropriate technology to support the learning of
mathematics. This technology includes, but is not limited to, computers and computer software,
calculators, interactive television, distance learning, electronic information resources, and a
variety of relevant multimedia
Narrative
NCTM.7-12.2.2 states Technology: Teachers of mathematics use appropriate technology to
support the learning of mathematics. This technology includes, but is not limited to, computers and
computer software, calculators, interactive television, distance learning, electronic information
resources, and a variety of relevant multimedia. What this standard means is that a teacher needs
the ability to break away from straight lecture/notes off the white board teaching. By introducing
videos, computer software, electronic research, and other multimedia outlets to the classroom, you
can better inspire your students to succeed with the material. Computers have changed the nature
of mathematics. Technological developments have radically altered the flow of information and
communication in our lives, creating simulated hyper realities (Greer, 2009, p. 3). In todays
society, children are surrounded by TV, computers, video games, movies, music, and more. Instead
of going outside to play on a playground, most students gather around someones television for
things like play station, Xbox, wii, and more. There is so much stimulation through LCD or LED
screens that it has changed the way parents are raising their kids. Therefore, as a teacher, you have
to take that into consideration when developing and teaching lessons in subjects that the students do
not want to participate in. Ironically the key to expanding mathematical diversity lies in
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embracing the technology through which humanity has obtained something approaching Platonic
perfection (Budnik, 2009, p. 290). Mathematics is one of those subjects that most students enter in
to with the mindset that they are incapable of being successful. Some of this mindset comes from
their parents or older siblings that failed or didnt like math. Being able to change that opinion is
extremely difficult, but when you teach a lesson using a computer program, you grab more of the
students attention.
Technology is an area that I am working hard on improving. As technology advances,
teaching styles have to advance with it. Petitioning your school or even your district to spend
money on new technology is one of the hardest things to accomplish. However it is well worth it
for the students. Right now I am able to use the promethean smart board in my classroom to teach
my lessons. This board allows me to be interactive with my lesson notes, to create actual
mathematical puzzled to be solved, allows students to be interactive with math questions, display
movies and video clips, show power point presentations, prezi presentations and show algebra
manipulative. It gives me timers and shapes, changes colors and backgrounds, shows formulas and
helps students with the wow factor they are looking for when Im teaching a lesson. I also use a
distance learning site called edmodo for posting and accepting assignments, posting notes, talking
one-on-one with students outside the classroom and host group discussions. I can also set up
quizzes and polls for my students to take which makes accomplishing content really easy. My
students love the distance learning idea because they always have access to me. Since the
messaging component of the website rings my cell phone, they know that they will always get an
immediate response. In fact, when I took a geometry class here at Georgia State, one of the
requirements was to purchase Geometers Sketchpad. In my senior math class, we are currently
using my laptop (hooked up to the smart board of course) to use Geometers Sketchpad in our
discovery of trigonometry. We have been referencing Appendix A in my geometry book (Reynolds
& Fenton, 2012, pp. 317-328) to help in our discussions and activities dealing with trigonometry. I
have been using this class as my guinea pigs with Geometers Sketchpad in the hope of
petitioning the school to get a subscription to the program. I am also trying to learn and play around
with Geogebra as an alternative to Geometers Sketchpad. My students love our current lessons and
have been having so much fun coming up the smart board to try their own hands at using the
program.
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There are two specific classes that helped me achieve mastery of the technology standards.
Those classes are IT 7360, Instruction Technology School-Based Learning Environment, and
EDMT 7360, Integration Technology in Math Instruction. I took IT 7360 first. This class taught
me how to create personal websites for my students to utilize as well as how to integrate different
WebPages into power points or prezi presentation sites. This class also helped me with my comfort
levels in using technology in the classroom. Before this, the only technology that I used was a
power point presentation and a projector. Now I am fluent in using a promethean board, prezi
presentations, incorporating movie clips, articles, and math websites for references. I am confident
with taking my classes to a computer lab to do research for a project. The second class was EDMT
7360. This class had taught me how to use GeoGebra in my algebra and pre-calculus classrooms.
It has helped to continue to dig me out of my shell and experiment more with technology. I have
also gained experience with podcasting and am even designing an assignment right now for one of
my senior classes to create and present research done on famous mathematicians using podcasting
as one form of multimedia. I am also learning more and more about the TI-Nspire and have already
decided to petition my administrator to upgrade the TI-84 calculators to TI-Nspire. It is with these
changes to my teaching that I have shown mastery of the technology standard.
Bibliography
Budnik, P. (2009). What is mathematics about? In P. Ernest, B. Greer, & B. Sriraman, Critical
Issues in Mathematics Education (pp. 283-291). Missoula, MT: Information Age Publishing, INC.
Greer, B. (2009). What is mathematics education for? In P. Ernest, B. Greer, & B.
Sriraman, Critical Issues in Mathematics Education (pp. 3-6). Missoula, MT: Information Age
Publishing, INC.
Reynolds, B. E., & Fenton, W. E. (2012). College geometry: using the geometer's sketchpad (5
ed.). (J. Brady, Ed.) Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Artifacts
http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/4lessons
http://rebeccasnidermath.weebly.com/
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The above website are two sites that I created during my first technology class here at
Georgia State. I still reference and use both websites with my students and they love it. My
students use them as references to help them with math homework assigned. I also allow my
students to complete homework online and email their submissions to my inbox instead of turing in
hard copies. The students love that option because they say it makes things easier.
The artifact "podcast_snider" is a podcast that I created as an example in my second
technology class. I used it in my freshman class when we started our conversation covering
Pythagorean Theorem. I wanted to get feedback from my students about podcasting and to
demonstrate what my students could do for future projects and assignment. Currently, my students
are working on an assignment with a podcast requirement that is showing lots of potential.
The artifact "spreadsheet_activity_3_snider" is an assignment that I first did for my
technology class. The reason I am using it now is because I adapted the activity for my senior class
and expanded on the ideas presented. Since my students are currently working on the assignment, I
wanted to submit the example the students saw, which is the assignment I submitted in my current
technology class. The way I expanded it was I incorporated it into our discussion about money and
how banks calculate loans, mortgages, etc. I showed my students my spreadsheet example so that
could get an idea about what I was talking about and what I was asking. The way I expanded the
assignment is fairly simple. The directions ask the students to think about 3 specific things. First, I
asked the students to search the internet for their dream home and to write down the price. Then I
asked the students to search the internet for their dream car and again write down the price. Finally
I asked the students to search the internet for their ideal "splurge item" and write down the price. I
gave my students a few examples of what "splurge items" might be including boats, motorcycles,
vacation homes, etc. Once the students had all the prices, I asked them to follow the simple
instructions similar to what I had to fill out their spreadsheets. Part of those directions included
researching loan interest rates as well as calculating interest rates. Currently my students are
working their way through the spreadsheet activity. Once they have finished with the excel portion,
they have to answer questions related to the three sections and give an analysis statement about
saving. That goal is to help prepare my students for the future and to show them what might be
needed in order to achieve those dreams. It is an activity that relates the mathematics to real world
situations which my students enjoy.
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The last three artifacts are all picture files. They are examples of what my class is currently
working on when using Geometers Sketchpad. The images are screen shots taken from the smart
board and saved with student permission for use in this portfolio. The artifacts demonstrate the use
of technology in the classroom for mathematical purposed and show what my students are capable
of producing when asked. We will continue to work with this program in the hopes of getting a
school license for the computer lab.
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Assessment
Standards
NCTM.7-12.2.3
Assessment: Teachers of mathematics use formative and summative methods to determine
students' understanding of mathematics and to monitor their own teaching effectiveness.
Teachers are careful to align their instructional and assessment practices. Teachers use
formative assessment to monitor student learning and to adjust instructional strategies and
activities. Formative assessment includes, but is not limited to, questioning strategies, student
writing, student products, and student performance. Teachers use summative assessment to
determine student achievement and to evaluate the mathematics program. Summative
assessment includes, but is not limited to, teacher-designed tests, criterion-referenced tests,
norm-referenced tests, portfolios, projects and other open-ended student products.
Narrative
Assessment is a concept that is just as fluid as mathematics. It is a tool to measure student
achievement in a class, to inform a teacher on their teaching strategies, points out where
misconceptions have occurred and re-teaching is necessary, and determines a students placement
either in a classroom or on an acceptance/rejection list. "Classroom assessments significantly affect
both storage and retrieval" (Ormrod, 2012, pg. 285). When I was in classes obtaining my teaching
license, assessment was one of the biggest topics of conversation. There are so many ways to assess
students and so many different objects or outcomes to an assessment. Some of those assessments
include open-ended questions, multiple choice, written tests, oral tests, written quizzes, oral quizzes,
class discussions, projects, student journals or portfolios, and homework, take home exams,
standardized tests, skills assessments, technology assessments and a students comfort level with the
material they are presenting. "Assessment encourages review, of course, but they also encourage
students to reflect on classroom material in new ways" (Ormrod, 2012, pg. 285).
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Assessment is a huge topic that is generally taken differently by different contents.

"Research tells us that classroom assessments, when designed appropriately, can enhance students'
learning and memory in several ways; by promoting effective storage processes; by encouraging
review before the assessment; by requiring review during the assessment itself; and by providing
feedback" (Ormrod, 2012, pg. 286). As a math teacher, it is important that assessment is used on a
daily basis to check that the students are understanding the material. It is very easy to develop a
misconception about a concept without realizing that has happened. When I was in school my
teachers used to call me the queen of the negative signs. What they meant was my negative signs
had a habit of walking off the pages in the middle of an assignment or questions without
explanation of where they went. It was the easiest mistake to make and usually happened because I
forgot to keep writing it. However once you forget a negative sign, that changes the entire problem
you are working on. I used to get exams back full of red correction marks all related to negative
signs so I know what some of my students feel like. To me, assessments are my way of catching
those students that are becoming queens or kings of the negative signs so to speak. Catching the
misconception is really important, but even more so is allowing the student to find the mistake on
their own and correct it. This is why I love formative assessments so much. It is a tool that allows
me to ask simple little check mark questions through oral questions or written quizzes or even class
discussions that tells me who is on track and who isnt. This helps with instant re-teaching
opportunities and additional group work to be assigned.
The entire standard states that teachers of mathematics use formative and summative
methods to determine students' understanding of mathematics and to monitor their own teaching
effectiveness. Teachers are careful to align their instructional and assessment practices. Teachers
use formative assessment to monitor student learning and to adjust instructional strategies and
determine student achievement and to evaluate the mathematics program. Summative assessment
includes, but is not limited to, teacher-designed tests, criterion-referenced tests, norm-referenced
tests, portfolios, projects and other open-ended student products. I want to pick apart this standard
since it is so important to understand. First is the statement that teachers of mathematics use
formative and summative methods to determine students understanding of mathematics and to
monitor their own teaching effectiveness. To me this means that not only do I need to monitor my
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students to see what they grasp and what they are still confused about, but I have to monitor myself
as well. If an entire class misses a concept, then that should tell a teacher that they need to re-teach
the concept, but approach it in a different way. When I monitor myself, I like to look at summative
assessments in terms of the questions asked. I monitor is a question is worded funny or if I missed
the concept completely. Not everything is the students fault. The next part says that Teachers are
careful to align their instruction and assessment practices. This means that you need to make sure
that your summative and formative assessments match the curriculum and the content you are
currently teaching. It is not fair to ask students question about a concept that has not yet been
covered. The third part says that Teachers use formative assessment to monitor student learning
and to adjust instructional strategies and activities. Formative assessment includes, but is not limited
to, questioning strategies, student writing, student products, and student performance. This means
exactly what I said earlier. Sometimes you need to adjust how you are teaching a concept to make
it easier to understand. You have to watch for misconceptions to arise and help the students correct
them when they do arise. The final part of the standard says Teachers use summative assessment
to determine student achievement and to evaluate the mathematics program. Summative assessment
includes, but is not limited to, teacher-designed tests, criterion-referenced tests, norm-referenced
tests, portfolios, projects and other open-ended student products. This means that eventually you
have to test your students in a way that counts towards their grades and towards your own teaching
ability. Everyone is evaluated, even teachers. Sometimes the evaluation shows positive
improvement and sometimes it shows problems. Its how you handle the problems that makes you
breaks you as a students and as an educator. The distinction between testing and assessment is
often somewhat ambiguous and has been slow in developing and becoming integrated into everyday
parlance (Johnson & Christensen, 2012, pp. 135-136). So many teachers are struggling with the
idea that assessments has changed. No longer is it strictly a pencil and paper exam given to students
at the end of a semester. With so many new definitions to teaching, sometimes it can be hard to
keep track. However one thing is for sure, assessment is as much for the students as it is for the
teachers and should not be thought of as a negative aspect to the teaching experience. We can
define testing as the process of measuringvariables by means of devices or procedures designed
to obtain a sample of behavior. And define assessment as the gathering and integration of data
for the purpose of making an educational evaluation, accomplished through the use of tools such
as tests, interviews, case studies, behavioral observation, and specially designed apparatus and
measurement procedures (Johnson & Christensen, 2012, p. 136). Assessments are going to
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continue to change as time and technology changes. Great teachers are the ones that are able to
change with the times, advancing their classrooms for the betterment of their students.
With each class that I participated in while attending Georgia State University, I was able to
add to my mastery of the assessment standard. The way I achieved this was through paying
attention to how my professors assessed their students. I took notes in each class covering the
strategies my professors used so that I could add them to my own teaching. For example, in my
History classes, the assessment strategies were 3 administered exams monitored by a proctor as well
as a final written paper. In my Problem Solving class the assessment strategy was take home exams
where we were given 24 hours to complete the exam and submit it online. In my psychology class
the exams were on the computer as multiple choice timed exams. My statistics and geometry class
gave online exams as well that had time limits for both taking the test and the quantity of days you
were given to accomplish taking the exam. The stats class used the mystatlab by Pearson and the
geometry class used the online portal goview. In my theory classes, the final exams were strictly
major papers and projects. Each class had a different strategy for how they wanted their students to
demonstrate their mastery and knowledge of the course content. The reason I can confidently say I
have mastered this standard in my own teaching is because I have taken all these ideas presented in
this program and have adapted them into my own teaching. I have changed the "paper pencil
written only" exam in my classroom to reflect a more wide range of ideas. Now my students are
given only one written exam, which is the final exam. However throughout the year they will be
tested using the same strategies I saw on my program. I have already designed on online test
through one of my websites that I am waiting to administer. My seniors have a final paper to write
and present before the final state/district standardized exam. I have also adapted more formative
discussion assessments to gage how my students are doing on a daily basis. With all of my
additions and changes, I can say that I now possess a wide variety of assessment techniques that are
100% aligned with the technology standard given to me as well as aligned to the curriculum I am
teaching.
Bibliography
Johnson, B., & Christensen, L. (2012). Educational research: quantitative, qualitative, and
mixed approaches (4 ed.). (D. McDaniel, L. Mori, A. Baker, L. Larson, A. Hutchinson, &
P. L. Fleming, Eds.) Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
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Ormrod, J. E. (2012). Human learning (6 ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson
Education, Inc.
Artifacts
Some of the artifacts that I am including have been included in other sections. The reason
for this is because those artifacts incorporate so many of the standards, they cannot be ignored.
The first artifact is the Unit Plan. The reason I am including this as part of my assessment
artifact collections is because it demonstrates some of the assessment planning that I put into place
when putting together lessons. I try to use a variety of assessment strategies to monitor my students
and myself.
I included my methods paper, action research report, and power point presentation as
examples of assessment strategies that my professors here at Georgia State used to test my abilities
in their classes. I plan to use these as a basis for new projects and assessment strategies in my own
classroom.
The Famous Mathematicians Project, Group Matching Activity, Mathematicians World
Newspaper, and Probability Vocabulary are all examples of assessment ideas that I have and still
use in my classroom to assess my students abilities.
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I believe all my artifacts show my mastery of the assessment standard and I stand by
everything I have included. Each artifact is unique in the quality they bring to this standard and I
think it shows my wide variety of assessment capabilities that I use with my students.
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Instructional Strategies
Standards
NCTM.7-12.2.4
Programs prepare prospective teachers who can identify, teach, and model problem solving in
grades 7-12
NCTM.7-12.2.5
Programs prepare prospective teachers who use a variety of physical and visual materials for
exploration and development of mathematical concepts in grades 7-12
NCTM.7-12.2.6
Programs prepare prospective teachers who use a variety of print and electronic resources
NCTM.7-12.2.7
Programs prepare prospective 7-12 teachers who know when and how to use student
groupings such as collaborative groups, cooperative learning, and peer teaching
NCTM.7-12.2.8
Programs prepare prospective teachers who use instructional strategies based on current
research as well as national, state, and local standards relating to mathematics instruction
NCTM.7-12.2.9
Programs prepare prospective
teachers who can work on an
interdisciplinary team and in an
interdisciplinary environment
Narrative
When I look at these standards, I
see a partial definition for teaching
mathematics. To me the standard refers
to my ability to look at the questions and
standards asked of my students with the
ability to answer everything asked.
"Before beginning instruction, teachers
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should determine what beliefs and misconceptions students currently have about a topic" (Ormrod,
2012, pg. 254). There are so many different learning types within a single classroom so a teacher
has to be able to teach to all of them. Thus knowing how to model problem solving in different
ways is so important. In my own classroom I strive to explain to my students that there is an
infinite number of ways to solve a problem. Since everyone looks at the problem differently the
ways to get to the solution vary. This is why I try to have 2 3 examples for each problem that are
solved completely differently but arrive at the same solution.
These standards also speak to the strategies I use in my classroom to help students see the
solutions in a variety of ways. "Instructional practices can have a significant impact on how
students mentally process classroom material and thus also on how effectively students learn it"
(Ormrod, 2012, pg. 157). I encourage my students to use math blocks, algebra tiles, calculators,
flash cards, etc. This demonstrates my ability to use this standard and use it within my classroom.
As a teacher you have to remember that your students probably wont learn the concepts the same
way you do. For example, I learn by example. This means that if you show me how to solve the
problem, I will be able to solve that problem till I die. However not all my students are like that.
Some students learn by visual representation, which is where things like algebra tiles come in
handy. Other students might be auditory learners which means they need to listen to descriptions to
learn the concepts taught. Some students are tactile learners, which means they need to physically
feel or act out the mathematics. These students need math blocks or major group work to learn how
to solve the problems. Providing all the different means for solving problems in various ways is
only part of my job as a teacher.
I also find that some of these standards are tougher for me to incorporate into my
classroom. My administration has not exactly been on board with research projects which has made
it harder for me to use outside sources to help in teaching the math concepts. However I was able to
create a project the first year I started teaching that my direct administrator absolutely loved. This
is the project I am going to discuss for the standard.
It was a freshman math class called Math 1. The project was called The Famous
Mathematician research project. The idea of this project was that the students would pick a
famous mathematician to research and present to the class. The requirements included a written
report and their choice between a poster presentation, power point presentation or creating a board
game. The object was for students to use the internet to find appropriate resources about their
mathematician to explain the history, mathematical break through, and interesting facts. They also
had to be prepared to answer questions about their mathematicians during their presentation.
Attached to the report needed to be the bibliography for plagiarism checks. My students loved the
assignment. They enjoyed the research time and preparing their own presentations. It surprised me
how many board games my students created. I still have a few of them saved away all these years
later. The project was a huge success and the best part was my students learned something new
which inspired them to focus harder on the math concepts I was teaching.
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Another important aspect to these standards are a teachers ability to know when the
appropriate times are to group students to master concepts. "Students' understanding should be
monitored for particularly tenacious misconceptions" (Ormrod, 2012, pg. 257). Sometimes group
work is the best way to accomplish academic monitoring. Group work is incredibly important when
learning mathematics. Bouncing ideas off of each other when attempting to problem solve is how
you learn from mistakes. Sometimes you have the best bright idea, but at other times it might be a
classmate or colleague. As a teacher, knowing which concepts need group work and which
concepts need individual work is quite the challenge, however when you get it right is quite
rewarding. In my classroom I strive to do group work at least 3 times per week. Most group
activities have multiple parts and are the state tasks assigned for the different standards. These tasks
require in-depth thinking about the mathematics involved which is where group work shines. The
group work also allows the advanced students to help those struggling.
Lastly, it is important to remember that it is a teachers job to stay current with all
instructional advice and strategies out there. In my school we have professional development
meetings once a week. In these meetings we discuss new ideas that are coming out to help
encourage achievement within our classes. Using new instructional strategies helps to keep
teaching the concepts fresh and keeps your students on their toes. When the students have no idea
what to expect next I have found that they will focus more and participate better in the classroom.
Keeping up with current instructional strategies also means doing research on your own time. As a
teacher it is important that you know what is out there and how instruction is changing. For
example, when I was obtaining my undergraduate degrees the instruction strategy was strictly
lectures filled with notes and examples. Now instruction includes hands on experiences and group
projects. Who knows what the future might hold or how instruction is going to continue to change.
In my classroom I like to use a combination of instructional strategies. These strategies
include group work, individual work, examples, videos, power points, use of the promethean smart
board, websites and even prezi. I also like to let my students pretend to be teacher for the day.
By this I mean in my classroom, for extra credit, students can pick a concept that I will be teaching
in the future and prepare a lesson. These students have to stand up in front of the class following
my teaching schedule and deliver the lesson as if they were me. They are responsible for creating
the instruction of the concepts, daily class assignments for students to work on, homework and even
a short quiz. The quiz is how the extra credit is awarded. If the students grasped the concepts and a
majority passed the quiz, maximum points are awarded. However points awarded decrease
depending on the number of student failures occur. The lessons have to be submitted at least 3
days in advance for my approval. If the lesson fails to meet approval, then the student will not be
allowed to teach that lesson and will be given the opportunity to pick a new concept and start over.
My seniors love this. It challenges them in ways a teacher could only hope for. In the beginning I
had only 2 students take advantage, but as the semesters went on, more and more students took
advantage of the credit and pretty soon I was able to just sit back and watch as my students taught
each other. The best is when my students make the connections to past mathematical concepts they
have already mastered. A common thread in these theories is that, before instruction, ALL
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students have pre-mathematical knowledge of mathematics topics that they are first learning
(Battista, 2010, pp. 39-40). When students make the connections that basic math is not only a part
of their daily lives, but is present in the advanced concept we are discussing it makes me smile.
The point of modern learning theories is that effective instruction helps students build on
and transform their pre-mathematical knowledge into more formal knowledge in personally
meaningful ways (Battista, 2010, p. 40).
The reason I use these strategies is because I have found and been taught that when students
are capable of teaching each other the concepts, they are better equipped to remember the concepts.
In each class that I was a part of, there was always at least one assignment or project
assigned as group work. Personally, I think it is incredibly difficult to accomplish group work via
online courses, but somehow the university made it work. Having that experience inspired me to
try a new instructional strategy in my classroom, which I feel helps to demonstrate my mastery of
these standards. I have started putting into place the group dynamic discussion and question/answer
center in my class website on edmodo. This strategy forces my students to have to interact with
each other online outside the classroom. It gives my students an outlet to ask questions that they
might have been too afraid to ask in class as well as a place for posting and asking homework
questions. I am able to monitor the discussion board to make sure that it is being used appropriately
as well as to see if I need to re-teach any material the following day. I took this idea from the
discussions that we had to do every day in each of the different classes. Another way this program
has helped me master these standards is in the way this program pushes the candidates to achieve
more and more the closer you get to the end. I found the discussions would become more intense,
the assignments more challenging and the overall environment stressful but refreshing. The ideas
that this program is constantly giving me has been a blessing in disguise, and something that has
enhanced my own teaching. I feel I have grown as a teacher, using more technology in the
classroom, more hands on activities to explain concepts, added a reading component to enhance the
mathematics learning, inspire group work and study groups, as well as am keeping better track of
what is considered current in teaching and what is considered out dated. It is for these reasons that I
have mastered these standards.
Bibliography
Battista, M. T. (2010, December). Engaging students in meaningful mathematics learning: different
perspectives, complementary goals. Journal of Urban Mathematics Education, 3 (2), 34-46.
Ormrod, J. E. (2012). Human learning (6 ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson
Education, Inc.
Artifacts
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The artifacts I picked for this topic all represent different instructional strategies I have used
in my classroom to help inspire learning and mastery of the standards. The first artifact I want to
discuss is the "Famous Mathematicians Project". This artifact shows you the directions that were
handed out to my students along with the rubric I used to grade the projects. This artifact shows
how I had students use outside resources and internet searches to aid in mastery of math content. It
is an example of individual work.
In the "Algebra Investigations Project" students were asked to investigate the different
algebraic topics and create a presentation covering specific information. Students were asked to
create a poster explaining their investigations, show examples and the steps to solving the problems.
This artifact shows the directions given to the different groups as well as the rubric used to grade
the presentations. This shows an example of group work using research and class presentations.
The "Mathematicians World Newspaper" project was a fun way to introduce the new school
year. This project was assigned early in the year as a fun way to recap previous mathematical
knowledge and present it in a way that was exciting. This project was also used cross curriculum,
shared with the English class. The students were able to create one project and receive two grade
for it, one grade in mathematics and one grade in English. This was an individual assignment.
Provided in this artifact is the directions given to the students and the rubric used in mathematics
for grading.
"October Sky" video questions and "Octoberskyviewguide" are examples of the activity my
students had to complete while watching the movie "October Sky". This artifact is an example of
how I would use other techniques to help with mathematical concepts. The overall project lead to
students creating their own rockets and then getting to launch them outside. This project was
completed with all 3 math teachers as a cross content area project. The object was for the students
to learn some math and ideas from the movie and once that was completed over the course of 2
days, the creation of rockets started. The students were given materials and skeleton instructions for
making the rockets, but were also allowed to use imagination and expand on the "bones" given.
This shows an example of group work and fun activities used to teach the math concepts.
My "daily organizer" is an example of how my students would take notes every day. Since
we had unlimited copying at my school, I would make mass copies of this organizer and keep a
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stack in the back of the classroom. The routine was that students would pick up a note sheet at the
start of the day and label it correctly. They would then take notes in the same spot every day and
use the organizer as a reference guide when working on assignments. We would also have the
occasional notebook quiz where I would ask certain questions that could only be answered from the
organizers. It was a check to see who was taking appropriate notes and who was slacking. It did
not take long to have 100% participation with the organizers and my students thanked me for it.
Lastly is the "group matching activity". This artifact shows my students up and walking
around to complete an exercise. The idea was for students to make certain algebraic expressions
with each other. Some examples included reduced vs. non reduced terms that would match, etc.
This is a teaching strategy that my mathematics mentor taught me and it really worked. The
students loved being able to walk around and felt like it was a game while at the same time learning
something. In fact, the image you see below is that freshman class that I have been referencing both
in this artifact descriptions and in my narrative above.
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Impact on Student Learning

Standards
NCTM.7-12.2
TEACHING PREPARATION - Integrated Essential Outcomes: Certain essential outcomes within a
program preparing teachers of mathematics are integrated throughout the program. Such outcomes
include teaching diverse learners, the appropriate use of technology, and the alignment of assessment
and instructional practices.
NCTM.7-12.2.1
Diverse Learners: Teachers of mathematics use their knowledge of student diversity to affirm and support
full participation and continued study of mathematics by all students. This diversity includes gender,
culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, language, special needs, and mathematical learning styles
NCTM.7-12.2.2
calculators, interactive television, distance learning, electronic information resources, and a variety of
relevant multimedia
NCTM.7-12.2.3
Assessment: Teachers of mathematics use formative and summative methods to determine students'
understanding of mathematics and to monitor their own teaching effectiveness. Teachers are careful to
align their instructional and assessment practices. Teachers use formative assessment to monitor student
learning and to adjust instructional strategies and activities. Formative assessment includes, but is not
limited to, questioning strategies, student writing, student products, and student performance. Teachers
use summative assessment to determine student achievement and to evaluate the mathematics program.
Summative assessment includes, but is not limited to, teacher-designed tests, criterion-referenced tests,
NCTM.7-12.2.4
Programs prepare prospective teachers who can identify, teach, and model problem solving in grades 712
NCTM.7-12.2.5
Programs prepare prospective teachers who use a variety of physical and visual materials for exploration
and development of mathematical concepts in grades 7-12
NCTM.7-12.2.6
NCTM.7-12.2.7
Programs prepare prospective 7-12 teachers who know when and how to use student groupings such as
collaborative groups, cooperative learning, and peer teaching
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NCTM.7-12.2.8
Programs prepare prospective teachers who use instructional strategies based on current research as
well as national, state, and local standards relating to mathematics instruction
NCTM.7-12.2.9
Programs prepare prospective teachers who can work on an interdisciplinary team and in an
Narrative
The standards NCTM.7-12.2, NCTM.7-12.2.1, NCTM.7-12.2.2, NCTM.7-12.2.3, NCTM.7-12.2.4,

NCTM.7-12.2.5, NCTM.7-12.2.6, NCTM.7-12.2.7, NCTM.7-12.2.8, and NCTM.7-12.2.9 all speak to the
heart of teaching. Being able to prepare lessons that will reach students appropriately using technology,
modeling, physical and visual materials, print and electronic sources, student grouping and individual
assignments, varieties of instructional strategies and environments suitable for learning.
To me this is the most important piece of the teaching puzzle to know. Its the skeleton instruction
about how not only teach, but teach well. Everyone strives to be the best they can, however not all teachers
live by these ideas or standards. Its the acknowledgement of cultural diversity within both academic
mathematics and the diversity of other forms of mathematical practice, as emphasized in the
Ethnomathematical perspective (Greer, 2009, p. 5). In fact, the very licensing program I was a part of to
obtain my teaching license didnt use these ideas in any way. We were, of course, taught to use groups and
taught different management techniques, but nothing even remotely close to these standards. I feel that I
have become a stronger teacher now than I was when I started. I have more ideas about what to do in my
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classroom to inspire students to achieve their goals. I feel I do a better job of preparing my lessons before
hand, and am able to put more thought into the teaching process. I am better able to see the diversity in my
classroom and how to use it to its advantage instead of viewing the diversity as a challenge. I have a new
found recognition that mathematics education is historically, culturally, socially, and politically situated
(Greer, 2009, p. 5) and have been able to put more weight in curricula on making connections between
school mathematics and peoples lives (Greer, 2009, p. 5). I have been able to discover my own
weaknesses as a teacher through my own enlightening of these standards. This has allowed me to improve
my teaching ability through an increase use of technology and more variety of assessments. It has become
commonplace for educators to accept that the goal of mathematics education is more than the mastery of a
body of algorithms and methods, and that mathematics is an ideal training ground for the development of
logical reasoning in students (Leikin, 2009, p. 40). I have also expanded my group work knowledge as well
as my definition of diversity within each class I teach. I see more of my students and expect more out of my
students than I use too, which has made me a more diverse teacher. No longer am I tunneled into
mathematics like I was before. I now look for more of the connections to other courses and content areas
beyond mathematics to help my students see how important it all is.
To this end, I have a few specific examples of where my increased desire of teaching has impacted
students in a huge way. Before I get to those examples, you need to know how I approach teaching in my
classrooms. A teacher may simply follow the textbook. A more creative teacher might give her own
examples that illustrate the points in a textbook. A still more creative teacher might invent his or her own
explanations or activities to convey a concept or method (Leikin, 2009, p. 41). When teaching my seniors, I
make it a goal to help prepare those students for life outside the high school. Whether it is college or a job, I
feel that my students need to know how to make the transition into something new a wonderful beyond my
classroom walls. Therefore, one of the things I do is treat my seniors like pre-freshman college students.
This means that I force my students to be more responsible with their work. When we have projects, I make
sure to inform them about the project and state the due date a few times that introductory day. However, the
next time I remind students about the project is usually 2 days before the project is due. This forces my
students to have to be responsible about the work they are asked to complete and keep track of deadlines. In
the beginning this is a hard concept for these students to grasp and I have quite a few late projects submitted
(students didnt know until after the projects were returned graded that I did not take off any late point that
time). However as time went on, the students became used to the idea of responsibility and this a
transformation in my classroom started to take shape. Another strategy I used was a submission filing
cabinet. I trusted my students to be mature adults and not cheat. I kept a close eye on the filing cabinet to
make sure that only assignments were submitted in to the drawers and NOTHING was taken out of them. I
have to say that I was actually pleasantly surprised at the students reactions to the submission technique and
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was told by a majority of them that they really enjoyed the submission freedom. They knew the routine and
respected it. It made my life easier because I didnt have to make announcements about assignments being
due or that I was collecting them at a certain time. The routine is that students have the first 15 minutes of
class to submit assignments on time and to the correct place. Anything submitted after that was considered
late. Beyond that my teaching strategy was simple. Students could take notes however they were
comfortable. As a class we spent a few days going over different note taking strategies, but after that the
choice was theirs. As long as they actually took notes I was fine with the freedom of choice. Students would
listen to the lecture or content instruction delivered in the beginning of class and would use their notes
during the work period first before asking me, the teacher. This method continues to reinforce the
responsibility placed on the students to take charge of their education.
Now to my examples. I had a student named Deejay in my 1
st
period senior class. This was a
special class designed for students that needed to take two math classes their senior year in order to graduate
on time. It did not take long for me to get to know Deejay because he was a real in your face kind of guy. I
will never forget that first day of class when he walked into my classroom before the bell rang and said to me
Hi Im Deejay and Im going to be your number 1 student. The statement made me smile as he continued
by saying and not only that, but I will be a student you will never forget. He smiled at me and walked out
to wait for the bell. I have to say I was intrigued by this student and curious to see if what he said was true.
Over that first semester I came to know Deejay really well. I found out that he was getting ready to age out
of group foster care and that both his parents were in prison. He confided in me that he rarely was able to eat
breakfast and was generally starving by the time he arrived at school. This moved me so much that I started
supplying breakfast bars in my classroom desk drawer specifically so that he could eat before class started.
As time went on it became habit for Deejay to hang out in my classroom all the time. I usually started my
day with him sitting outside the classroom door and ended my day with him coming to my door to say good
bye. At one point he referred to me as his mom at school which was quite flattering. If he got into trouble
in another class he would request to be sent to my class, no matter what time of day it was. And yes, it was
true that Deejay fast became my number 1 student. He worked so hard to learn the concepts taught and was
inspired to learn ahead. By the time we finished the second quarter (i.e. first semester) Deejay was a student
that I told subs to use as a co-teacher when I was sick or out at meetings. Deejay was also the first student to
take advantage of my teaching extra credit. He taught a total of 15 lessons throughout the rest of the year,
mastering each lesson well in advance, making assignments that rivaled my own ideas. What inspired me in
my own teaching was his willingness to help his fellow students at the expense of his own assignments. I
was constantly reminding Deejay that he needed to do his own work too so that he can pass the class and he
constantly told me that it was ok. However, beyond all that, the thing that has stuck with me even to this day
was the conversation I had with Deejay about his future. He told me that before my class he was not going to
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do anything after high school. He said that he had no ambitions or drive to do anything except live on the
street. But then he went on to say that after being in my class and seeing the fire I put into teaching and the
joy that I have for my job, he decided to emulate me. He said mom, I need your help. I want to get into
military college so that I can inspire others like you inspire me and so that I can protect you from all the
dangers of the world around us. It touched my heart more than I can explain and immediately I went into
over drive trying to help. We filled out applications and I helped him study for the military entrance exams.
The best part was when he found out that he was accepted into the military college and that I was the first
person he wanted to tell. Never had I seen such passion come from a student with such a rough life.
Another student that not only did I have an impact on, but had an impact on myself was Kevin.
Kevin was a student that didnt care about school. He had a tough guy attitude and was constantly either
getting in trouble or being blamed just because he was there. In fact, when some of my colleagues found out
that I was going to have Kevin in my class, they actually told me they were sorry and tried to give me advice
about how to handle this trouble maker. I never like to listen to the opinions of other and instead have
always preferred to make my own decision after getting to meet and know someone, so I took that advice
with a grain of salt. The first day of class Kevin was 20 minutes late and when he walked into class had
already assumed that I was going to kick him out. Apparently, that is what all the other teachers in his life
have done before so it made sense for him to assume that I was the same. When I told him to take a seat and
played it off like he had trouble finding my classroom, the look of shock was incredible. That first day with
Kevin wa challenging. He was constantly making rude and crazy comments in an effort to disrupt the
lessons. It almost felt like he was trying to get himself kicked out of class until I looked right at him and told
him that I was not going to kick him out so he could cut the crap and actually listen for one in his life. After
that things with Kevin began to change. I learned that he was a pot smoker and that when he went home he
has a mess of little brothers and sisters to take care of. He confided in me that his mother was dead and that
he had no idea where his father was so they all lived with his grandmother. He said it was a roof over his
head, but that he was the one responsible for his siblings. I remember asking Kevin why he did pot when he
had so many little mouths to take care of and he said it was the only time he could relax and forget about the
awfulness that was his life. Over the course of the first semester, I worked with Kevin on quitting. I told
him that he would be able to focus better in class if his head was clear. It was a tough first semester, but in
the end he managed to quit using pot. He confided in me that it was one of the best decisions I ever helped
him with. In fact, it was the first semester final exam that really hit it home with Kevin because not only did
he pass, but he aced the exam, causing his semester grade to raise high enough to be a passing grade. Kevin
had never passed anything the first time around before. Normally he had to do extra projects or take a class
over again in summer school to receive a passing grade. At the start of the second semester, I saw a brand
new Kevin. He was now a student willing to complete the course work and actually tried his best at
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everything I gave him to accomplish. I even heard other colleagues gossiping about the changes they were
seeing in Kevin, which only made me smile. No one had ever given him a chance to demonstrate the type of
student he was capable of being. Kevin told me, right before the school year ended, that he was grateful for
the time and effort I put in to push him to be a better person. He said it was the way I approached teaching
the class and the freedoms I implored in my class that helped show him he was capable of doing not only the
math, but everything else. He said he was going to graduate, something he was originally not planning on
accomplishing, and that he was excited to do so. Finally, he thanked me for being different and for taking a
huge chance on him.
Those are two specific students that touched me with their stories and that in turn I inspired to
become better than they ever thought they could become. Overall, I would have to say that I had a huge
impact on that entire class. Both of those students came from my 1 st period math class, a class where the
students needed to take 2 math classes in order to graduate on time. All of the students in that class walked
in the first day feeling like failures. It is an attitude that can be very difficult for teachers to break. It is for
that specific reason that I taught the class the way I did, with responsibility and respect. I wanted to students
to know that I had huge respect for the effort needed to succeed and that I would be there to help do anything
possible to see each of them through the course. It was a long bumpy road with a lot of twists and turns, but
in the end I had a 100% pass rate in that class and 100% of the students had a new attitude not only toward
math, but toward their own futures.
The method that I chose to use with these students doesnt really have a name. It was a combination
of methods actually that gained me the success I saw. First, I treated these students like pre-freshman college
students, giving them the freedom with assignments knowing the consequences for not completing them. I
also used a lot of strategic group work, but allowed the students to pick their own groups. In fact, most days
that was individual work, the students would group them self into large study groups and help each other. It
was very interesting to watch them work and truly become the facilitator in the back ground. The hierarchy
of mathematical truth involves ever more complex levels of abstraction and self reflection (Budnik, 2009, p.
290). By the end of the year the students would only use me for the lesson portion of the class and would use
notes and each other to complete assignments. My administrators were highly impressed with the work ethic
of my class and when asked how I accomplished it with that group of students I simply told them that I gave
them a chance to shine and treat them like adults. There is nothing better then watching your principal have
the world biggest shocked look on his face when he tells you that you have the highest passing rate in the
school and that the state test scores were amazing.
Bibliography
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Budnik, P. (2009). What is mathematics about? In P. Ernest, B. Greer, & B. Sriraman, Critical Issues in
Mathematics Education (pp. 283-291). Missoula, MT: Information Age Publishing, INC.
Greer, B. (2009). What is mathematics education for? In P. Ernest, B. Greer, & B. Sriraman, Critical Issues
in Mathematics Education (pp. 3-6). Missoula, MT: Information Age Publishing, INC.
Leikin, R. (2009). Teaching mathematics with and for creativity. In P. Ernest, B. Greer, & B.
Sriraman, Critical Issues in Mathematics Education (pp. 39-43). Missoula, MT: Information Age
Publishing, INC.
Artifacts
The artifacts I chose are related to things I did while in class at Georgia state. The first artifact is
called "student_interview_assignment". This was an assignment where we had to interview a student we
were currently teaching. The object was to develop one to two problems for the student to attempt to
problem solve related to the current content we were covering in class. I had to sit back and observe her
problem solving skills as the student attempted the problems and take notes covering specific things I
noticed. I then had to ask her a series of questions about the problems in an attempt to get into the students
mind. What this artifact shows is the growth the student had with mathematics and the impact this
assignment had on the student.
The second artifact is
called
"evaluation_report_assignment".
This artifact shows my ideas and
beliefs about teaching in terms of
observations and problem solving
skills. In this assignment, we were
asked to give our opinions about
observation and evaluation in the
classroom. I feel this artifact
shows some of the teaching
instructional choices that I make in
the classroom to help students
achieve mastery. It also includes
the teacher observation card and
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the student comment card, two strategies I use when performing hard grading (discussed in the artifact) with
certain assignments. I also use the obervation card when my students are working on group work and I feel
they need a push in the right direction. It is a fast way for me to let my students what they are doing
appropriately and what areas they might need to work on.
The third artifact is called "unit_plan_snider". This artifact shows how I incorporate my
instructional strategies into an actual unit plan. You can see the ideas that I will be using, the questions I
plan to ask as well as the assignments that I will be giving out. I believe it shows the ideas I have in trying to
impact my students learning abilities.
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Nctm Standards
NCTM.7-12.1
MATHEMATICS PREPARATION - The Four Themes: Problem Solving, Reasoning,
Communication, and Connections are four overriding themes that should permeate all
mathematics programs. Although these four areas are inherently interrelated, for the purpose of
this review you are asked to explicate how each of these areas is incorporated into your teach
preparation program.
NCTM.7-12.1.1
o Problem solving: Submit a narrative that describes how the requirements of your program
provide opportunities for your candidates to mature in their problem solving abilities
NCTM.7-12.1.2
o Reasoning: Submit a narrative that describes how the requirements of your program provide
opportunities for your candidates to make and evaluate mathematical conjectures and
arguments, and to validate their own mathematical thinking.
NCTM.7-12.1.3
o Communication: Submit a narrative that describes how the requirements of your program
provide opportunities for your candidates to use both oral and written discourse between
teacher and candidates and among candidates to develop and extend candidates mathematical
understanding.
NCTM.7-12.1.4
o Connections: Submit a narrative that describes how the requirements of your program
provide opportunities for your candidates to demonstrate an understanding of mathematical
relationships across disciplines and connections within mathematics
NCTM.7-12.1.5
Programs prepare prospective teachers who can (do the following).
NCTM.7-12.1.5.1
... apply concepts of number, number theory, and number systems
NCTM.7-12.1.5.10
... have a firm conceptual grasp of limit, continuity, differentiation and integration, and a
thorough background in the techniques and application of calculus
NCTM.7-12.1.5.11
... have a knowledge of the concepts and applications of graph theory, recurrence relations,
linear programming, difference equations, matrices, and combinatorics
NCTM.7-12.1.5.12
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... use mathematical modeling to solve problems from fields such as natural sciences, social
sciences, business, and engineering
NCTM.7-12.1.5.13
... understand and apply the concepts of linear algebra
NCTM.7-12.1.5.14
... understand and apply the major concepts of abstract algebra
NCTM.7-12.1.5.2
... apply numerical computation and estimation techniques and extend them to algebraic
expressions
NCTM.7-12.1.5.3
... apply the process of measurement to two-and three-dimensional objects using customary
and metric units
NCTM.7-12.1.5.4
... use geometric concepts and relationships to describe and model mathematical ideas and
real-world constructs
NCTM.7-12.1.5.5
... understand the major concepts of Euclidean and other geometries
NCTM.7-12.1.5.6
... use both descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze data, make predictions, and make
decisions
NCTM.7-12.1.5.7
... understand the concepts of random variable, distribution functions, and theoretical versus
simulated probability and apply them to real-world situations
NCTM.7-12.1.5.8
... use algebra to describe patterns, relations, and functions, and to model and solve problems
NCTM.7-12.1.5.9
... understand the role of axiomatic systems and proofs in different branches of mathematics,
such as algebra and geometry
NCTM.7-12.1.6
Programs prepare prospective teachers who have a knowledge of historical development in
mathematics that includes the contributions of underrepresented groups and diverse cultures
NCTM.7-12.2
TEACHING PREPARATION - Integrated Essential Outcomes: Certain essential outcomes
within a program preparing teachers of mathematics are integrated throughout the program.
Such outcomes include teaching diverse learners, the appropriate use of technology, and the
alignment of assessment and instructional practices.
NCTM.7-12.2.1
Diverse Learners: Teachers of mathematics use their knowledge of student diversity to affirm
and support full participation and continued study of mathematics by all students. This diversity
includes gender, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, language, special needs, and
mathematical learning styles
NCTM.7-12.2.10
Programs introduce and involve prospective teachers in the professional community of
mathematics educators
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NCTM.7-12.2.2
calculators, interactive television, distance learning, electronic information resources, and a
variety of relevant multimedia
NCTM.7-12.2.3
Assessment: Teachers of mathematics use formative and summative methods to determine
students' understanding of mathematics and to monitor their own teaching effectiveness.
Teachers are careful to align their instructional and assessment practices. Teachers use
formative assessment to monitor student learning and to adjust instructional strategies and
determine student achievement and to evaluate the mathematics program. Summative
assessment includes, but is not limited to, teacher-designed tests, criterion-referenced tests,
NCTM.7-12.2.4
Programs prepare prospective teachers who can identify, teach, and model problem solving in
grades 7-12
NCTM.7-12.2.5
Programs prepare prospective teachers who use a variety of physical and visual materials for
exploration and development of mathematical concepts in grades 7-12
NCTM.7-12.2.6
NCTM.7-12.2.7
Programs prepare prospective 7-12 teachers who know when and how to use student
groupings such as collaborative groups, cooperative learning, and peer teaching
NCTM.7-12.2.8
Programs prepare prospective teachers who use instructional strategies based on current
research as well as national, state, and local standards relating to mathematics instruction
NCTM.7-12.2.9
Programs prepare prospective teachers who can work on an interdisciplinary team and in an
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Artifact Table of Contents

Problem Solving..A
Scaffolded Reading Exercises..B
Math 7160 Homework Problems.C
Famous Mathematicians Project.D
Mathematicians World Newspaper..E
Favorite Pythagorean Theorem ProofsF
Math 7160 Midterm ExamG
Math 7160 Final Exam..H
Edmt 7560 Week 10 Problem SetI
Problem 2.1.5 ppt.J
Problem 1.1.3 ppt...K
Problem 2.4.3 ppt..L
Problem 2.5.2 ppt.M
85 | P a g e
History of Math Chapter 25 problems..N

Mathematics in Medieval Europe.O
Compare and Contrast Algebraic Concepts from Renaissance.P
Math 7820 Final Exam..Q
Math 7820 Exam 1R
Math 7820 Exam 2..S
Math 7821 Exam 1..T
Math 7821 Exam 2..U
Micro Teaching Video Case.V
Unit PlanW
Designing a Unit of Study.X
Culturally Diverse Activity.Y
The Bakery ProblemZ
Learning in Smaller Amounts.Jan
Learning in Smaller Amounts ppt..Feb
History and Concerns of Standardized Testing..Mar
86 | P a g e
Article ReflectionApr
Article Critique..May
Responding to DiversityJun
Impressions of an Indian Childhood ppt..Jul
How Classroom Management Differs.Aug
Philosophy of Teaching and LearningSep
Spreadsheet Activity..Oct
Student Work Images..Nov
Group Matching Activity.Dec
Probability Vocabulary1
Algebra Investigations Project..2
October Sky Video Questions3
Daily Organizer..4
Reflection Paper..5
Evaluation Paper.6
87 | P a g e
Artifacts Used per Section

Mathematical Preparation
Problem Solving
Scaffolded Reading Exercises
Math 7160 Homework Problems
Famous Mathematicians Project
Mathematicians World Newspaper
Content
Favorite Pythagorean Theorem Proofs
Math 7160 Midterm Exam
Math 7160 Final Exam
Edmt 7560 Week 10 Problem Set
Problem 2.1.5 ppt
Problem 1.1.3 ppt
Problem 2.4.3 ppt
Problem 2.5.2 ppt
88 | P a g e
Historical Development
History of Math Chapter 25 problems
Mathematics in Medieval Europe
Compare and Contrast Algebraic Concepts from Renaissance
Math 7820 Final Exam
Math 7820 Exam 1
Math 7820 Exam 2
Math 7821 Exam 1
Math 7821 Exam 2
Teaching Preparations and Connections
Micro Teaching Video Case
Unit Plan
Designing a Unit of Study
Diverse Learners
Culturally Diverse Activity
Unit Plan
The Bakery Problem
Learning in Smaller Amounts
89 | P a g e
Learning in Smaller Amounts ppt

Professional Community
History and Concerns of Standardized Testing
Article Reflection
Article Critique
Responding to Diversity
Impressions of an Indian Childhood ppt
How Classroom Management Differs
Philosophy of Teaching and Learning
Technology
Spreadsheet Activity
Student Work Images
Assessment
Unit Plan
History and Concerns of Standardized Testing
90 | P a g e

Group Matching Activity
Probability Vocabulary
Instructional Strategies
Algebra Investigations Project
October Sky Video Questions
Daily Organizer
Group Matching Activity
Impact on Student Learning
Reflection Paper
Evaluation Paper
Unit Plan
91 | P a g e

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Before defining my personal philosophy of Mathematics, I want to explain that I am expanding

solution. Traditional instructional is associated with behaviorist perspective on education. Behaviorist

August 2015 present

Academic Chair for 6th and 7th floors, Buchanan Hall

Teaching Preparation and Connections

The Standard NCTM.7-12.2, Teaching Preparation, speaks to everything I have worked so

As a teacher it is important to ensure that my students

"Engaging diverse groups of students in discussions about mathematics is important because

As a teacher, I push myself to

Unit Plan Artifact

Becoming a member of the professional community in mathematics has been an interesting

Assessment is a huge topic that is generally taken differently by different contents.

Impact on Student Learning

The standards NCTM.7-12.2, NCTM.7-12.2.1, NCTM.7-12.2.2, NCTM.7-12.2.3, NCTM.7-12.2.4,

period senior class. This was a

Artifact Table of Contents

History of Math Chapter 25 problems..N

Artifacts Used per Section

Learning in Smaller Amounts ppt

Learning in Smaller Amounts

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