Program Standard: Professional Practice

Members apply professional knowledge and experience to promote student learning. They use
appropriate pedagogy, assessment and evaluation, resources and technology in planning for and
responding to the needs of individual students and learning communities. Members refine their
professional practice through ongoing inquiry, dialogue and reflection.
Portfolio Description
I created a grade 3 mathematics lesson plan based on the concept of money. Although the full
lesson was created, the purpose of this assignment was to present the motivational aspect to my
classmates. This section is meant to engage the class while introducing the topic of the lesson in
a fun and creative way. The purpose of this lesson is for students to build upon previous
knowledge of addition and subtraction by applying it to the concept of purchasing items. The
lesson begins by discussing the students favourite possessions so that they become engaged and
interested. The reason for this is to tie it into the idea of money and purchasing items at the
store. Using real bills and coins, discuss with the students what the money might be used for and
what they could buy with certain amounts. The students are then asked to come to the front of the
room where they will step into the roles of cashier and customer. After they have had that
experience, students will get the opportunity to work with a partner in both the role of the cashier
and the customer. They will also be able to work on the iPad with a program that will give them
more experience with adding and subtracting money amounts.
Abstract Rationale
Developing lesson plans are extremely important in professional practice in order for students to
get the most out of their learning. Research by Taylor, Anderson, Meyer, Wagner, and West
(2005) shows that taking the time to improve methods of teaching will have a positive impact on
teacher engagement and motivation. More specifically, teaching mathematics requires in-depth
involvement in order for students to gain the full advantages of the material. Thorough planning,
communication, reflection, observation, and revision have all shown to improve mathematics
instruction (Taylor et al., 2005). All of these aspects are important for teachers in the
development and advancement of professional practice. Having adequate content knowledge of
the subject matter is a significant part of lesson planning (Shen, Poppink, Cui, & Fan, 2007).
This requires an abundance of preparation and overview, which comes from a variety of
experiences. By planning for each lesson, teachers can better tend to the needs of each individual
student. According to Shen et al. (2007), detailed lesson plans provide a way for teachers to
better understand content, student learning, and pedagogical content knowledge. When this is
accomplished, students have the ability to improve and grow as learners. As teachers engage in
self-reflection through the process of lesson planning, this enables them to change and improve
the strategies they employ (Posthuma, 2012). This will allow them to further refine their teaching
methods, which will help them expand and develop their professional practice.
Reflection
By working on this artifact, this gave me more insight into using the curriculum to plan lessons.
This assignment also allowed me to be creative with the motivational aspect of the lesson.
Through experience, I have learned so much and have had the opportunity to reflect on my
presentations. I presented the first part of the lesson to my colleagues, and the feedback I
received really helped me expand my knowledge of teaching. I firmly believe that the application
of personal knowledge and prior experience has changed and improved my instructional
methods. I really enjoyed creating and presenting this particular lesson plan, and I believe that
this enjoyment came through and carried into my teaching. My colleagues responded well to my

lesson and seemed to be very engaged and motivated to learn. I know that grade 3 students
would respond differently than adults, but I believe that the outcome would be similar. By
applying the knowledge I gained through completing this assignment, I was able to view the
direct benefits of planning a thorough, well-organized lesson. Through self-reflection, I will have
the opportunity to apply the knowledge I have learned in my future lessons and teaching
experiences. This is why I strongly agree with the program standard outlined above. Ample
amounts of professional practice will lead to a clear and firmly rooted knowledge of acceptable
subject matter and instructional methods.
References
Posthuma, B. (2012). Mathematics teachers' reflective practice within the context of adapted
lesson study. Pythagoras, 33(3), 1-9.
Shen, J., Poppink, S., Cui, Y., & Fan, G. (2007). Lesson planning: A practice of professional
responsibility and development. Educational Horizons, 248-260.
Taylor, A. R., Anderson, S., Meyer, K., Wagner, M. K., & West, C. (2005). Lesson study: A
professional development model for mathematics reform. Rural Educator, 26(2), 17-22.