Student Teaching Evaluation of Performance (STEP)

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Table of Contents
Standard 1- Contextual Factors - Knowing Your School and Community
Standard 2 - Writing Standards-Based Objectives and the Learning Goal
Standard 3 - Assessment and Data Literacy
Standard 4 - Unit and Lesson Planning
Standard 5 - Implementation of Instructional Unit
Standard 6 - Analysis of Student Learning
Standard 7 - Reflecting on Instruction to Improve Student Progress

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 STEP Standard 1 - Contextual Factors: Knowing Your School and
Community

Part I: Community, District, School, and Classroom Factors

A. Geographic Location
Gilbert Christian High School is located in the heart of Gilbert, AZ. Gilbert as a town is
established but would be considered a growing town. The town is a suburb of Phoenix, AZ, very
focused on community and education. From the adult population in Gilbert, 52.1% of the adults
residing there have some form of a college degree, ranging from an Associates to a Graduate
level (Gilbert Demographics, 2018). The first two weeks of student teaching has been a great
indication that Gilbert’s town focus on community is incorporated in the district and school.

B. District Demographics
Gilbert Christian High School is in the Gilbert Christian School district. Currently there are only
three schools within that district, serving grades K-12. The district consists of around 800-1000
students total. Because of this the class sizes are kept small and will allow for all lessons to be
planned with a more intimate setting and could thus be much more individualized according to
each class knowing that there are less students.

C. School Demographics
The school demographics are the same as the district. The high school has less than 500 students
total. Gilbert Christian High School has no students on free or reduced-price lunch.
Economically, these students come from families that would be upper middle class or low high
class. These students also come from homes where over 95% of them have two parents at the
home. With all of this information, planning a lesson means I know that students have access or
can get access to resources fairly easily. I also know that parents are paying attention to their
student’s grades and the work they are doing in class throughout the week.

Gilbertedi.com. (2018). Demographics | Gilbert EDI. [online] Available at:

http://www.gilbertedi.com/demographics/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2018].

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STEP Standard 1 - Contextual Factors: Knowing Your School and
Community

Part II: Demographic, Environment, and Academic Factors

A. Student Demographic Factors
The classroom I work in has all high school grade levels, from freshman to seniors, ranging from
the age of 14-18. There is a variety of content level with a very advanced class that does
geometry and algebra 2 in one school year, to a lower level class that are struggle but have a
great work ethic. Students are very close to an equal ratio of boys and girls. There is nearly a
50/50 split but leaning slightly in favor of girls. The school majority is Caucasian students, with
around 15% of students being diverse. The student also come from homes that would be
considered upper middle class to lower high class.

B. Environmental Factors
Nearly all the students here at Gilbert Christian High School come from a Christian household
that has two heterosexual parents. They are not in need of anything, they all have food and
proper clothing. These children are surrounded by supportive families but they are also
surrounded by an amazing group of teachers and faculty that offer support for situations in and
out of the classroom. The classroom is arranged in rows making it very accessible to walk
around and makes it easy to have students work independently, in partners, or in groups. The
students always have access to extra paper and pencils, or anything they’d need in case they
forgot something. The class environment is very fun and the kids enjoy participating because
they know it’s a safe place.

C. Student Academic Factors

Behavior
Student Subgroup ELL IEP Section Gifted Other or
504 Services Cognitive
(Explain) Needs
Receiving
No
Services
Boys 0 0 0 0 3 0
Girls 1 0 0 0 4 0

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 Instructional Student does N/A N/A N/A These are the N/A
Accommodations and not have ELL students with
Modifications or modified an AAP at
(Describe any assignments. GCHS. It
instructional But she does means that
accommodations and have English they will be
modifications regularly as a second accommodated
used to meet the needs language and but not every
of students in each is almost assignment is
subgroup.) considered modified.
proficient in
English.

In the space below, discuss the possible affect these characteristics could have on the planning,
delivery, and assessment of your unit. Refrain from using student names.

With these factors in mind, planning a unit will be slightly different knowing that I can ask more
of my students. I am aware of the access to technology they have and can use a variety of tools
that can differentiate my lesson that I may not have been able to use at another school. I can also
try to think of real life connections based on their lives. Although, they are all different and
unique, most of them have a very similar home life of two parents that are active in their life, a
strong Christian faith, and participate in some sort of extra-curricular. Knowing this also means I
need to be thoughtful with the work and application of the unit because their parents will be
paying attention to the work they are doing. Most of these students are also not needing any state
required adjustments which means I can plan a lesson for a variety of learning levels and
differentiate without fear that I forgot to account for a specific accommodation.

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STEP Standard 2 - Writing Standards-Based Objectives and the
Learning Goal

Unit Topic: Matrices

Unit Title: Matrices

National or State Academic Content Standards

HS.N-VM.C.6. Use matrices to represent and manipulate data, e.g., to represent payoffs or
incidence relationships in a network.
HS.N-VM.C.7. Multiply matrices by scalars to produce new matrices, e.g., as when all of the
payoffs in a game are doubled.
HS.N-VM.C.9. Understand that, unlike multiplication of numbers, matrix multiplication for
square matrices is not a commutative operation, but still satisfies the associative and distributive
properties.

Learning Goal
By the end of the unit, students will be able to do multi-step problems with matrices and utilize
rules/properties of matrices using technology.

Measurable Objectives
Students will be able to organize and display data using matrices and spreadsheets.
Students will be able to analyze data in matrices.
Students will be able to perform algebraic operations with matrices.
Students will be able to multiply matrices.
Students will be able to use the properties of matrix multiplication.
Students will be able to use a graphing calculator to explore operations with matrices.

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STEP Standard 3 - Assessment and Data Literacy
Pre-Assessment - Copy and paste the pre-assessment you plan to use to assess the students’
knowledge of the topic prior to implementing the unit lessons. Include the scoring criteria used
to determine whether the student Exceeds, Meets, Approaches, or Falls Far Below the learning
goal and measurable objectives.
Copy and paste, or insert a picture of the pre-assessment.

Pre-Assessment Data: Whole Class - Once you have assessed your students’ knowledge on the topic,
collect and analyze the pre-assessment data to determine if you will need to modify the standards,
learning goal, or measurable objectives that will be addressed during instruction.

Number of Students

Exceeds N/A

Meets N/A

Approaches N/A

Falls Far Below N/A

Pre-Assessment Analysis: Whole Class

N/A

N/A

Post-Assessment – Copy and paste the post-assessment you plan to use to assess the students’
knowledge of the topic after implementing the unit lessons. The post-assessment can be the same as the
pre-assessment, a modified version, or something comparable that measures the same concepts. Include
the scoring criteria used to determine whether the student Exceeds, Meets, Approaches, or Falls Far
Below the learning goal and measurable objectives.
Number of Students

Exceeds 4
90% - 100%
Meets 3
80% - 89%

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 Approaches 8
70% - 79%
Falls Far Below 5
69% or lower

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STEP Standard 4 - Unit and Lesson Planning
Note: When implementing the unit of study, you will be choosing one of these activities to video record, review, and reflect on your teaching later
in the STEP process,

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Title of Lesson or Matrix Operations Matrix Determinants and Cramer’s Rule Matrices Unit Test
Activity Multiplication Inverses of
Matrices
Standards and HS.N-VM.C.7. HS.N-VM.C.9. HS.N-VM.C.6. Use HS.N-VM.C.6. Use HS.N-VM.C.7
Objectives Multiply matrices Understand that, matrices to matrices to HS.N-VM.C.9
What do students by scalars to unlike represent and represent and HS.N-VM.C.6
need to know and produce new multiplication of manipulate data, manipulate data,
be able to do for matrices, e.g., as numbers, matrix e.g., to represent e.g., to represent
each day of the when all of the multiplication for payoffs or payoffs or
unit? payoffs in a game square matrices is incidence incidence
are doubled. not a commutative relationships in a relationships in a
operation, but still network. network.
satisfies the
associative and
distributive
properties.
Academic - Matrix - Matrices - Matrices - Determinant - Simplify
Language and - Addition - Simplify - Determinants - Replace - Instructions
Vocabulary - Subtraction - Multiplication - Diagonal - Column
What academic - Simplify - Row - Opposite Sign - Row
language will you - Column
emphasize and
teach each day
during this unit?
Summary of Today is a simple Matrix Determinants are a The day will start It is a test day. The
Instruction and day of multiplication crucial aspect to be with a warm up of day will start with a
remembering requires able to properly finding the warm up, that could

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 Activities for the addition and remembering the identify the inverse determinant or the be from any of the
Lesson subtraction rules. rules. Today will be matrix. The day inverse of a matrix days of the week. It
How will the The added new a heavy note taking will be spent doing to see a slight will then be
instruction and material is that the day, but to make it two note pages. The review of the followed by any
activities flow? addition and more engaging and first will be for previous day’s last-minute
Consider how the subtraction is in interactive we will finding the lesson, allowing for questions before the
students will matrix form. be doing color determinant where a reteach and to fill test. The rest of the
efficiently transition Students will also coordinated notes. students will then in any gaps. The time will be
from one to the be learning to Students will have complete two day will continue dedicated to test
next. multiply a matrix the chance to problems with demonstrating taking.
by a coefficient. follow along with individually before the first step of
The idea of place taking notes and discussing with Cramer’s Rule and
value will play a then do a problem their neighbor. The then partnering
large role in the with their partner second half of the students up to have
teaching of this before they get to day will be used to a discovery lesson
lesson. start on their take note on the of the final 2 steps.
The day will start homework. inverse function of The class will come
with a warm up of the matrix. back together to
an equation that clarify what the
uses distributive other steps are and
property of a double check that
coefficient and the all ended up with
use of subtraction/ the same and
addition to let the correct answer.
kids recall things
they haven’t seen in
a while. Once the
warm up is
completed there
will be a period of
note taking,
demonstrating the
importance of place

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 values in matrices.
The day will be
finished with
students completing
a homework/
worksheet with
their shoulder
partner.
Differentiation Provide a range of Alternate method of Allow students to Create an alternate Students with prior
What are the difficulty for showing how to complete the two homework that is a arrangements for
adaptations or problems and multiply that does problems as review packet so testing will be
modifications to the provide the option not involve colors, partners if unable to that they can review accommodated
instruction/activities of doing only even but a logical complete on their all matrices according to the
as determined by problems or only explanation. own and then check material and not previously agreed
the student factors odd if students are answers. just Cramer’s Rule. upon arrangement.
or individual falling behind on
learning needs? work.
Required - Smart Notebook - Smart Notebook - Smart Notebook - Smart Notebook - Smart Notebook
Materials, - Worksheet/ -Worksheet/ - Worksheet/ - Worksheet/ - Worksheet/
Handouts, Text, Homework Homework Homework Homework Homework
Slides, and
Technology
Instructional and -Shoulder partner -Color coordinated - Partner Debate - Student Self N/A
Engagement worksheet notes Reflection
Strategies -Shoulder partner
What strategies are problem
you going to use
with your students
to keep them
engaged throughout
the unit of study?
Formative -Think Pair Share -Think Pair Share -Think Pair Share -Think Pair Share
Assessments -Raise of Hands -Raise of Hands -Raise of Hands -Raise of Hands

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 How are you going -Thumbs up -Call on individual -Walking around -Question time
to measure the -Walking around students -Exit ticket -Fist to Five
learning of your -Walk around -Walk around
students throughout
the lesson?
Summative, Post- The students will take a unit test at the end of the week covering the material from the matrix unit. This is a
Assessment small unit and is covered in one week due to this being an honors course that is on an advanced and
What post- condensed schedule. Leaving them with not as much time to cover each unit as a normal class.
assessment will
measure the
learning progress?
Note: This can be
the same as the pre-
assessment or a
modified version of
it.

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STEP Standard 5 - Implementation of Instructional Unit
Implement the unit you have designed including the pre-assessment, all lesson activities,
correlating formative assessments, and summative post-assessment. Choose one of the activities
to video record, review, and reflect on your teaching. Have your cooperating teacher/mentor
review the recording and provide feedback, if possible.

Video Recording Link: https://youtu.be/_FlxFbKJojg

Summary of Unit Implementation:

Overall the unit seemed to go smoothly with the students. Since this unit was implemented in the
advanced class, the students were motivated to learn and take control of their education. I think that the
implementation of the unit going so smoothly was directly associated with the fact that the class was all
advanced. Some of the things I would like to keep in mind if I teach this subject and unit again would be
to make sure that there are real life applications more integrated into the lesson.

Summary of Student Learning:

Students were able to grasp the concept quickly and effectively apply what they know to the unit. They
were also very excited to integrate their calculators more than the normal unit. However, there were
struggles with finding real world applications and making it applicable, rather than simply memorizing
how to complete the problems.

Reflection of Video Recording:

Watching myself teach was one of the weirdest experiences of my life. I appreciate seeing what I looked
like and how I presented information from the perspective of a “student” but it was a little awkward the
first time I watched the recording. The first thing I noticed was that I can sometimes talk too quickly if
I’m giving an extra side note piece of information or something that is not the most relevant to that day’s
content. I know that we have limited time in a classroom so I think that might be why I say things at a
quicker pace and I’d like to be more aware so that I can slow down my pacing. I also noticed I tend to
stay toward one side of the Smart Board and room so that is something I would like to work on as well. I
do think that the examples were well thought out and that the arrows drawn on the board were a helpful
visual tool for this concept.

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STEP Standard 6 - Analysis of Student Learning

Post-Test Data: Whole Class - Once you have assessed your students’ learning on the topic, collect and
analyze the post-test data to determine the effectiveness of your instruction and assessment.
Number of Students Number of Students
Pre-Test Post-Test

Exceeds NA 4

Meets NA 3

Approaches NA 8

Falls Far Below NA 5

Post-Test Analysis: Whole Class

This was a difficult unit and the unit test reflected that. Once all the data had been put in, seeing
that 25% of the students received lower than a 70% had me concerned. Further analysis indicated
that the students all took away the major concepts but struggled with the details included within
the unit. Such as forgetting the fraction in front of the inverse matrix, and missing one of the
negatives. This is an advanced group of students that are all very bright. One of their largest
struggles throughout the year and especially this semester is having to show their work and study.
They’ve been used to just showing up and doing well and this test showed us that we need to
emphasize the reality that math requires work. The majority of the class showed that they knew
the material and learned from their simple mistakes, for the 25% this unit showed that they need
to be more focused.

After teaching the unit, the one area I feel I struggled with and should reflect on for the next time
I teach is making sure I discuss all parts of each aspect of matrices. Understanding a matrix is a
difficult concept on its own but having to look at the inverse, compute the derivative, and
multiply matrices have so many steps that I want to make sure I cover each part. I’d also like to
focus on making it more applicable so that they can connect more with the topic.

Post-Assessment Analysis: Subgroup Selection

This class is split almost evenly amongst boys and girls. The subgroup I chose to look at is the
group of girls currently on a school sport team. The girls on sports have been missing much more
class and allows for a good reflection on how the students make up work and can catch up.

Post-Assessment Data: Subgroup (Gender, ELL population, Gifted, students on IEPs or 504s, etc.)

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 Number of Students Number of Students
Pre-Test Post-Test

Exceeds NA 2

Meets NA 3

Approaches NA 1

Falls Far Below NA 0

Post-Assessment Analysis: Subgroup

From this data, it was obvious that this group of students took their absences for sports as
motivation to get help and ask more questions about the things they did not understand. This
group of young ladies did very well and were able to demonstrate their knowledge of matrices in
a successful summative assessment.

Looking at this group of students, I think my teaching was structured and modeled well. The way
I taught was aligned to the structure of their homework and assessments. Giving them
opportunities to practice what it is they would need to demonstrate their knowledge of the unit
and prove they have taken away what they need from the standard. I think that this group also
received and interpreted a specific sense of motivation and determination from myself knowing
that they would have days they were missing and would need to pay attention. The focus I had on
the days I knew they would leave early was easily seen by the students and they picked up on my
behavior and reflected it knowing that if I found it urgent they should as well.

Post-Assessment Data: Remainder of Class

Number of Students Number of Students

Pre-Test Post-Test
Exceeds NA 2

Meets NA 0

Approaches NA 7

Falls Far Below NA 5

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 Post-Assessment Analysis: Subgroup and Remainder of Class

Looking at the data of the remainder of the class I can see that the majority of this data would be
the boys of the class and that could be saying something about the audience that I’m teaching to. I
do believe that there was a gap between what was the main point of the lesson and the important
things to take away from it.
I think the largest thing revealed from this was unfortunately the gap between minor and major
things to remember and be able to apply in different ways. I do however think this lesson revealed
a lot about the mental state of where the students were at in terms of their focus and motivation.
Knowing this I would like the objective of this unit for myself next time to focus on the minor
details that play such a large role in the concepts.

STEP Standard 7 – Reflecting on Instruction to Improve Student

Progress
Improved Practice Based on the Unit of Study
Based on the experience of developing and delivering your instructional unit, list three short-
term goals to improve specific areas of your teaching practice based on the unit of instruction
and describe your plan to reach each short-term goal.

Plan to Reach the Goal (i.e., professional

Short-Term Goal
1. I would like to have better transitions
from warm up/ bell work to lesson.
development, research on the Internet,
observation of a veteran teacher, etc.)
Observations of multiple veteran teachers to
gain knowledge on different approaches to
the transitions and different technique ideas.

2. I want to have more creative activities Research through internet and books on
or variations. different games or activities for math topics,
and hopefully find specifics to the unit.

3. I would like to become more Professional development would be a great

knowledgeable of different classroom help with this short-term goal. But doing
management techniques for a specific some internet research will also be
age group. beneficial.

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