Clinical Field Experience B: Mathematical Pre-Assessment

Clinical Field Experience A: Math Observation

Part 1: Observation

Grade Level:	4th Grade
Description of math lesson:	The students were taught multiplication of numbers using patterns and mental math
Describe the classroom environment: Warm and inviting? Cold and strict?	The class was very warm, the students are excited and anxiously waiting for their teacher to speak. They face and smile at each other. Very cooperative on each other.
Describe any additional academic content areas that were present in the lesson.	The students were having white boards, and also the teacher had a pick and roll sheets in place for the students to play multiplication of numbers games during the lesson.
How were the expectations/learning objectives communicated to the class?	The teacher introduced the class by greeting them and read as well as explained the expectations and objectives.
How were students communicating with one another during the lesson?	The students were free to speak to each other especially when the teacher requested them to attempt some problems.
How did the classroom arrangement contribute to student motivation/engagement?	The students were facing each other, this arrangement helped them converse to each other easily.
How were students assessed throughout the lesson? Did all students participate?	The students were instructed to try and work out the multiplication questions on their individual white boards. They would the display their answers to the teacher who approved if they are correct or not. Students requested in turns to solve on the digital board how they arrived at the solutions. I can approximate that 80% of the students participated.
How were students assessed at the end of the lesson/unit? (If applicable)	The teacher gave them an assignment to solve individually and observed their working. She also introduced a clip and role game to work in groups whereby she kept on going round the class to assess on their progress.

Part 2: Collaboration Summary

Looking at the way the class instruction was given, there are a number of issues that a teacher must ensure are communicated before beginning the lesson. These include the learning objectives or expectations. This means that in my future practice, having a plan that becomes an everyday template for instruction delivery is very important. Following the field experience, I made very key discoveries that are very key to ensuring the students have their expectations met. Students are unique in their ways. Therefore a number of strategies have to be put in place so that every student may be well-addressed in terms of their learning needs and styles. 

Therefore so as to engage the students, in learning opportunities, I will use a scaffolding process where I will be giving the instruction, then collaborate with the students through group discussions after which I let the students do the assignments in their own. This is the gradual release of responsibility. Through the group discussions, I will be able to check on the students' progress and advise them where necessary. In the group discussions, the students will have the opportunity to learn from their peers. This makes them feel secure that they beyond academically with their colleagues which brings and develops a lot of cooperation between the class members.

Some of the strategies that apply to real-world relevance to math include simulation games. Each lesson will have its specific game or a set of instruments that will be used to simulate real-world problems as well as seek their solutions. For multiplication problems, a pick and roll dice game was introduced which required the students to find the problems to the solutions where the student’s tossed dice landed. 

After assessing the students' capabilities as well as based on the responses or the feedback from the students, I will be open to instruction modification. I will have individualized learning arrangements with students who seem not to understand the standard instruction as well as the class group discussions. This way for the ones who are not able to understand in a collective class will hence get the opportunity to learn individually, get an extra assistant or have an arrangement with their parents and guardians to assist them while at home. 

Teaching mathematics is a subject that s vast and very differentiated. There are many aspects that include vocabulary, knowledge of the material, content standards, as well as resources. All these require a plan in order for each one of them to be executed in a manner that is coherent with the needs of each student. To teach vocabulary, I will have word charts as well as whiteboards. I will also have vocabulary sheets ready with the students so that they may be able to learn the words repetitively. For knowledge materials, I will have printouts at each student's disposal for easy reference purposes. Other resources will include topic explanatory videos to enhance their understanding. I feel that the strategies highlighted above when I put them into practice, my classroom delivery will be accepted to greater extents by my students. 

References

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2o6MDpL1v0 (53:11)

youtube.com/watch?v=1hZi4rqw4IA(25:00)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkYUFQQMldA (46:32)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8UqmMyiFCE (45:48)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUlxh4N37p0(54:25)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgW9hJE_n_s(45:57)

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