Learning
Standards Addressed:
INTASC Standard 1 - Discipline Knowledge and Understanding
INTASC Standard 2 - Understanding Student Development
INTASC Standard 9 - Reflective Practice
INTASC Standard 2 - Understanding Student Development
INTASC Standard 9 - Reflective Practice
Artifact 1 - Teacher Assisting Blog
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As part of the requirement for my Mathematics Seminar this semester, we were to make a blog that would be used to document our teacher assisting experiences over the course of the semester. Although we are given suggestions each week for what to write about in our blog post, it is really up to us what we write about. A big component of this seminar class is cognitive coaching. Cognitive coaching involves us as teacher assistants working together to identify our goals and monitor our progress toward those goals. I have written many blog posts about my experiences in these cognitive coaching sessions as well my general experiences in my placement classroom. Click the button below to go to my blog.
Artifact 2 - The Teaching Gap
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Another big component of our Mathematics Seminar has been the reading of The Teaching Gap by James W. Stigler & James Hiebert. This book deals primarily with the teaching of mathematics although it also has broader educational applications. It details the traditional teaching script in three very different countries: The United States, Japan, and Germany. Mathematics is taught very differently in each of these three countries and as a result students' math scores are also very different in each of them as well. This book outlines in great detail how instruction differs in each of the countries and offers explanations for how these different instructional methods affect how effectively students learn mathematics. This book has really opened my eyes to what is wrong with how we are teaching mathematics in the United States right now. Reading this book has also got me to reflect on my own teaching practices and got me thinking about how I could change my teaching style to be more effective in order to help students learn better.
Reflection
INTASC Standard 1 (Discipline Knowledge and Understanding) involves the teacher demonstrating knowledge of their content and pedagogy as well as engaging students in learning through engaging lessons. Reading The Teaching Gap over the course of this semester has helped me see where my own teaching is lacking in regard to engaging students in the learning of mathematics. One problem with mathematics in the United States as outlined in the book is that we focus too heavily on procedures and factual knowledge memorization. Procedural fluency and factual knowledge memorization are not deep conceptual tasks which would foster deep conceptual understanding. The traditional script in American classrooms can be very unengaging for students. With this in mind, I have tried my hardest to create hands-on activities for students that involve them exploring and discovering the mathematics instead of just memorizing procedures and facts. These lessons are not only hands-on but also more engaging for students, which helps them conceptualize the material better.
INTASC Standard 2 (Understanding Student Development) requires the teacher to understand how students learn and develop as well as provide them learning opportunities that help support their development. The Teaching Gap has really helped me realize how students learn and how best to teach in a way that will foster maximum student learning. I have realized that in order to get students to conceptualize the mathematics more deeply, I need to involve students in the learning process more. Students need to "get their hands dirty" with the mathematics and really explore it. I realize that I need to create lessons with a great deal more discussion, engagement, and opportunities to self-monitor. Through cognitive coaching sessions and reflection through my personal blog (Artifact 1) I have worked to change my teaching style to account for how students learn and increase their potential learning opportunities.
INTASC Standard 9 (Reflective Practice) is about the teacher being a reflective practitioner who evaluates his/her own actions and actively seeks to grow professionally. Reading The Teaching Gap (Artifact 2) and reflecting on my own practices through my blog (Artifact 1) has helped me grow as a teacher. After teaching each one of my lessons, I looked at what went well and what didn't go so well in order to improve my lessons for the future. I am continually examining my own teaching and making changes in order to provide students with the best possible teaching opportunities. Reading through this book and writing out blog posts have been great tools for self-reflection and personal and professional growth.
INTASC Standard 2 (Understanding Student Development) requires the teacher to understand how students learn and develop as well as provide them learning opportunities that help support their development. The Teaching Gap has really helped me realize how students learn and how best to teach in a way that will foster maximum student learning. I have realized that in order to get students to conceptualize the mathematics more deeply, I need to involve students in the learning process more. Students need to "get their hands dirty" with the mathematics and really explore it. I realize that I need to create lessons with a great deal more discussion, engagement, and opportunities to self-monitor. Through cognitive coaching sessions and reflection through my personal blog (Artifact 1) I have worked to change my teaching style to account for how students learn and increase their potential learning opportunities.
INTASC Standard 9 (Reflective Practice) is about the teacher being a reflective practitioner who evaluates his/her own actions and actively seeks to grow professionally. Reading The Teaching Gap (Artifact 2) and reflecting on my own practices through my blog (Artifact 1) has helped me grow as a teacher. After teaching each one of my lessons, I looked at what went well and what didn't go so well in order to improve my lessons for the future. I am continually examining my own teaching and making changes in order to provide students with the best possible teaching opportunities. Reading through this book and writing out blog posts have been great tools for self-reflection and personal and professional growth.