Post Observation #3- March 5, 2014 1. Did the lesson unfold as you (or your CT) had planned?

If not, what changed and why? If yes, what was the #1 aspect of the lesson that went well? Cite specifics from your TeachScape video to affirm your response. The lesson did not really go as I had planned for it to go. The day before, we went over a lot of the material that they needed to know to play Un-roll a square. After I taught the lesson on Tuesday, they did not have time to actually play the game, because the schedule was cut short and it took forever for them to build ten strips of ten with their connecting cubes. This made the lesson run into the next day. Instead of teaching another lesson, it really was just a quick review so that they could refresh their minds and play the game. (5:48) I still felt like it took them a while to get their connecting cubes together, but I know that it is unrealistic for me to have all those strips of ten already connected. I think that because I only did a very quick review, some of the students were still a little confused about what they needed to do. I had to go around to almost every group and re-explain the rules. The day before it seemed like they were catching on to the concept of the game and they were pretty much playing it with minimum support from me by the end of the lesson on the SMART board. Since it was a different day, I think I could have played a few more turns to allow students to become more aware of what they needed to be doing. 2. Did the students learn what you had established as the essential understanding(s) of the lesson? How do you know? Refer to any data or students' work on the video that helped you to determine the students' progress. I think that for the most part they did learn what I had established in the essential understanding. They have been working on adding and subtracting two digit numbers for a while now, so some are becoming very familiar with this process. I think that some students still need additional help with this skill and a BAM group for next week has already been formed for them. As I was walking around most students were able to answer the questions that were on the game board as well as the questions that I was asking them. They still used the cubes a lot to help them figure out the answer, but they were still familiar with the process they needed to go through to answer the questions. They understood the information that I had them write down in their journals at the very beginning of the lesson (2:57, 7:53). I was walking around checking to see what they wrote down. If there was something that stood out to me I would point to the students journal page and whisper for them to revisit the problem. Most of the time, they will correct their answers and often get the correct answer the second time.

3. Briefly describe (include evidence from your TeachScape video ) the extent of your students engagement during the lesson. If you were not satisfied with the level of student engagement, what could you have done differently to improve the engagement of the students? Refer to any classroom management changes/strategies that could have improved the engagement of the students. I think that students were very engaged in the lesson. At the beginning I started out with a classroom routine (2:01), which is an activity they do each day to get their mind ready for math. This is one of their favorite classroom routines because they get to predict the number they think we are going to land one. So far we have counted by twos around the class and this time it was

by fives around the class. They really stay focused because they want to see if they figured out the right answer. I then reviewed really briefly how to play Un-roll a square (5:48). We went more in depth the day before, so I really just wanted to do a quick review so they could get some practice with it. I had students come up to the SMART board to help me and they always like doing this. The rest of the time they worked with their partner and played the game with them (13:47). I felt like for the most part students were engaged in this process. I know that I need to try and figure out how to differentiate within the partner work, but I struggle with this because of the way students are partnered together. I know that because this may have been too easy for some students, they were not engaged in the process as much. I am working on looking deeper into the subject and finding ways that I can make this work for both students. The investigations gives some tips for helping to differentiate instruction, so I am looking deeper into some ways I can make those points work in my classroom. 4. At what point during your lesson did you realize the students were/were not understanding your instruction? What did you do to compensate? Cite specifics from your TeachScape lesson. I realized that students were getting the information as I was circulating around the room checking their journals during the opening activity and during the review of Un-roll a square. (2:57, 7:53) I was also checking to see how they were responding to the questions as a group during the review of Un-roll a square. While students were actually playing Un-roll a square I was checking to see if they understood the game and the concept behind the game. Some students were doing really well with it, while others still seems to rely a lot on the cubes to help provide them the answer. As I was helping each group, I was trying to guide them to the correct answer, without just giving them the answer. There is a small group that will still need additional help with this and they will be placed in a BAM group for next week to continue to practicing these skills. 5. If you could teach this lesson again to the same group of students, what changes would you make and why? Include specifics from your TeachScape video with your answer. If I could teach this lesson again to the same group of students I would maybe review one or two more rounds of Un-roll a square with my students. I reviewed one turn (5:48) and I had a student come to the board to take 11 cubes away, but I felt like I may have needed to review a tougher question they may come across while playing this game. A question like How many do we need before we get to 60? would have been a great question to help the review how to find this answer. I would also have students take their math journals to the floor with them to record their answers and help to show their work. The questions are on the game board and they are supposed to talk with their partner to figure out the answer, but I was walking around I noticed some of them were not answering the questions correctly. If they had their journals, maybe that would help them keep track of their equations and solve them correctly. 6. Based upon your reflections, and your post-conference with your university supervisor/cooperating teacher, what have you learned about your teaching strengths and weaknesses? What are some steps that you could take before your next observation that could strengthen your teaching skills? List specific North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards in your answer. I think that my strengths are leadership in the much practice I think I have figured out a way to get the math manipulatives passed out quickly. This was something that took some

practice. I think that my students respond well to me and my directions when it is time to transition from one thing to another, or from one location to another. I think that standard one is one of my strengths. There is one area that I am really going to try and work on and this goes with standard four and helping students to develop critical thinking skills. I know that the level of questioning is higher in whole group, than it is in small group. I think that once I get with a small group, they start talking about what they are doing and they keep playing and I get more in the observation mode instead of trying to prompt them for answers to higher level quesitons. I am going to make sure that from now on, when I am working with small groups that I am still asking those harder questions, the Whys and Hows. I also want to maintain the level of questioning that I have in whole group. I think that one way I can achieve this is to draft up a few questions that I can ask during small groups and carry them around with me to each group. This way I can stay focused on what I need to be asking them so they can apply critical thinking skills and I can check for understanding by taking quick anecdotal notes.