Sarah Dennison

Math Methods
Case Study
REPORT

The student chosen for my case study is a quiet girl who is also very smart. She
realizes that she should know how to divide and multiply like her peers but she is
mentally blocked. To compensate, she uses group work opportunities and some
memorization to make it through lessons and math practice. This student does not
like for her lack of knowledge to be put in the “spotlight,” which is not my intention
but I think is how it feels because she doesn’t have an established relationship with
me. I am careful in how I approach her and keep as much space as possible while
still observing her practice.
Ms. Coenraad is doing a lot of differentiated instruction because this fits her
teaching philosophy. She used a team exercise on her whole class that divided them
into equal groups and had lessons for division, cooperation, and communication.
She also teaches using manipulatives and encouraging students to use them for
initial work and/or back-checking. Students know songs for “rolling” their numbers
and she accepts it when a student feels more comfortable using addition instead of
multiplication. Each student has a personal chart that does quick multiplication and
division facts. Students are encouraged to share inventive strategies with the class
and explain their thinking. Ms. Coenraad’s students are really fortunate to have a
teacher that differentiates her instruction and available tools so well! My job was to
observe what works best for my student and encourage her to explore the concept,
not just find correct answers.
The best tool used to communicate the concept of division to this student was when
the students used dry-erase markers and manipulatives to divide out equal parts of
the whole. As an example, the problem 12/3 would be written on the desk. Three
circles would be drawn and the manipulatives would be evenly counted out into the
three circles. Each circle would have four manipulatives so we know the answer is
four. I am not sure if she understands why we draw three circles and not 12, so I
tried to talk about it and she shut down. I think she might automatically assume the
smaller number is the divisor and I’m scared I might have confused her more, which
is unfortunate. She tried other techniques as opportunities arose but I encouraged
her to go back to the circle drawing method. I would ask simple questions like: Why
do you have this many circles? Is it important that the circles have equal amounts?
She had the correct answers but I don’t think she had comprehension of why the
answers applied to the concept of division. She isn’t trying to be difficult. Her
attendance is great. I believe she wants to understand what’s going on but there is a
big block.
As we entered long division, we continued to work on the concept as a class but this
method of division would not work for such a large sum easily. I encouraged her to
use circle drawing method for the smaller division steps. Even problems as small as
2/2 caused her to use the circle drawing method. I am torn between believing that
she has a tool that works but needs to work on familiarizing herself with the quick
facts and admitting that she does not understand division (and multiplication)
concepts. If anything I believe that she needs time and space to explore these
concepts and mature in her thinking before any new learning is introduced.
 Sarah Dennison
Math Methods
Case Study
While this experience was eye-opening, I wish I could have worked with a different
student for the experience of helping someone reach a break-through in their
thinking. I feel like I guided her to a strategy that “works,” which is valuable but I
feel like she needs more than this.

CLASS LOG

Tuesday, February 7
Students use dry-erase markers and manipulatives on their desks to work out basic
division problems. (ex. 15/3) Observed student working at table. She is at a table
shared with 3 other students. It seems like she is watching to see what they do
before she acts on her own. Not sure if this is from being insecure about her skills or
because she’s lacking understanding of the concepts of division. My host teacher
thinks she lacks understanding of the concepts but she has great “blending” skills.
She doesn’t want anyone to know that she doesn’t understand so she finds ways to
look like any other student working. Walking by you can see that she has the
question written properly and her circles for grouping but she always looks like
she’s thinking instead of doing. She will act when she sees what her classmates are
doing.

Wednesday, February 8
I sat down next to student today and told her I was learning to be a teacher like Ms.
Coenraad and would like to watch how she learns from her teacher. I told her I
would be sitting next to her for a while and she did not like this. She’s not an
outward protester but she covered her work and didn’t talk to me at all. This is
unusual for me! Typically students like me and like the attention but this student
does not seem happy about my presence. I try to have a small presence and try to
talk to others at the table but it’s not softening the student. There was practice as a
group and then worksheets for personal practice. The worksheets are set up for
student success. They have plenty of room for showing your thinking and Ms.
Coenraad has been setting up her problems exactly as shown in the worksheets.
Some students are blazing thru this exercise but it’s taking this student some time
and concentration. She has manipulatives at her desk to help. I ask how many circles
we should have to divide the number into; she gave the correct response but it
sounded more like a guess. She gets thru her work well-enough but is not consistent
enough to support the hope that she gets the concept. I think she’s working on
memorizing her steps.

Thursday, February 9
Same thing today – Student is not thrilled with my presence. There is at least one
other student who is having trouble with the concept of division so there was an
activity at start of class that used the number of students to represent division.
There are 18 of them so they group up to represent division problems. Each group
must be equal in number. After the “strong” groups are created, the activity is
written out as a division problem. “Divide yourselves into 3 equal groups.” “Divide
 Sarah Dennison
Math Methods
Case Study
yourselves into 4 equal groups.” This is a great division concept lesson as well as a
great teamwork lesson. Students are encouraged to communicate what they need or
if they are not sure where to go. Students work out the answers without the
teacher’s help. “Why do we have a remainder?” “ Because we need equal groups!”
We are moving into long division next.

Tuesday, February 14
Long division is introduced. Video is shown that has students dancing and chanting
“Divide, multiply, and subtract, bring it on down, then bring it on back.” The
students are jazzed to begin and love singing the song loudly.  The teacher shows
examples of long division.

Wednesday, February 15
Short review followed by class work. Class is presented with a long division
problem, they do the problem individually, as a table/group, then someone is called
to the projector to show how they did the work. I’m taking a new approach with the
student; I’m walking around the area asking and commenting on different people’s
work. I’m keeping a special eye on my case study’s work and pop in when I have a
question about her process, she seems stumped, or to comment on her good work. I
try to not linger too long bc she closes down if she feels like I’m watching her all the
time. Ms. Coenraad suggests to the students that they can use their
multiplication/division charts for quicker computations. I notice that this confuses
my case study student. In the problem, 222/2, she utilizes the chart. She doesn’t
automate that 2/2 is 1. I think that the larger numbers and new way of setting up
her problem is overwhelming but I cannot imagine how overwhelming it must feel if
you cannot automate the simplest division problems. I suggest she goes back to
drawing circles (drawing 2 circles and splitting 2 dots into each circle until they are
evenly divided). This computes for her better than the chart but she’s in over her
head, for sure. It’s difficult for her to get thru the first step of Division, but I see that
she’s using the chart for Multiply, which is also bothersome. She should be able to
automatically compute that 2 x 1 = 2. She does the Subtraction step well, but then
we start over and the process is slow and grueling. She is looking for constant
confirmation from peer’s work. I don’t think much of long division is sinking in like
we would hope. She really does not get the concept.

Thursday, February 16
Students skiing at Eaglecrest.

Tuesday, February 21
Teacher in-service

Wednesday, February 22
Teacher in-service

Thursday, February 23
 Sarah Dennison
Math Methods
Case Study
Taught Math lesson today for division review before test coming in a week. Gave
students opportunity to work on a specific problem, asked various students to come
show their work/process for the whole class on the projector. Chose students
according to their various strategies for solutions. There are various ways to find
solutions and double check their work. It was interesting that some students even
used addition to double-check their work. It goes to show me that students will find
a way to play to their strengths when they understand the concepts. I am more sure
than before that my case study does not have a foundational understanding of
division and possibly, multiplication. I spoke with Ms. Coenraad after class and she
is going to speak to her parents about getting special services for this student. She
has suggested this before but the parents were not in favor. As it is, the student is
falling further and further behind in math. Ms. Coenraad hopes the parents will see
this also. Ms. Coenraad sat near the student during my lesson and watched how she
worked. Because she has a better relationship with her teacher, Ms. Coenraad was a
more effective aid when the student needed help. The student even asked for help a
few times.

Tuesday, February 28
Math Jeopardy. Class split into 4 teams. Each student has a dry-erase board and has
to show their work, consult as a team, and answer questions from categories. I gave
the student space bc this was a fun day and fun event and she had her peers
teaching her today.

Wednesday, March 1
Test day

Thursday, March 2
Parent-conferences

Tuesday, March 7 thru Thursday, March 9

Home sick with my kid

UAS Spring Break

Riverbend Spring Break