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Signature Assignment (Getting to know my students)

Alex Aguayo

Department of Advanced Studies, Azusa Pacific University

TEP 532 Secondary Pedagogy 1

Prof. Rick Barsh

February 13, 2023

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Signature Assignment (Getting to know my students)

Students in this small course of mathematics have had difficulty with successfully

completing the Integrated Math 1 course. All students in this course have taken Integrated Math

1 multiple times. Some students have taken Integrated Math 1 two times, and others have taken it

three times. Despite previously failing to complete Integrated Math 1 prior to this course,

students have displayed a strong sense of prior academic knowledge from the first semester of

Integrated Math 1. The knowledge gained from retaking the course has allowed students to

develop a firm understanding of algebra concepts, such as solving for unknown values in

equations and plotting points on a coordinate plane. The methods, tools and techniques that

students have learned in this course and previously are assets that they can use to further their

understanding of concepts covered thus far and the concepts they will encounter in the near

future.

Majority of the students in this course have stated that Math is challenging to them, but

they feel more comfortable with the material now that they are retaking the course of Integrated

Math 1. Students are also willing to give their best efforts and are not afraid to ask questions or

make mistakes. Students were asked to recall evaluating expressions, completing a table of

values, plotting points on a graph, and solving equations. Students did well by demonstrating the

prior knowledge they learned in the previous years and thus far as viable assets since they were

able to provide answers and reasoning. This would serve to reinforce the importance of the

foundations they have learned so that they could continue to scaffold the mathematical concepts

we will cover throughout the unit. The students’ learning needs are specifically based on the

content as the majority of them would need guided notes, access to online resources and graphic

organizers to organize and further support their understanding. Allowing students to have access
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to the online resources, notes and other materials also allows them to reassure their

understanding as they will have resources to reference to.

This group of students is respectful towards each other and social. The class consists of a

group of diverse cultured students. Many students know each other due to having the same

courses other than this one of Integrated Math 1 and the same courses in the previous years. This

allows students to effectively communicate with one another, collaborate effectively and

establish a strong sense of community. The community that my students and I have established is

an asset due to the students demonstrating effective collaboration, support, resiliency, and

determination.

Focus Student 1 (FS1) is a First Generation Mexican-American citizen. Both her parents

immigrated to the US prior to her being born. FS1 was enrolled in the English Learned program

in 2012 and has been in the program for 10 and a half years. FS1 last took the ELPAC test in

2022 and earned an overall score of 1517 which puts her at the entry score for level 3 for

speaking, and reading. Her writing and listening scores are in level 2. FS1 only requires mild to

moderate support during class instruction.

FS1 completed most of her courses for 9th grade and first semester of 10th grade, with

the exception of math, and has earned B’s, C’s, D’s and an F in her previous courses. She

completed the first semester course of English with a D, but has improved in the second semester

and has now earned a C+ thus far. She stated that she often struggles in her English courses, but

has been motivated to improve her academic ability in the course. She has shown great resilience

in comparison to the first semester and is on track to complete the course successfully. FS1 has

stated that she’s been asking for more help from her peers and teacher. Doing so has allowed her
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to collect and organize her thoughts more effectively by writing them down during her English

class.

FS1 enjoys reading in English but stated that the readings she is assigned in her class are

sometimes challenging, due to being assigned long pieces of literature. She occasionally finds

writing challenging as well. This is usually when she is required to write about a text she found

difficult. She has successfully completed a year and a half of Spanish in school and enjoys

having conversations with peers in both English and Spanish. Many of her peers are also

bilingual, this then gives her the confidence in communicating in two different languages. FS1 is

fluent in Spanish as it is the language spoken often in her home.

FS1 has prior academic knowledge in evaluating mathematical expressions, completing a

table of values, plotting points on a coordinate plane and solving equations for unknown values.

She stated that enjoys plotting points on a coordinate plane the most because she is able to

visually see what is happening with the math she works on. Visuals will be beneficial to her since

functions are often constructed in a variety of visual representations. I have also provided

tutoring outside of class to help her review her understanding and facilitated peer collaboration

groups during class so that students can help each other check for understanding. Key terms are

often reviewed during these sessions. FS1 will be able to apply her prior knowledge of plotting

points on a coordinate plane to the new lesson by constructing visual representations of

functions. She will also apply her prior knowledge of evaluating expressions with evaluating

functions to help her create her table of values to visually organize her findings.

FS1 has a few relatives at the same school site and enjoys talking to her peers. With FS1

being openly social, she often enjoys working in groups and has gained confidence in her

mathematical and social abilities by providing academic or emotional support to those around
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her. FS1 is respectful, ambitious and eager to grow academically and socially. Her desire to learn

and grow has allowed her to gain a new self-confidence. Her contributions to the class and to her

peers are the results of the hard work she has put into her academics and social awareness. FS1

communicates well with her teachers and other adult staff both in and outside of the classroom.

In class, she enjoys sharing her thoughts, is willing to participate and engage with the content,

even if she is not 100 percent sure she has the correct answer. FS1 is not afraid to make a mistake

because she understands that mistakes lead to improvement.

FS1 is the third child of 4 siblings. She has two older sisters and a younger brother. She

often speaks Spanish with her parents and eldest sibling, but speaks English with her second

eldest sister and younger brother. On the first day of school, an activity called “Digital Name

Tent”was conducted and it allowed me to know a bit more about FS1. Through this activity and

conversations held with FS1, I learned that she loves music, “Banda” specifically. She also

enjoys attending bull riding events known as “Jaripeos”.

FS1 enjoys spending time with her family when they are all home. She often speaks

Spanish at home as her parents’ English is limited. FS1 has a medium to large sized family as

she constantly has other relatives visiting and spending time at her home. She typically speaks

English around her cousins and Spanish around aunts, uncles and older relatives. The constant

switch between languages provides funds of knowledge by being able to switch between

languages when necessary for effective communication. FS1 comes from a Hispanic background

and heritage which emphasizes the importance of family, school, work and respect. Her

background acts as an appropriate cultural resource. Since FS1 is constantly switching between

English and Spanish when engaged in casual conversations about hobbies and interests with

peers and relatives, these conversations provide her with linguistic support.
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FS1 loves listening to music, dancing, socializing, and food. She enjoys the subject of

math. She enjoys work towards discovering a solution and problem solving rather than reading

or writing. She is not afraid of making mistakes and enjoys helping others. Her favorite part

about math is when she gets to work in a group because she can work with others while

socializing. She is excellent at following directions, collaborating with her peers and taking

notes. Her interests in food will provide support to the concepts of functions because many food

vendors, restaurant services and vending machines are real life examples of functions.

FS1 shows typical social-emotional development. She is open to any conversation

between her peers and teachers. She is respectful, kind, and determined on achieving her goals

academically and personally. She remains well organized as she uses a binder to help organize

her resources from all classes.

Focus Student 2 (FS2) is a 16-year-old male who currently holds an IEP. The IEP is for a

Specific Learning Disability (SLD) where he displays discrepancy with his academic

achievement and processing abilities. He has a deficiency in his auditory processing. His

accommodations consist of: having FS2 verbally repeat ideas or instructions, have FS2

paraphrase or restate information as a check for understanding, provide a variety of resources

and materials, visual cues, graphic organizers, calculation devices, guided notes, equations for

test, extra time on tests or assignments if necessary, and permission to resubmit work for an

opportunity to earn a higher grade or score. FS2’s IEP goals are the following: ELA-Writing -

FS2 will produce clear writing that is coherent that highlights organization, development and

personalization that is appropriate to any prompt or audience as measured by student work,

assessments and curriculum based tasks. Reading Comprehension - FS2 will be able to provide

efficient reasoning and evidence to support any analysis of text or reading. This will be measured
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by student work, assessments and curriculum based tasks. Mathematics - FS2 will learn to solve

equations (single-step or multi-step) for an unknown variable. FS2 will also apply prior

knowledge through scaffolded learning and problem solving tasks. FS2 will think critically and

be measured through student work, collaborative learning tasks, assessments and curriculum

based assessments. College and Career Readiness - FS2 will state college and career plans for the

following two years after graduation. FS2 will select and share four colleges that offer a career

path to the career choice of FS2.

FS2 has taken Integrated Math 1 once and was unsuccessful the first time. He has

displayed prior academic knowledge through the foundational concepts of Integrated Math 1 and

algebra (inverse operations, isolating a variable, solving equations for unknown variables). FS2

has attended regular tutoring sessions from me and the class math tutor. He has learned how to

plot points on a coordinate plane by completing a table of values which is an asset that can be

used for the concept of functions.

FS2 is the middle sibling of three. He has an older brother who is at the same school site

and a younger brother in elementary school. FS2 is social when comfortable with his peers.

Initially, he was extremely quiet and would rarely talk to his peers. However, he has now grown

comfortable with his peers and is quite social with his peers. He is now willing to collaborate and

ask for help from his peers or teacher when needed. He is very confident and displays clear

communication between his peers and teachers. He likes to reassure himself by repeating any

thoughts, ideas, or instructions when he deems necessary. FS2 has a small group of close friends

who help encourage each other to stay on task. FS2 is also on the varsity football team and

enjoys hanging out with teammates in and outside of school.

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FS2 is half Hispanic and half African American. His cultural background serves as a

resource as his African American and Hispanic heritages emphasize the importance of hard

work, family, responsibility and respect. His family speaks both English and Spanish but is more

comfortable with English. He understands Spanish when spoken to him but he is not entirely

fluent when it comes to him speaking Spanish. Due to having an understanding of two

languages, FS2 has confidence in his linguistic skills because he can communicate effectively in

English and is constantly practicing his Spanish around his grandmother and other relatives. He

has stated that he spends most of his time with his family when not at school. He enjoys going

out to eat with his family, attending family events and playing sports with them. His passion for

sports has provided funds of knowledge for him because he is persistent in improving his athletic

abilities despite the adversities and oppositions he faces. He can apply this mindset to his

academic work as well.

FS2 enjoys playing football as his position is Cornerback for the varsity football team.

Football can relate to mathematics because each method of scoring or play attempted serves as

relation or function (if points are scored). The scoring system in football can also be represented

by linear functions.

FS2 has been willing to open up to his peers more as he has now grown comfortable in

the class. He is more willing to share personal information amongst his peers. He has grown to

be more social and shows maturity when asked to refocus when socializing too much, follow

directions and collaborate. FS2 shows typical social-emotional development.

FS2 does not require nor rely on assistive technology devices or resources to achieve his

academic goals. However, he does not mind using any form of assistive technology since he is

provided with a chromebook by the school.

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Focus Student 3 (FS3) is a 16-year-old male. His student profile disclosed his family

struggles financially and emotionally. He lives in a one bedroom apartment with his single

mother. He has little to no contact with father as it is just FS3 and his mother in the apartment.

His family struggles financially as sometimes the electricity and water in the apartment gets shut

off. This situation has affected FS3 tremendously. He has a hard time keeping up with

assignments and often forgets his assignments or resources. Staff and myself constantly check in

with him to make sure he is okay. They have also provided support that has helped him persevere

through the struggles he and his family face. FS3 knows that if there is any issue or if he ever

needs anything, that he can talk to us about it at any time.

FS3 has taken Integrated Math 1 twice and was unsuccessful the first two times.

However, FS3 has improved immensely from his first two attempts and is now showing his

understanding of the concepts. He has shown his prior academic knowledge by understanding

and demonstrating how to plot on a coordinate plane, evaluate expressions and solve equations.

These skills are essential for representing and evaluating functions and relations. He has stated

that he enjoys math now because he is able to solve the problems presented to him. His new

found love for math has encouraged him to stay focused, persevere through the challenges and

work together with his peers.

FS3 has a few friends in school but he gets along well with his peers. He enjoys sitting in

his group that consists of two other students. He has grown comfortable in his group and in the

class which has allowed him to share more with his peers. He has a girlfriend at the same school

site and often spends time with her during passing periods, lunch and after school. He loves to

conversate with his peers and staff but often mentions that he is always tired. He is currently in

the ROTC program offered at school. Being involved in the program has allowed him to
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participate in extracurricular activities like fundraisers, food drives, participating in the town

parade which provides him with extra support and allows him to cope with struggles.

FS3 is an only child. He is half Samoan and half Hispanic but only speaks English. He

does not know any Spanish. He has lived in San Bernardino county for the majority of his life as

he moved into it when he was only a baby. FS3’s English serves as a foundation for his linguistic

skills for funds of knowledge through effective communication and comprehension. His Somoan

and Hispanic heritage emphasizes the importance of hard work, loyalty, respect and family. He

enjoys spending time with his uncles and grandmother. He has mentioned that his uncle serves as

his role model. FS3 enjoys spending time with his peers and girlfriend. He often spends time

with his girlfriend outside of school and they enjoy playing video games together (Nintendo

Switch Titles: Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros, Super Smash Bros, etc.). He also enjoys

playing chess. FS3 often talks about the games he plays with his peers and girlfriend. This allows

him to gain linguistic skills by expressing his thoughts to others when playing or reflecting upon

his performance in a game.

FS3 enjoys the ROTC program and math class. The self-discipline he has learned from

ROTC has been applied to his other classes. He understands the importance of persistence and

overcoming adversity in any aspect of life. Since he also likes math, he enjoys problem solving

and thinking critically. He will be able to apply his funds of knowledge from math, ROTC and

video games by utilizing previous experiences and ideas to persevere over challenges that he

faces through scaffolded practices so that he may apply what he learned to real life situations.

FS3 mostly displays typical child development aside from the struggles he and his mother

face. We spoke to him about negatively reacting upon his emotions. We have provided resources

and techniques that will help him gain better control of his emotions. FS3 seems to be doing well
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socially. His peers often cheer him up when he is feeling down. He cares about his peers and is

always willing to lend a helping hand regardless of how tired he is feeling.

All students in the class play an important role in the community that is established in the

classroom. It is vital that every student understands the importance of their contributions to the

class for themselves and their peers. The purpose of the established community is for students to

help each other achieve their academic and personal goals. As for each focus student, they too

play a vital role in the class as their success is just as important as everyone else in the class.

Ultimately, it is important to take time to understand our students and any struggles they may

face. We as educators must make the necessary adjustments and accommodations to ensure that

our students have a positive learning experience in our classroom. If a student does not feel

comfortable in their learning environment, then it will reflect upon their academic performance.

As an educator, I will continue to learn from my students to ensure that their needs are being met

and they continue to be challenged so that they can continue to learn and grow academically,

socially, emotionally and personally.