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6 th grade math Huntsville Intermediate School University Supervisor: Dr. Taube

Mini Teacher Work Samplelorenvanhussshsu.pbworks.com/f/Mini+Teacher+Work+Sample…  · Web viewLoren Van HussSHSU Spring Methods 2010Mini Teacher Work Sample. Loren Van Huss. SHSU

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Mini Teacher Work Sample

(Loren Van HussSHSU Spring Methods 2010Mini Teacher Work Sample)

(6th grade mathHuntsville Intermediate SchoolUniversity Supervisor: Dr. Taube)

Discussion Prompt

Contextual Factors

Page Number

(3456---888---9911---1213141517---18---19192021---242425) ---

(Table of Contents)

Loren Van Huss – Table of Contents

2

Community, district, and school factors

Classroom factors

Student characteristics

Instructional implications

Learning Objective

Learning objective

Objective alignment

TEKS and student expectations

Assessment Plan

Overview of assessment plan

Pre-assessment and post-assessment

Formative assessment

Design for Instruction

Lesson map

Results of pre-assessment

Lesson overview

Activities

Technology

Instructional Decision-Making

Instance #1

Analysis of Student Learning

Whole class

Subgroups

Individuals

Charts

Reflection and Self-Evaluation

Most successful

Least successful

Possibilities for professional development

Contextual Factors

Community, district, and school factors:

Huntsville, Texas is a part of Walker County in East Texas. The city of Huntsville is a rural area located approximately 70 miles north of Houston. Huntsville covers roughly 31 square miles and is home to just over 35,000 residents. Racial demographics within the community are diverse. Huntsville’s population consists of 55.26% Caucasian, 26.14% African American, 16.22% Hispanic, .33% American Indian, 1.11% Asian, and .94% of Pacific Islander. Average family size within the area consists of 2.97 people, with a median family income of $27,075. A reported 23.9% of people within the city live below poverty limits. The city of Huntsville has one school district within it.

Huntsville Intermediate School is the only intermediate school in the Huntsville Independent School District. H.I.S. receives students from each of the four elementary schools located throughout the district. The Texas Education Agency rates Huntsville Intermediate School as a state-recognized school. The school is located in a rural area within walking distance of both a neighborhood and Scott Johnson Elementary School. The H.I.S.D. mission statement addresses the district’s belief that education should be presented as a family atmosphere with support from parents, students, teachers, and national curriculum standards. Educators, parents, community members, local churches, and other agencies in the area each provide curriculum support along with other development programs and facilities to assist the school. Huntsville Intermediate serves grades five and six and has a current enrollment of 821 students. The average sixth grade classroom consists of 21.4 students and one teacher. The school labels 499 of its students as economically disadvantaged, 63 students as Limited English Proficient (L.E.P.), and 341 of its students as “at-risk.” The Huntsville Intermediate School student body is 26.7% African American, 23.5% Hispanic, 48.7% Caucasian, .4% Native American, and .7% Pacific Islander. The school employs a total of 57 teachers of varied sex and ethnicity.

Classroom factors:

My field placement was in a sixth grade math classroom at Huntsville Intermediate School. The classroom was decorated extensively with LSU paraphernalia. Above the front board was a math word wall consisting of words and defining illustrations. By the door hung a monthly calendar, a bathroom pass, a hall pass, a library pass, a nurse pass, an emergency exit plan, and a small dry erase board. The classroom was fairly well-equipped technology-wise; the room had two desktop computers, one laptop, one projector, and a Promethean board. Dry-erase boards lined the front and side walls, and a counter lined the back wall with storage cabinets both above and below it. There was one book shelf and a teacher’s desk in the back corner of the classroom. The students’ desks were arranged into six groups of four desks. The students had assigned seating in the class and were grouped with other students of various genders, ethnicities, and learning levels. Three groups consisted of two boys and two girls, and three groups consisted of three boys and one girl.

The sixth graders attended math, language arts, “Hornet time,” and physical education daily. Hornet time consisted of additional time focused on a subject each student needed remedial help in, or for students that are above-level, it provided an opportunity for project-based learning in an area the student excelled at. Hornet time assignments switched every six week period. On Mondays the sixth graders attended both social studies and science, and every other day of the week they alternated subjects. Students also attended either music, technology, or art daily, alternating which class they attend every six weeks.

Student characteristics:

The class I was assigned to consists of one male teacher and twenty-four students; fifteen boys and nine girls. One of the students moved into the school district during the time I was there, and one student moved away during my placement as well. The new student was particularly shy and quiet for the first two weeks, but she later began making friends within the class. The classroom had seven students that received additional one-on-one support from the special education teacher and were allowed the use of extra tools. One of these seven students also received modifications on tests. One student in the class had previously been retained in the second grade. 29.16% of the class was considered to be below-level in their math skills, and 12.5% of the class is considered to be above-level in math. The youngest student in the class was eleven years old, and the oldest student in the class was twelve years old. The ethnic distribution in the class was diverse: 41.66% Caucasian, 29.17% Hispanic, and 29.17% African American. 37.5% of the class is labeled as “at-risk”, and 4.16% of the class is L.E.P. The student labeled as L.E.P. speaks both English and Spanish. 75% of the students in the class are considered to be economically disadvantaged, only half of which receive free school lunch.

The students enjoy reading about sports and romance, and many students enjoy drawing in their free time. Two of the students in the class are on a baseball team, one student is on a softball team, one student plays football, and one student is a cheerleader. Two students in the class are on the school’s spirit team and enjoy planning school events and getting their classmates motivated for pep-rallies. The students enjoy pop, country, hip-hop, rock, and rap music, and lessons that implement any popular music really motivates the students. Three students in the class go hunting often with their families. Two students live on farms. The students in the class discuss religion openly when the opportunity is given, and the class unanimously shares the same fundamental religious beliefs. Many students in the class enjoy watching popular reality TV shows, and several enjoy watching specials on The Discovery Channel, particularly those focused on snakes and sharks.

The students in the class had a very close relationship with my mentor teacher. Several students lived in the same neighborhood as he and his family, and students and their families often had interactions with him outside of school via various places and events within the community. The teacher communicated in a blunt, sarcastic manner with the students, but his demeanor paired with this approach created a positive relationship with the students in his class.

Instructional implications:

Because the students in my class are diverse in so many different ways, I have many implications to consider when planning the formation and implementation of my lesson and assessments. Not only do I have different levels, learning styles, and necessary modifications to consider, but I also have different cultures, ethnicities, interests, experiences, languages, and socio-economic statuses to consider as well. Because the students are used to straight-forward, blunt feedback from their teacher, I chose to implement a similar demeanor when interacting with the students since this approach works so well with the particular children in this class. To modify for the below-level students I must present material clearly and concisely in a step-by-step manner. I must set aside time to work with them on a one-on-one basis to provide additional support. I must also provide modifications for them on all assessments that include more blank space on the page, fewer words, and one fewer answer choice. For assessments that consist of fill-in-the-blank questions, I must provide an answer bank for them. For my L.E.P. student, I must provide additional instruction that includes visual aides as well as written and spoken vocabulary. Whenever possible I should demonstrate what I am teaching so that the student can see an example of what they are being asked to do themselves. This helps clear up any language barriers that giving oral or written instructions alone may create.

Learning Objective

Learning objective:

The student will compose a formula that describes the relationship that exists within a data table.

Objective alignment:

This skill is developmentally appropriate for sixth graders. Students must have a solid understanding of relationships between numbers and how to compose formulas that represent the relationship in order to develop their algebraic thinking further. This is a skill they will need to build on once they are in algebra.

TEKS and student expectations:

6. (4) Patterns, relationships, and algebraic thinking. The student uses letters as variables in mathematical expressions to describe how one quantity changes when a related quantity changes. The student is expected to:

(A) use tables and symbols to represent and describe proportional and other relationships such as those involving conversions, arithmetic sequences (with a constant rate of change), perimeter and area; and

(B) use tables of data to generate formulas representing relationships involving perimeter, area, volume of a rectangular prism, etc.

Assessment Plan

Overview of assessment plan:

Learning Objective

Assessments

Format of Assessment

Adaptations

Learning Objective #1

The student will compose a formula that describes the relationship that exists within a data table.

Pre-Assessment

Formative Assessment

Post-Assessment

Students will complete a three-question multiple-choice quiz.

Students should be able to correctly match 75% of data table cards with the corresponding formula card. Students should each participate in the Jeopardy game.

Students will complete a three-question multiple-choice test.

Read instructions and answer choices aloud. Provide more white space on the page, fewer words, and one fewer answer choice. Calculator use and formula charts will be provided for below-level students.

Provide additional one-on-one assistance as needed. Read the data tables and formulas aloud. Provide an example and a written step-by-step guide that explains the correct thinking process.

Read instructions and answer choices aloud. Provide more white space on the page, fewer words, and one fewer answer choice. Calculator use and formula charts will be provided for below-level students.

Pre-assessment and post-assessment:

The pre-assessment for learning objective one is a paper and pencil multiple-choice quiz consisting of three questions. The pre-assessment will be given as a warm-up activity three days before I plan to actually teach the lesson. Before passing out the assessment to the students, I will notify them that the purpose for the assignment is just to notify me of what they know before I review the concept with them. Once every student has a copy of the quiz, I will read the assessment questions and answer choices quietly to each of the below-level students that require modifications. I will also provide the below-level students with calculators and formula charts to use as assistance as they see fit.

The pre-assessment will ask the students to review the data in given data tables and select the formula that correctly corresponds with the data provided in the table. The questions will include the following question, as well as two variations of it.

1. The table below shows the base length and area of several triangles. Each of these triangles has a height of 8 feet.

Base, b

(feet)

Area, A

(square feet)

4

16

8

32

12

48

16

64

Which of the following equations best represents the relationship between the base, b, and area, A, of these triangles?

A. A =

B. A =

C. A = 4b

D. A = b + 12

The correct answer to question number one is answer choice C. A = 4b.

In order to create an authentic post-assessment, the students will complete this exact same assessment quiz again as a summative assessment after I have taught the lesson over relationship table formulas. The same accommodations will be given as well.

Formative assessment:

The formative assessments will include collaborative work matching table and relationship cards correctly, as well as participation and teamwork during the Jeopardy game. The two assessments provide the students with more experience with the concept. The varied activities provide an opportunity to approach the concept with a different learning style as well. The matching cards provide an assessment for both visual and kinesthetic learners. The Jeopardy game provides an assessment for visual learners. It also presents the content in a different way, introducing further motivating factors to influence the students’ learning. Students that are below-level will be allowed to use their formula chart and calculator while they work.

(ZBase510n20Area124Cn - 4Un divided by 5BBase71520nArea31116TTake 4 away from nO)The matching cards will present the students with different formulas, explanations, and data tables that they will be required to match together. The following are a few examples of some of the cards that will be given to the students:

(The correct matches are data table Z, explanation U, and formula O for the first set and data table B, explanation T, and formula C for the second set. Students are expected to match 75% of the cards correctly in order to master the objective.)

Design for Instruction

Lesson map:

(Lesson: Area and Perimeter Table ReviewTEK/SE: 6.4/BObjective: The student will compose a formula that describes the relationship that exists within a data table.Activity: The students will review how to determine the area of a rectangle by computing the area of a mini, half, and whole Hershey bar. They will determine the area and then record the information in a data chart and generate a formula to describe the relationship. Then the students will use their formula to find the area of a giant Hershey’s bar. Then they will practice their skills by completing a card matching game. They will then compete in a PowerPoint jeopardy game that reviews these skills.)

Results of pre-assessment:

After administering the pre-assessment three days before teaching my lesson, I was able to compile the following results: African-American students scored the highest on the pre-assessment with 42.86% passing, Caucasian students had a pass-rate of 40% on the pre-assessment, and Hispanic students had a pass rate of 14.29% on the pre-assessment. The three above-level students had a pass-rate of 100% on the pre-assessment, while the seven below-level students only achieved a pass-rate of 14.29%. The class average altogether on the pre-assessment was 59.72%.

Objective #1 requires the students to apply their previous knowledge and experience with perimeter and area to identify relationships present in data tables and describe these relationships with appropriate formulas. This lesson is a review of this objective which was previously taught by the students’ teacher. This skill demonstrated by objective #1 is a skill students will need to build upon once they are in algebra in seventh grade. This objective is also texted by the TAKS test which students will take a little later in the school year. With a pass-rate of only 59.72% even after previously being taught the lesson by my mentor teacher, it is evident to me that the students need to review the skills necessary to master this objective. This skill will be taught in a variety of ways within my lesson, and it should appeal to all students’ learning styles and interests. I will need to apply the accommodations I previously prepared for the L.E.P. student and below-level students as well to ensure all students can be successful.

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students will review previously-taught skills for composing formulas that represent relationships present in data tables. The students will practice finding the area and perimeter of an object in order to refresh this skill they will need to use in order to master the objective. Students will then use the data they gather from the objects to compile both their own area data table and perimeter data table. After the students have successfully created their data tables, I will model the thinking process necessary for composing a formula that represents the relationship between the data in the table. I will then model the steps and compose the first formula to serve as an example. Then the class will collaboratively come up with a formula for the remaining data table that represents the data accurately. If the students have problems we will think it through together as a class and look back on the previous example for guidance. Once the class has composed an appropriate formula to describe the relationship present in the data table, students will break up into pairs and further practice this skill by matching formula cards, explanation cards, and data table cards together accurately.

Once all pairs of students have completed matching the cards, the students will break up into two groups to compete against one another in a Jeopardy game. The Jeopardy game will test skills that the students must know in order to complete learning objective #1, as well as test the skill that was just reviewed in the lesson. The team that answers the most questions correctly wins the game. The students will then complete a paper and pencil three-question multiple-choice test individually that tests mastery of learning objective #1.

Activities:

To introduce this lesson, I will begin by challenging the classes’ memory by mentioning a few of the things that their teacher went over with them in the original lesson two weeks ago. I will encourage students to discuss what they remember about data tables and formulas, and correct any inaccurate responses. I will congratulate students that remember important aspects of the lesson. After discussing the previous lesson, I will announce to the students that we will build on the previous lesson by reviewing the skills that were taught that day in a different way. Students will each be given a Hershey’s bar. They will break the bar up into a half, and then break one of the halves in half twice more. Students will then use the pieces of the Hershey bar to construct both their own area data table and perimeter data table. Students must use their previous knowledge of area and perimeter to complete this task. Students that are below-level will be allowed to consult their formula charts and calculators for assistance as needed. As a class, we will work collaboratively to compose formulas that describe each of the sets of data within the tables. I will discuss and record the steps of our thinking process on the board for reference. Auditory learners will appreciate the discussion, visual learners will appreciate the modeling and written steps, and kinesthetic learners will appreciate the concrete, hands-on model that the Hershey bar provides them with.

Next, students will break up into pairs of two. Each pair of students will be given a deck of cards. Students will work with their partner to match the appropriate set of cards together. Each set will contain one data table, one explanation sentence, and one formula that describes the relationship. Students can reference the steps written on the board and the previous examples we did as a class as-needed if they need assistance while they work. Once each student pair has finishing matching their cards, we will go over the correct answers as a class and discuss any misconceptions the students had while working. This lesson provides an opportunity for kinesthetic learners to manipulate items (cards) and for visual learners to see the data charts and formulas written out in front of them instead of having to compose their own.

Students will then be broken up into two groups. Each group will make up a team. The two teams will complete in a Jeopardy game. The Jeopardy game will be presented in PowerPoint form via a projector and Promethean board. The game will play Jeopardy music to designate the amount of time students have to come up with their answer. I will read each question aloud to the class to accommodate for lower-level students and those that require modifications. Students will use the Promethean board pen to tap and select their next category. Visual learners will appreciate the attractive set-up of the game and the presentation the projector provides, auditory learners will appreciate being read-aloud to and the music, and kinesthetic learners will appreciate being able to physically go up to the board and tap on questions that they wish to answer, as well as select answer choices they wish to choose.

Lastly, students will complete a pencil and paper assessment that consists of three multiple-choice questions. The questions will test the students’ mastery of learning objective #1. The assessment will be identical to the pre-assessment that was given a few days before the lesson was taught. The assessment will require the students to examine a set of data and select the appropriate formula that describes the relationship present in the given table.

Technology:

I will use a variety of technology during my lesson. Along with low-tech items such as a dry-erase board, markers, Hershey bars, a pencil, paper, and cards, I will also implement the use of a computer, a projector, a PowerPoint presentation, music, the Promethean board, and a Promethean board pen. Using this vast array of technology creates the opportunity to reach different student learning styles within a single lesson. The technology used within the lesson also captivates student interest and helps build motivation.

Instructional Decision-Making

Instance #1:

One instance that occurred that caused me to modify my original plan happened during the first class I gave the pre-assessment to. While I was passing the pre-assessment sheet out to each of the students, I was explaining that it was perfectly acceptable if the students didn’t know all of the answers at this point since I hadn’t taught them the lesson over the material yet. I explained that the assessment wouldn’t be for a grade and that the results of the pre-assessment were simply for my benefit alone. Surprisingly, I watched two of the boys in the class circle answer choice “A” quickly for all three questions and turn their paper face-down. They looked at one another and smiled! I hadn’t even finished passing out the pre-assessment yet, and they didn’t even give themselves time to read the questions or as much as put their name at the top of the paper. I was appalled by their behavior. I had to redirect the boys and readdress the class to ensure that this incident didn’t happen again. I also changed my lesson for each of the subsequent classes I assessed. I never explained the pre-assessment the same way again, and not surprisingly, I didn’t have any other students blatantly blow-off the assessment as I observed the two boys in the first class do.

Analysis of Student Learning

Whole class:

The average pre-assessment score for the whole class was 59.72%. 16.67% of the students got all of the questions incorrect, 20.83% of the students got all but one of the questions incorrect, 29.16% got only one question incorrect, and 33.33% got all three of the questions correct on the pre-assessment.

In comparison, the summative assessment scores were dramatically higher. The average pre-assessment score for the whole class was 86.11%, which exceeds a passing score. All of the students in the class scored the same or higher on the post-assessment than they did on the pre-assessment except for one student who missed one more question on the post-assessment than she did originally on the pre-assessment. The student is below-level and requires modifications.

Sub-groups:

In the pre-assessment, African-American students scored the highest on the pre-assessment with 42.86% passing, Caucasian students had a pass-rate of 40% on the pre-assessment, and Hispanic students had a pass rate of 14.29% on the pre-assessment. The three above-level students had a pass-rate of 100% on the pre-assessment, while the seven below-level students only achieved a pass-rate of 14.29%.

In the summative assessment, 85.71% of the Hispanic students in the class got every question correct, 70% of the Caucasian students in the class got every question correct, and 57.14% of the African American students in the class got every question correct.

Individuals:

Student A exhibited improvement between her pre- and post-assessment scores. She scored 67% on her pre-assessment quiz; however, she demonstrated mastery of learning objective #1 by scoring 100% on her post-assessment quiz. Student A actively participated in the formative assessment and was engaged throughout the lesson. I believe the material covered throughout the lesson provided help she needed to settle a misconception she previously had regarding relationship data tables.

One the other hand, student B was the only student in the class that did worse on her post-assessment than she did on her pre-assessment. She scored 67% on her pre-assessment quiz. She later scored 0% on her post-assessment quiz which consisted of the exact same questions, format, answer choices, and material. Student B was not engaged during the Jeopardy formative assessment, nor did she seek help when she needed it. I believe student B did not apply herself that day and made silly mistakes on her post-assessment that she could have avoided. Although she did show some work on her post-assessment quiz, she didn’t show any work for one of the questions. For the first question, she correctly figured out the relationship that exists within the data presented in the table; however, even after working out her work on the side, student B chose the incorrect answer choice that did not represent the relationship she identified. On question 2, she correctly wrote out the relationship that exists within the data table and once again circled the wrong answer choice. It seems as if she made very careless mistakes. She appears to have an understanding of the fundamentals of learning objective #1, but she would benefit from further practice and instruction regarding it.

Charts:

Passing rate for the whole class pre-assessment

Passing rate for the whole class post-assessment

(Individual student scores on both the pre- and post-assessment) (Average scores from pre- and post-assessments broken down by ethnic distribution)

Child

Race

Pre-Assessment # correct

Pre-Assessment % score

Post-Assessment # correct

Post-Assessment % score

Student A

C

2

66

3

100

Student B

H

1

33

0

0

Student C

H

1

33

3

100

Student D

H

1

33

3

100

Student E

H

3

100

3

100

Student F

C

2

66

2

66

Student G

AA

3

100

3

100

Student H

H

0

0

3

100

Student I

C

3

100

3

100

Student J

AA

2

66

3

100

Student K

C

3

100

3

100

Student L

C

0

0

2

66

Student M

H

2

66

3

100

Student N

C

3

100

3

100

Student O

H

2

66

2

66

Student P

C

3

100

3

100

Student Q

AA

2

66

3

100

Student R

AA

3

100

3

100

Student S

C

1

33

2

66

Student T

C

1

33

3

100

Student U

AA

0

0

1

33

Student V

AA

0

0

2

66

Student W

AA

2

66

3

100

Student X

C

2

66

3

100

Reflection and Self-Evaluation

Most successful:

I feel as if the most successful part of the lesson was the students’ overall understanding of the objective once the lesson was complete. My mentor teacher approached me with this lesson idea after many students failed this objective on their practice TAKS test. With the real TAKS test just around the corner, I knew I had to approach the objective in a different way and really clear up some misconceptions the students previously had regarding the skill. After looking back on the progress they made, I know my lesson was a success. I think I planned it well and was able to impact every student by including a variation of different types of technology and ways of teaching that appealed to different learning styles, such as the cards, Hershey’s bar, PowerPoint, and Promethean board.

Least successful:

I believe the least successful component of my lesson was my explanation of the card matching activity before we began. I took for granted that the students would understand that we were applying the same thing we talked about in the beginning of class with the cards, but I shouldn’t have assumed this. Because of my assumption, I gave minimal directions and the students were ready for independent thinking yet. Although they were overall successful at this activity, the transition could have gone a lot more smoothly with less individual instruction if I had taken the time to better instruct and prepare the students for the activity. If I were to teach this lesson again, this would definitely be something I would improve upon.

Possibilities for professional development:

Based on the least successful aspect of my lesson, I can identify areas where I need to improve upon – transitions between activities being a big one. After we finished the activity with Hershey bar area and perimeter, I should have passed out the cards and explained that we would be applying the same skill with them. I then should have done two sets of cards with the class as an example and once again discussed the thinking process I went through aloud with the students. This would have notified the students of exactly what my expectation of them and their goals were with the assignment were. I am confident that more of the students would have experienced growth with learning objective #1 had I approached this activity differently with them. They would have been able to grasp the concept a lot better if their expectations were clearly presented and modeled for them.

Another area where I plan to improve my teaching is to work on projecting my voice more. Sometimes I worry if it sounds like I’m screaming at them, when in reality this is far from the case. Another thing I want to work on is the language I use within the classroom. During my teaching experience, I noticed that I use the words “ya’ll” and “you guys” very frequently when addressing the students in the class. I feel as if this isn’t professional, and I’ve made an effort to try and change. I have tried to use “everyone” and “you all” in place of these phrases, but I definitely still struggle sometimes when I’m not concentrating on it. I believe I’ll have to try to stop saying the words in my everyday conversations as well to really break the habit while teaching.

# of students that passed# of students that failed159# of students that passed# of students that failed222Pre-Assessment Student AStudent BStudent CStudent DStudent EStudent FStudent GStudent HStudent IStudent JStudent KStudent LStudent MStudent NStudent OStudent PStudent QStudent RStudent SStudent TStudent UStudent VStudent WStudent X663333331006610001006610006610066100661003333006666Post-AssessmentStudent AStudent BStudent CStudent DStudent EStudent FStudent GStudent HStudent IStudent JStudent KStudent LStudent MStudent NStudent OStudent PStudent QStudent RStudent SStudent TStudent UStudent VStudent WStudent X1000100100100661001001001001006610010066100100100661003366100100African AmericanPre-AssessmentPost-Assessment5766.430000000000007CaucasianPre-AssessmentPost-Assessment59.889.8HispanicPre-AssessmentPost-Assessment61.4395.14Class AveragePre-AssessmentPost-Assessment59.7286.11

Loren Van Huss

23