Teaching Elementary Math
Samantha Meyer
MATH 324
Professor Winner
Towson University
Reflection 1
Due: February 11
Date of Observation: Monday, February 2
Grade Level Observed: 4th grade
Math concept covered: PARCC test practice
Mentor teacher’s name: Jessica Ross
Intern (your) name: Samantha Meyer
Reflection 1: Physical environment
Physical environment:
I am interning at Hawthorne Elementary School in Ms. Ross’s classroom on Monday’s from 12:30-3:00. This is her first year teaching elementary and she loves math. She was a math minor and previously taught algebra in high school. Her class is very low in math so she finds this very difficult.
In her classroom she has a theme of “the beach”. Her room is highly decorated and all of the walls are covered with pictures and words pertaining to the students. The classroom has several posters related to math placed around the room. One of the large walls in the classroom is broken up into sections for each subject. Math has its own section with a “tip chart”. On this board the teacher provides the unit with key vocabulary words, definitions, and a picture. In the beginning, the picture section is blank and it is filled out through out the unit together as a class.
For example, the class just started unit 8, which is fractions. On the “tip chart” there are several key vocabulary words listed with the definition. Next to each word and definition is a blank space with room for a picture. The first word the class learned was “fraction”. The teacher read the word and definition and asked the class if they could come up with their own picture on their individual white boards. The class then had a discussion and decided on a picture to represent the word fraction. The teacher then went over to the board and drew the picture. This “tip chart” is very successful because it is helpful for students to look at through out the entire unit when they need help or have questions.
Manipulatives:
The classroom has a large supply of manipulatives
MATH 324
Professor Winner
Towson University
Reflection 1
Due: February 11
Date of Observation: Monday, February 2
Grade Level Observed: 4th grade
Math concept covered: PARCC test practice
Mentor teacher’s name: Jessica Ross
Intern (your) name: Samantha Meyer
Reflection 1: Physical environment
Physical environment:
I am interning at Hawthorne Elementary School in Ms. Ross’s classroom on Monday’s from 12:30-3:00. This is her first year teaching elementary and she loves math. She was a math minor and previously taught algebra in high school. Her class is very low in math so she finds this very difficult.
In her classroom she has a theme of “the beach”. Her room is highly decorated and all of the walls are covered with pictures and words pertaining to the students. The classroom has several posters related to math placed around the room. One of the large walls in the classroom is broken up into sections for each subject. Math has its own section with a “tip chart”. On this board the teacher provides the unit with key vocabulary words, definitions, and a picture. In the beginning, the picture section is blank and it is filled out through out the unit together as a class.
For example, the class just started unit 8, which is fractions. On the “tip chart” there are several key vocabulary words listed with the definition. Next to each word and definition is a blank space with room for a picture. The first word the class learned was “fraction”. The teacher read the word and definition and asked the class if they could come up with their own picture on their individual white boards. The class then had a discussion and decided on a picture to represent the word fraction. The teacher then went over to the board and drew the picture. This “tip chart” is very successful because it is helpful for students to look at through out the entire unit when they need help or have questions.
Manipulatives:
The classroom has a large supply of manipulatives