James (a pseudonym) was chosen for this assignment to receive tier 2 math instruction in addition to high quality math support he is currently receiving in a first grade inclusion classroom. At the beginning of the semester, James, as well as the rest of his class, was given a universal screening assessment of mathematical skill. James’ scores placed his mathematical ability at a pre-kindergarten level and was the lowest among his peers in the classroom. Because of this, James began to be progress monitored every week using a mixed skills addition and subtraction curriculum based measurement (CBM) matched to the 1st grade standard CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.C.6 (Add and subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency for addition and subtraction within 10.) However, on the initial round of CBM’s , James scored a 0 and continued to score a 0 after the next two CBM’s. Because his scores continued to show a lack of growth up to James’ goal line, he is being referred to tier 2 math instruction (see Appendix A).
The data from James’ addition and subtraction mixed skills CBM as well as anecdotal evidence from the classroom indicates that James has difficulty adding and subtracting numbers within ten. Particularly, due to the length of time that it takes James to solve addition problems, it appears that James’ number sense is lacking sufficient number fluency. James frequently appears to express frustration when working on math problems indicating making statements such as “I can’t do
In order to improve my instructional practices, I analyzed instructional data from district math diagnostic and proficiency assessments. The most recent assessment assessed student’s abilities to count, add and subtract, and their understanding of place value. My students scored below not only the other first grade students at the school, but also all first grade students in the district. 81.6% of my students could count, read, and write numbers to 120. This was an improvement from their diagnostic assessment. However, only 66.7% could relate counting to addition and subtraction, and only 45% demonstrated understanding of place value in two digit numbers.
2. Describe the pattern of growth in the “Number of people told” column for both Scenario A and Scenario B.
Evaluation of Norm Sample for KeyMath-3 DA The following evaluation presents the components of the normative sample applied in the KeyMath-3 Diagnostic Assessment (KeyMath-3 DA). For reference, a norm sample characterizes as a selected sample of test-takers from various common characteristics such as gender, age, grade, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or some combination thereof, for the purpose of creating test norms. The KeyMath-3 DA is a comprehensive, norm-referenced measure of essential mathematical concepts and skill which is untimed and individually administered (Connolly, p. 1, 2007). Furthermore, the test consists of 372 full color test items and 10 subtests covering three general math areas: Basic Concepts (numeration, algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis and probability), Operations (mental computation and estimation; addition and subtraction; and multiplication and division), and Applications (foundations of problem solving and applied problem solving).
In supporting the various ways students learn, educators need to introduce and share ideas that are relevant and understandable. Problem solving is generally the most challenging for students who experience difficulties in Math. Garguilo and Metcalf (2013) discuss the need for considerable scaffolding and direct instruction when it comes to real-life problem in mathematics. The student may be able to add and subtract to a satisfactory standard, but cannot apply skills in problem solving methods. These types of difficulties are usually seen in students with ADHD. (Garguilo & Metcalf, 2013, p. 360) Studies suggest using a combination of formal and informal assessment in identifying both group and individual strengths and learning by means of representing the problem in different modes; see and hear, touch,
According to Table 1.2, the following categories fell within close range to the mean: number sense, attends to print, basic reading, articulation, communication (receptive), matching, pre-writing, colors, and shapes. It is evident through this data analysis that most students are at the emerging stage of ability levels, implicating that they require some level of prompting to ensure they produce a correct response. It is concluded that students require continued instruction with addition, reading, and working independently are skills that require continued instruction. Division, multiplication, graphing, and telling time were areas that all students found to be the most challenging, thus these findings confirmed my original assumptions,
Similarly, the Jordan study proved a direct link between counting and focusing on strengthening number sense and increased reasoning and mathematical understanding across different forms of assessment. Most notably, the number sense group my strong and sustainable gains on story problems,
Imagine being given a math problem, such as, 7+7. Most people would do simple mental math to get the answer fourteen. But in American education millions of kids are forced to solve these problems with a concept called “number bonds,” and being restricted to one way of solving is greatly reducing creativity in American kids. Not only has this change in education caused stress in children of all ages but also in their parents who greatly struggle with helping their children on their homework because they don’t understand the new concepts.
As a student, I always enjoyed math. In high school I took all of the offered math classes, including Calculus. The first math class I took in college was a breeze, and I thought that this one would be no different. What could I learn about elementary school math that I did not already know? Contrary to my expectation, the first day of class, I learned things about math that had never been brought to my attention. This paper will discuss what I have learned about subtraction, about students, about the Common Core State Standards, and how my concept map has changed since my first draft.
For pupils to use a calculator effectively requires a sound knowledge of number. As children learn how to enter simple one step calculations that involve whole numbers, they can explore
While watching National Hockey League (NHL) games, I often heard the play-by-play announcer mention at the start of the third and final period how it would be tough for a team to come back from a one goal deficit. This led me to wonder just how difficult it was mathematically, and how much previous periods affected the final one. In this project, I will investigate whether the scores at the end of the first period affect the final score of NHL games.
In today’s society mathematics is a vital part of day-to-day life. No matter what a person is doing at home or at the workplace, he/she is constantly using different mathematics skills to simply function. Then what does this mean for mathematics education? When someone needs to utilize a skill every day then he/she needs a strong background in the skill. Therefore, today’s students need more than a just a working knowledge of mathematics or enough knowledge to pass a test. Today’s students need to understand how mathematics works and how to utilize mathematics skills in the best way possible.
I have always had a passion for mathematics. Outside of school, I did sudokus, measured my entire house, made graphs, and even created my own problems to explore mathematics. I would do all of my work, including tests, without a calculator just to challenge myself and do more math. As the concepts increased in difficulty, the subject became even more fun for me. The dedication and creativity required in advanced mathematics have only empowered my enthusiasm for mathematics. The problem-solving within mathematics and the love I had for the subject inspired me to become a teacher.
The lack of adopted curriculum also means that most, if not all, teachers are supplementing both materials and instructional routines. These students need to pass the state-mandated Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) which requires completion of a problem-solving performance task. Students need to know which operation(s) to use (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and/or division) and how to apply them appropriately. This problem has
There is a short list of things that keep me up at night. Beyond being anxious or too excited for something that's happening tomorrow, math is the most common offender. Ironic because math is infamous for making students sleep. When I get my head wrapped around a problem, I cannot seem to sleep until I have come to some satisfactory conclusion or found a way to get my mind off of it. Although, holding my sleep hostage really is a great way to make me solve the problem! I don't just think about it when I sleep, it also invades my thoughts when I'm trying to focus on an audiobook in the car or as I am walking and taking in the scenery of early morning Harrisburg on my way to school. I love thinking about math and the reward of finding a problem's solution is ever so satisfying. I know that whatever I focus on in my future has to involve these kinds of problems, the problems that keep me up at night and entertain my thoughts throughout the day.
Mathematics is the one of the most important subjects in our daily life and in most human activities the knowledge of mathematics is important. In the rapidly changing world and in the era of technology, mathematics plays an essential role. To understand the mechanized world and match with the newly developing information technology knowledge in mathematics is vital. Mathematics is the mother of all sciences. Without the knowledge of mathematics, nothing is possible in the world. The world cannot progress without mathematics. Mathematics fulfills most of the human needs related to diverse aspects of everyday life. Mathematics has been accepted as significant element of formal education from ancient period to the present day. Mathematics has a very important role in the classroom not only because of the relevance of the syllabus material, but because of the reasoning processes the student can develop.