Teaching The Flexible Learning Program

This program is appropriate in a diverse, 4th grade general education classroom. The modules are made up of “Topics” and “Lessons” that are aligned to Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Each module provides the foundational standards needed for the lessons (i.e. CCSS from the previous grade), as well as the focus grade level standards. The first module introduces concepts which are then spiraled within the next module’s focus. While the modules are thematic and based on each mathematics domain (base ten numbers, geometry, fractions, data, algebraic thinking), some standards are seen across topics and lessons. Each lesson has allocated time to four major components: fluency practice, concept development, application problems, and student debrief.

The new Common Core State Standards for Mathematics bring a new opportunity to the classrooms of the United States that many people view as a controversial. According to the NCTM (2013) “The Common Core State Standards offer a foundation for the development of more rigorous, focused, and coherent mathematics curricula, instruction, and assessments that promote conceptual understanding and reasoning as well as skill fluency” (par. 1). While some people believe that the Common Core State Standards may hinder progress in the classroom for many reasons including too much government control, teaching to the test, an excessive focus on language arts and math, and wasted resources, others agree with the NCTM statement about that claims the standards help increase conceptual understanding, reasoning, and skill fluency.

This school is a title one school serving more than 400 students. Out of this student population, 85% of students are economically disadvantaged. The school also serves students with disabilities (31%) and English language learners (6%). The dominating ethnicities are Black or African American (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (40%). This is an ICT fourth grade classroom with around 25 students between the ages of eight through ten. There are two teachers in the classroom, one specializes in special-education and the other in elementary-education. The students learn best through logical/mathematical, verbal/linguistic, bodily/kinesthetic, and interpersonal activities. Most of the students in the classroom are visual learners. Therefore, organizers, timelines, and artistic activities benefit their learning the best.

[F]or more than a decade, research studies of mathematics education in high-performing countries have concluded that mathematics education in the United States must become substantially more focused and coherent in order to improve mathematics achievement in this country. To deliver on this promise, the mathematics standards are designed to address the problem of a curriculum that is “a mile wide and an inch deep.”

Students are not allowed to have calculators while learning basic math functions like addition, subtraction, multiplication and subtraction. The reason behind this is quite simple, the information is necessary to being a productive student and adult. Pulling out a calculator for simple addition problems is not always practical. Long after the school years are over, remembering these simple facts are still recalled easily. While the knowledge to figure out the harder problems with written long hand is still there, most will spend the time to find a calculator, or pull out a smartphone, to come up with the answer. It’s a means to the easiest route possible to find the answer, and that is where the problem starts.

This artifact was developed for the pre-service teacher to learn how to organize and carefully execute the implementation of technology in the classroom. Knowledge acquired from courses throughout the term of the Miami Dade College Exceptional Student Education program facilitated the development of this project. Ensuring a detailed plan in position will benefit prospective students and assist them thrive in the classroom. It will also aid in easing the anxiety which a new teacher may encounter without having a predetermined plan.

Introduction In the fall of 2017, I was assigned my first field experience as a student in the college of education at The University of North Georgia. My opportunity to spend 20 hours observing and assisting in a fourth grade math class in a public school setting allowed me to see firsthand the implications of my coursework and readings in Education 2130. Through observing and supporting the teacher by conducting small group re-teaching sessions, I was able to more deeply understand topics including student motivation, assessment and evaluation, learning styles and techniques of instruction including direct instruction and student-centered approaches. Field Experience

The advances that technology has made is a bit amazing and scary. We as humans depend way to much on technology. We have become less sociable with others since cell phones have come out. People have become more into their self, and have exchanged real relationships with those that are created on a computer. I am really concerned with the fact that schools are becoming more and more technology based. I think sometimes we need to go back to the basics when it comes to teaching, but that is just my opinion.

As a mother, homeschooler and coach, Teresa Carter, the founder and author of MathUsolve.com, believes that mathematical problem solving should be part of every child’s curriculum. It is because during her years of coaching students as well as her own young children, she has discovered that problem solving helps students develop deeper understanding of mathematics. As many students do not believe that they would ever be very good at solving problems, her goal has been to help her students develop confidence in their own mathematical ability by helping them become better

Math Solutions, a division of Scholastic, Inc. and founded by Marilyn Burns, is a broadly perceived expert on changing instruction and enhancing achievement for students in math. With over 28 years of leadership and working with many school districts nationwide, their master educational consultants create solutions for quickened, feasible chang, sustainable improvement in teacher effectiveness, student learning, and standardized test outcomes. Math Solutions will work intimately with project staff to create and execute the UMI project’s Summer sessions. They will help the project for two weeks in Year 1 and one week in Years 2 and 3. working collaboratively with math faculty

Lastly, of the discussed topics, one that was continuously touched upon was the recent implementation of an accelerated learning program, exclusive to mathematics. Currently active in only a few elementary schools, the program allows for students who find themselves completing the allotted workload in advance to progress at their own pace. The function of such an initiative is to both encourage and foster the growth of precocious students in the mathematical field, and to give said students a greater degree of control over their own educational

The strategic goal of the principal of ABC Middle School will increase the degree of program alignment within the math curriculum over the next three years so that: 1) there is clear articulation and sequencing of content within and across grade levels, 2) this content is anchored in state core standards; and 3) the evaluation measures used to assess this alignment are valid to this alignment. ABC Middle School’s primary objective is to provide an exceptional education for its entire sixth thru eight-grade population. This includes preparing the students with 21st century math skills. This will include controversial programs

Math teachers have become increasingly disenchanted with the traditional materials they are forced to teach due to the existing California standards. The goal of the teachers is not that they need to change the standards, but there needs to be a better curriculum to adequately bring students up to those standards. Current curricula follow the letter of the standards that California has implemented, but they sometimes seem to be based on nothing substantial which would give credibility to the course of study. If a curriculum is developed to meet a set of standards, that is exactly what it will do. However, the goal should be to not only meet but to exceed the stated standards; or, at the very least, give students the ability to go beyond the standard. In this argument, the California standards are the lowest rung of the ladder that the state should encourage students to climb. Yes, the student will have a basic understanding of mathematical concepts if they meet the standard, but they will not have any impetus to reach beyond that and achieve something more. In this research paper, two different curricula possibilities are examined for their relative merits; one which is meant to just meet the recommended California mathematics standard as set forth by the Common Core State Standards Initiative (2005), and one which is recommended by a practical body, the National Science Foundation (NSF), to encourage students to achieve a higher,

Many educators will argue what makes an effective teacher and how that correlates with the function of the classroom. When we talked about how to be an effective teacher we discussed three components, teaching through problem-solving and selecting appropriate tasks, creating appropriate environments and using appropriate interventions. In my field experience, I was able to observe these three effective mathematics teaching components and understand how they apply to the classroom. After leaning about these components, I was then able to use them in my personal experience and see how they

A technology plan should set the direction for the future use of technology as a tool for assisting School District in attaining their vision, mission, and goals. As noted by Picciano (2011), planning should include a comprehensive approach to identifying needs, commitment to follow through with action steps and resource acquisition, collaboration between internal and external publics. The plan should also be a continuity between change and a connection to the past that builds toward the future detailing objectives, rationale, strategies, and measurements. This approach to planning assists in developing a technology plan through “minimizing risks by establishing basic evaluation criteria early in the process” (pp 20 - 25) such as identification of measurable goals and insuring that all stakeholders are involved throughout the process. Knight (2011) and Senge (2001, 2012) recommend using a systems approach to planning and Picciano (2011) supports this by describing an implementation model that “defines, designs, develops and disseminates technology in small incremental stages until satisfied that the technology is meeting expected goals on a limited basis before implementing on a larger scale” (p. 25). Using a systems approach, a technology plan must identify operational feasibility and is often best implemented through a pilot or phased-in process.