Audrey Nolander

Observation #1 Reflection

February 27, 17

Last week, I had my first formal observation while student teaching. I taught a

math lesson about plotting fractions on a number line to my third grade class. I had begun

to take over math two weeks prior to the lesson. Over those two weeks, my mentor

teacher and I had sat down and reflected at the end of the day over the lesson I had taught

that day. Through these reflections I learned that it is important to remember to go over a

learning goal at the beginning of every lesson, walk around the classroom more as I

teach, model more, and work on implementing different engagement strategies. Some

engagement strategies that he taught me include using whiteboards, voters, having

students re-voice what students before them said, and having students utilize their math

notebooks. Before my observation, I had practiced implementing these engagement

strategies.

Overall, I felt that the observation lesson was a success. The students were

decently engaged throughout the lesson. I also felt that they understood the content from

the work they turned in at the end of the lesson. The feedback my mentor teacher gave

me from this lesson was to scaffold the concept a little further. He had said I could have

helped them a little more before moving into guided practice. However, all in all he

thought the lesson went well. We both really liked the feedback you gave us on extending

the lesson by having students think of combinations of fractions that make a whole as

well as not circling the fractions other than the whole in the number bond. This is

something we started doing in the next lesson.

 Right now, the hardest part of teaching math for me is taking the lessons from

Engage NY and anticipating what is going to be tricky and challenging for the students. I

have been learning to quickly modify lessons or re-cover material as I teach but as this is

my first time in third grade, I am still learning what all third graders should know!!

So far I think that the most important skills I have begun to learn from my mentor

teacher are to always stay positive and calm with the students. He loves to have fun with

the students and I can honestly say that I love everyday in my classroom. I think I am

learning a lot and look forward to learning more and receiving more feedback as the

semester passes!