Elementary Education - Mathematics

Task 4: Mathematics Context for Learning Information

TASK 4: MATHEMATICS CONTEXT FOR LEARNING INFORMATION

Respond to the prompts below (​no more than 4 single-spaced pages, including prompts​) by typing your responses within the
brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Pages exceeding the maximum will not be scored.

About the School Where You Are Teaching

1. In what type of school do you teach? (Type an “X” next to the appropriate description; if
“other” applies, provide a brief description.)
Elementary school: __​x​___
Middle school: _____

Urban: __​x​___
Suburban: _____
Rural: _____

2. List any special features of your school or classroom setting (e.g., charter, co-teaching,
themed magnet, classroom aide, bilingual, team taught with a special education teacher)
that will affect your teaching in this learning segment.
[This school is a PK-5th grade elementary school. The district mission statement says: Each
student demonstrates strength of character and is college or career ready. This school in
particular drives toward achieving these objectives. First of all, it is a themed magnet school for
the communicative arts. Therefore, the curriculum emphasizes writing, technology, and other
forms of communication in order to further student readiness for college or careers. In fact,
many of the specialty classes offered are geared towards communication; they are as follows:
writing, multimedia (primarily computer lab activities), Spanish, music, and physical education.
To work towards the strength of character objective, this school utilizes the Leader in Me
framework to teach students seven habits of successful students (derived from the seven habits
of highly effective people). Teaching these seven habits is designed to promote leadership in
students as well as teachers, and it is particularly useful to the demographic of students served.
The school serves 563 students, 96% of which are African American. The remaining 4% is
primarily comprised of Hispanic, white, and students of two or more races. This school is located
in a low-income community, making it a Title I school with 100% of the students on free or
reduced lunch. Its College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) score in 2018 (which
ranks it on a percentile in various categories), this school received a 55.9 overall, with only a 41
in content mastery. This shows that students at this school are performing lower as compared to
the district average at a 50 and the state average at a 65.7. Furthermore, 42% of all students
are ranked as beginning learners, and 41% as developing learners, leaving only 15% of
students performing at a proficient level. However, in 2014, this school received the High
Progress Reward School status for the second year in a row, meaning they were in the top 10%
of Title I schools that made the most improvements in performance among all students within a
three year time frame. In order to accomplish this, the classroom teachers collaborate within
their grade levels to craft plans that will help students improve their scores in reading and math
especially. The school also implements Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
to help students focus academically and reduce disciplinary problems.

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 Elementary Education - Mathematics
Task 4: Mathematics Context for Learning Information

This learning segment will take place in a small group within a fourth grade classroom. The
teacher teaches ELA, science, and social studies. The students move to another fourth grade
teacher’s classroom to receive mathematics instruction. Within this small group, scores from
STAR 360 tests demonstrate that one student is on fourth grade level for math, two are on third
grade level, and one is on second grade level. This group in particular includes students with
learning disabilities, other health impairments, and an English language learner.]
3. Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that might
affect your planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of
specific instructional strategies, or standardized tests.
[The district provides pacing plans to the teachers in all subject areas: ELA, Math, Science, and
Social Studies. The required curricula for math primarily comes from the GoMath! fourth grade
textbook, resources, and assessments. This curricula is aligned with the Georgia Standards of
Excellence and the Common Core initiatives for this subject area. Students also The Georgia
Milestones assessments in language arts and mathematics, also aligned to these standards,
are administered to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. Results from these assessments help to
determine promotion and retention of students to the next grade level.]

About the Class Featured in this Learning Segment

1. How much time is devoted each day to mathematics instruction in your classroom?
[One hour and ten minutes is devoted each day to mathematics instruction. Students move from
their homeroom teacher across the hall to another teacher for their mathematics instruction.]
2. Is there any ability grouping or tracking in mathematics? If so, please describe how it affects
your class.
[The students are grouped by ability level based on data from the STAR 360 math tests,
administered through Renaissance Learning. These are administered once every month, and
provide scale scores which determine grouping for the following month. Interventions and
specific skill work are assigned to various groups based on this data.]
3. Identify any textbook or instructional program you primarily use for mathematics instruction.
If a textbook, please provide the title, publisher, and date of publication.
[The GoMath! Georgia (published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2014) is utilized as the
primary textbook instructional program.]
4. List other resources (e.g., electronic whiteboard, manipulatives, online resources) you use
for mathematics instruction in this class.
[Other resources used for mathematics instruction in this classroom are the ClearTouch panel, a
document camera, Studyjams online tutorials, and learnzillion.com. Students also utilize Math
2.0 through Renaissance Learning to complete assignments for practice, so that the teacher
can assess student learning. There are also various types of manipulatives such as fraction
bars and base ten blocks that are used on occasion during instruction.]

About the Students in the Class Featured in this Learning Segment

1. Grade-level(s):
[4th]

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 Elementary Education - Mathematics
Task 4: Mathematics Context for Learning Information

2. Number of
◼ students in the class: __​4​___
◼ ​ __
males: _​_3​___ females: __​1_
3. Complete the charts below to summarize required or needed supports, accommodations, or
modifications for your students that will affect your ​mathematics ​instruction in this learning
segment. As needed, consult with your cooperating teacher to complete the charts. Some
rows have been completed in italics as examples. Use as many rows as you need.

Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/supports or
accommodations/modifications to instruction or assessment (e.g., students with
Individualized Education Programs [IEPs] or 504 plans, students with specific language
needs, students needing greater challenge or support, students who struggle with reading,
students who are underperforming or those with gaps in academic knowledge).
For Mathematics Assessment Task 4, you will choose work samples from 3 focus students. At
least one of these students must have a specified learning need. Note: California candidates
must include one focus student who is an English language learner.1
Students with IEPs/504 Plans
IEPs/504 Plans: Number of Supports, Accommodations,
Classifications/Needs Students Modifications, Pertinent IEP Goals
Example: Visual processing 2 Close monitoring, graph paper for 3 digit
numbers
Learning disabled 1 small group testing, repeated instructions,
extended time
Other health impaired 1 small group testing, repeated instructions

Students with Specific Language Needs

Language Needs Number of Supports, Accommodations,
Students Modifications
Example: English language 2 Pre-teach key words and phrases through
learners with only a few examples and graphic organizers (e.g.,
words of English word cluster, manipulatives, visuals)

Have students use pre-taught key words

Example: Students who
speak a variety of English
other than that used in
textbooks
English language learner
and graphic organizers to
complete sentence starters
5 Make connections between the language
students bring and the language used in
the textbook
1 speak very clearly, use visual aids, written
and spoken instructions

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All rights reserved. V4_0915
The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is
permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.
 Elementary Education - Mathematics
Task 4: Mathematics Context for Learning Information

Students with Other Learning Needs

Other Learning Needs Number of Supports, Accommodations,
Students Modifications
Example: Struggling readers 5 Provide oral explanations for directions
and simplified text for word problems
Struggling Readers 4 Provide directions orally and in written
form

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All rights reserved. V4_0915
The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is
permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.