Reflection 1

Date of tutoring session: 01/22/2019 Student Age & Grade: 4th grade age: 9-10

Answer all in complete, grammatically correct sentences.

1. What topic(s) did you cover in your tutoring session?

Our goal was to find the quotient by thinking of the missing factor in multiplication and division problem
sets.

2. Did you use any problem solving strategies or tools from this class? If so, describe how this went. If
not, what techniques did you use to help your student?

One technique I used was understanding the problem. I showed students that 5√25, 25/5, 5 x n = 25 mean
the same thing. They all have the same factors. Some students were confused on the “n” variable so I told
them to imagine it as fill in the blank, or I drew a box until they understood.

3. Describe any challenges you faced in the session. (What was your student’s attitude about math? Did
you notice any knowledge gaps? Was the lesson/homework too easy or too hard for the student’s skill
level? etc.)

I noticed how my student would praise others who could do multiplication in their head. I would try to
boost her confidence up by practicing our times tables together. She hasn't paid attention in math because
she can't think of nothing else besides her parents divorce. So I understood why she may be a bit far off
from the rest of my group.

4. Describe any triumphs you had in the session.

I thought it was a big moment when I saw her solving problems, she knows first on a worksheet and then
focuses on the ones she struggles on .

5. What are your take-a-ways from the session? (Did you learn anything about teaching from it? What
would you do differently or the same to help your students.)

I learned that I need to be mindful of students different lifestyles and how to work around their personal
opinions to make them feel better when they are learning.

6. Other thoughts? (How comfortable were you with the topics? Did your the face challenges with the
student’s teacher’s instruction style/rules? Can you relate to your student’s struggles/triumphs?)

I felt like I should prepare each time before they work individually. I can also relate to being distracted
when I am going through personal things.
 Reflection 2

Date of tutoring session:​ 02/08/2019 Student Age & Grade: ​ 10 5​th​ grade

Answer all in complete, grammatically correct sentences.

1. What topic(s) did you cover in your tutoring session?
During my tutoring session, our focus was on fraction number stories. The student had to write a
number model for each problem, understand the story and then solve it.

2. Did you use any problem solving strategies or tools from this class? If so, describe how this
went. If not, what techniques did you use to help your student?
I used the Polya steps into solving a problem to help my student understand what the story
problem is asking. The story said, Edward makes rock candy and sells it in ½ pound packages.
How many packages can he make from 15 pounds of rock candy? I helped him recognize that he
had to times both numbers since he wants to divide it from his 15 pounds of candy. His number
model is 15/ ½=30 then we did the reciprocal of ½ to 2 and multiplied it by 15. 15*2=30
packages of rock candy
3. Describe any challenges you faced in the session. (What was your student’s attitude about
math? Did you notice any knowledge gaps? Was the lesson/homework too easy or too hard for
the student’s skill level? etc.)
The student was not sure about the next steps to dividing a fraction. I believe this level of
homework was the best for him to remember how to divide fractions. He was ready but he just
had to remember what the steps were on dividing. Which is multiplying by the reciprocal.
4. Describe any triumphs you had in the session.
I was glad to see the look on his face when he remembered the step on multiplying by the
reciprocal.
5. What are your take-a-ways from the session? (Did you learn anything about teaching from it?
What would you do differently or the same to help your students.
I understand that there are always times when we may forget steps. The most important thing is
to make these steps memorable to the student. So I would hope to help students with making
their own story problems with things in the classroom they can use and we can act it out (like
roleplaying).
6. Other thoughts? (How comfortable were you with the topics? Did you face challenges with the
student’s teacher’s instruction style/rules? Can you relate to your student’s struggles/triumphs?)
I was very used to helping students multiply and divide whole numbers. When it comes to
dividing by fractions, I can understand why students get confused because they are seeing
multiplication backwards. But once they see that it is just multiplying they get more comfortable
and confident. I can relate to their confusion when I try to explain it. I noticed some students I
talked to about it understood and others had to see it visually.
 Reflection 3

Date of tutoring session: 02/26/2019 Student Age & Grade: 4th grade

Answer all in complete, grammatically correct sentences.

1. What topic(s) did you cover in your tutoring session?

Students had to learn division by skip counting backwards using a calculator and number line.

2. Did you use any problem solving strategies or tools from this class? If so, describe how this went. If
not, what techniques did you use to help your student?

I didn’t use any problem solving strategies. I helped students understand skip counting by counting how
many times it would take to get to 0 from a number on a calculator. With one of my groups of students,
we counted aloud for every time we subtracted 5 from 45. Everyone had counted up to 9 times from
subtracting 5 from 45. For students to fully understand what we were doing I used a number line.

3. Describe any challenges you faced in the session. (What was your student’s attitude about math? Did
you notice any knowledge gaps? Was the lesson/homework too easy or too hard for the student’s skill
level? etc.)

One challenge was having students remember how many times it took to get to 0 from the initial number
given. So I had them write the number they are taking away, for every time they pushed (=) on the
calculator. EX: Take 4 away from 12 how many times? (4+4+4) = 3 times

4. Describe any triumphs you had in the session.

My students were happy to use a calculator. They are currently behind in their multiplication/division
knowledge. So by using the calculator they are a lot more excited to get the answer instead of having to
spit out an answer to something they don't know how to get to.

5. What are your take-a-ways from the session? (Did you learn anything about teaching from it? What
would you do differently or the same to help your students.)

This lesson has taught me that division is just a shortcut of subtraction, which I had never thought of
before. I enjoyed learning and teaching from this experience with my students because we both are
growing together.

6. Other thoughts? (How comfortable were you with the topics? Did you face challenges with the
student’s teacher’s instruction style/rules? Can you relate to your student’s struggles/triumphs?)

I was very comfortable teaching this method to students. I didn't face any challenges with the
teachers instructions because it was pretty self explanatory for me. I can relate to forgetting what
I am doing and just following along.
 Reflection 4
Date of tutoring session: 03/12/2019 Student Age & Grade: age 9,​ 3rd grade

Answer all in complete, grammatically correct sentences.

1. What topic(s) did you cover in your tutoring session?
In this tutoring session, I taught students how to sort and identifying quadrilaterals.
2. Did you use any problem solving strategies or tools from this class? If so, describe how this
went. If not, what techniques did you use to help your student?
One polya problem solving strategy I used was understanding the problem. I made sure my
student knew what a quadrilateral looks like and their properties.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Quadrilateral-Helpful-Hints-and-Worksheets-195
0317
I used a visual aid to help them understand what are parallel sides and sides that are not parallel.
One example from her math packet asked, to circle the 2 sides that are parallel to each other on
the following figures below, and mark the 2 sides that are not parallel to each other with an x.

Ex: A trapezoid
3. Describe any challenges you faced in the session. (What was your student’s attitude about
math? Did you notice any knowledge gaps? Was the lesson/homework too easy or too hard for
the student’s skill level? etc.)
When my student reads on her own she struggles in understanding what the math problem is
asking for. But once she knew what to look for, after we went over the problem together, she was
able to solve it on her own. She enjoys finishing her math packet and I believe that it was around
her skill level.
4. Describe any triumphs you had in the session.
My student picked up on what sides are not parallel, pretty quickly after going over it once.
5. What are your take-a-ways from the session? (Did you learn anything about teaching from it?
What would you do differently or the same to help your students.)
I didn't learn anything new from this lesson. But what I would do differently next time, would be
to use discovery based learning for a quick activity. I would like for them to explore why lines
that aren't parallel intersect.
6. Other thoughts? (How comfortable were you with the topics? Did you face challenges with the
student’s teacher’s instruction style/rules? Can you relate to your student’s struggles/triumphs?)
I was very comfortable teaching this topic because it involved using a lot of visuals. I didn't face any
challenges with the instruction style. I thought it was great that the teacher included the definition of a
quadrilateral (4 sided figure) with the question. I can relate to the students struggle in understanding what
some words mean even if it says it. I am a visual learner and need to know what to look for.
 Reflection 5
Date of tutoring session: 04/02/19 Student Age & Grade: ​10 years old 4th grade

Answer all in complete, grammatically correct sentences.

1. What topic(s) did you cover in your tutoring session?
During my tutoring session, our topic was to find the average of a set of numbers.
2. Did you use any problem solving strategies or tools from this class? If so, describe how this
went. If not, what techniques did you use to help your student?
We were given short word problems to find the average. To make them understand we are
dividing up the amount with x values, I used counters to represent the following problem. Four
children shared a box of cookies. The number of cookies each child received were: 6, 10, 11 and
9. Is there a fairer way to share the cookies? With my four students we role played the problem
and I had told them to evenly divide it among each other. They had collected all the counters in
the middle and then passed out one by one to each student (4) until none were left. I asked them
how many cookies we had in total. They responded with 36 "by adding up all the cookies from
each student". Finally, I made them understand that the cookies that each of them have now is
called the average. Then we wrote down the equation to find the average of this problem.
6+10+11+9/4=9

3. Describe any challenges you faced in the session. (What was your student’s attitude about
math? Did you notice any knowledge gaps? Was the lesson/homework too easy or too hard for
the student’s skill level? etc.)
My group of students were mind blown when they realized how easy it was to find the average.
They knew how to divide, so it was easy for them to answer certain problems. But when the sum
of an amount was high or the amount they had to divide was not as easy, they would take more
time to divide it using long division. Ex: 78/3.
4. Describe any triumphs you had in the session.
I was glad that I role played a mini activity with my 4 students. They understood the material and
moved right into the rest of their worksheet!
5. What are your take-a-ways from the session? (Did you learn anything about teaching from it?
What would you do differently or the same to help your students.)
I found that activities that have the student make the decision on what to do, gives a sense of
ownership to the problem. I noticed this once my students wanted to do another question together
because it was fun. I will make sure in the future to include more mini activities like this one.
6. Other thoughts? (How comfortable were you with the topics? Did you face challenges with the
student’s teacher’s instruction style/rules? Can you relate to your student’s struggles/triumphs?)
I could relate with my students excitement to start their worksheet once they understood what to
do. I was very comfortable teaching this topic since we learned it in class.
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