SMART note lessons:
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MAth Lesson Package With Comments:
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Rational:
Let me just start by saying that I am NOT a math person. Teaching math has been as challenging as it has been interesting. When planning my lessons, I made decisions based on the answer to these two questions; “What would make me want to learn math?” and “What would make me want to teach math?” I wanted to make the lessons fun to teach so that it would be fun to learn, because I realize my attitude effects the way I teach. Whilst planning, my intentions for each lesson were to create a positive environment and for the lessons to be engaging and relatable. Upon reflection I realized that there is a fine line between engagement and distraction; I need to find that balance.
When creating a positive environment each class, I started with myself; I maintain a positive attitude. Either I wrote my expectations on the board or I went over them with the students at the start of each of the three lessons. I asked students to try their best and ask for help if they really didn’t know. I am always honest with my students. I admit when I have made a mistake and that I am forgetful; which is why I write everything down in my lesson plans and sometimes reference them.
In the first lesson, Lesson 6, I included jellybeans. I had hoped that this would create a positive learning environment and get the students super engaged, which they were. I did the same problem they were doing on the smart board so they could follow along. I thought by having them solve the problems at their desks they would be more focused. This did not really happen, the problem was that students were a little distracted; they were almost too engaged (They really wanted those jellybeans). I tied lesson 6 and 7 together by showing the students how to create Fact Families by grouping. Lesson 7 was engaging for the students because I used my own family as an example in an attempt to make myself more human to the students. This only sort of worked. I think my explanation confused the students, because I was learning with the students. I understood the concept I was teaching, but I had not found a good way to explain it yet. Then it hit me, as I was half way through another example, so my explanation was a bit slow and broken. The explanation was a solid one but I just need to be more prepared next time and have it in my lesson plan. I tied lesson 7 and 8 together by asking students to help my find and create the fact families (I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that some of them had understood the last lesson). Lesson 8 was my best lesson it was the perfect mix of exciting and serious. There was nothing special about the lesson except that I tried to make it super fun for the students by the way I explained things. I also drew pictures for the students… they loved that. I made sure to be consistent and I think this really helped keep the students focused and engaged. I took my time with the explanations as well.
What all three lessons have in common is that the students would follow along and understand when I was explaining to them on the board but as soon as I asked them to work on their own they were lost. Unfortunately, they have to complete worksheets, but I think the next time I teach 3 consecutive lessons, I might go through examples that look exactly like what is on their worksheets. Also, I think the students get confused when a worksheet is put in front of them, they don’t realize what is the important information and start taking info from everywhere. These three lessons are about teaching strategies. If teaching these lessons again the first strategy I would teach the students is to highlight the important information. I want to set the students up for success.
I have learned that my attitude and understanding for the lesson has the biggest effect on how smoothly it runs. When writing lesson plans it’s always good to understand what you are writing and try to think of ways to tie it into the last lesson because the students may not get the lesson you are teaching in the moment, but they will understand the previous lesson a little better.
When creating a positive environment each class, I started with myself; I maintain a positive attitude. Either I wrote my expectations on the board or I went over them with the students at the start of each of the three lessons. I asked students to try their best and ask for help if they really didn’t know. I am always honest with my students. I admit when I have made a mistake and that I am forgetful; which is why I write everything down in my lesson plans and sometimes reference them.
In the first lesson, Lesson 6, I included jellybeans. I had hoped that this would create a positive learning environment and get the students super engaged, which they were. I did the same problem they were doing on the smart board so they could follow along. I thought by having them solve the problems at their desks they would be more focused. This did not really happen, the problem was that students were a little distracted; they were almost too engaged (They really wanted those jellybeans). I tied lesson 6 and 7 together by showing the students how to create Fact Families by grouping. Lesson 7 was engaging for the students because I used my own family as an example in an attempt to make myself more human to the students. This only sort of worked. I think my explanation confused the students, because I was learning with the students. I understood the concept I was teaching, but I had not found a good way to explain it yet. Then it hit me, as I was half way through another example, so my explanation was a bit slow and broken. The explanation was a solid one but I just need to be more prepared next time and have it in my lesson plan. I tied lesson 7 and 8 together by asking students to help my find and create the fact families (I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that some of them had understood the last lesson). Lesson 8 was my best lesson it was the perfect mix of exciting and serious. There was nothing special about the lesson except that I tried to make it super fun for the students by the way I explained things. I also drew pictures for the students… they loved that. I made sure to be consistent and I think this really helped keep the students focused and engaged. I took my time with the explanations as well.
What all three lessons have in common is that the students would follow along and understand when I was explaining to them on the board but as soon as I asked them to work on their own they were lost. Unfortunately, they have to complete worksheets, but I think the next time I teach 3 consecutive lessons, I might go through examples that look exactly like what is on their worksheets. Also, I think the students get confused when a worksheet is put in front of them, they don’t realize what is the important information and start taking info from everywhere. These three lessons are about teaching strategies. If teaching these lessons again the first strategy I would teach the students is to highlight the important information. I want to set the students up for success.
I have learned that my attitude and understanding for the lesson has the biggest effect on how smoothly it runs. When writing lesson plans it’s always good to understand what you are writing and try to think of ways to tie it into the last lesson because the students may not get the lesson you are teaching in the moment, but they will understand the previous lesson a little better.