Task 2b - Instruction Commentary

Elementary Mathematics for Washington
Instruction Commentary
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Instruction Commentary Directions: Respond to the prompts below (no more than 7 single-spaced
pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the brackets following each prompt. Do not
delete or alter the prompts; both the prompts and your responses are included in the total page count al-
lowed. Refer to the evidence chart in the handbook to ensure that this document complies with all format
specifications. Pages exceeding the maximum will not be scored.
1. Which lesson or lessons are shown in the video clips? Identify the lesson(s) by lesson plan
number.
[Samples from Lesson 2 and Lesson 3 are shown in the video clips. Lesson 3 is shown in
Clip 1 and lesson 2 is shown in the Clip 2.]
2. Promoting a Positive Learning Environment
a. In your response to the prompt, refer to scenes in the video clips where you provided a
positive learning environment.
[In both Video Clips 1 and 2, I provide students with a positive learning environment by
maintaining a positive and relaxed attitude throughout the clip. I address students by their
first names to demonstrate that I know and care for them as individuals and I spend time lis-
tening to their responses because what they have to say is important to me.
In Video Clip 1, I demonstrate a positive learning environment by telling students that I
am looking for quiet kids to be my volunteers (4:00 - 4:30). This encourages students to sit
quietly and focused with selection for the activity as the motivation, but this is also a trick
because the students will be able to learn more when they are focused and quietly working
hard. I continued to create a positive learning environment by giving students clear direc-
tions so they were not confused about the activity and therefore creating chaos. Because
the students knew clearly what was expected from them, they were able to work quickly and
effectively.
In Video Clip 1, I thanked all the participating students for their help and asked them to
sit down (5:22 - 5:30, 6:48 - 6:54). This respect and modeling of gratitude helps create a
positive learning environment because the students feel respected and cared for by me. Be-
cause they feel safe and cared for, they are better able to learn. In Video Clip 1, a student
made an observation that the numbers were in the real order and I agreed with the stu-
dent, saying that was exactly right. I expanded this observation by asking students to make
more observations (6:30 - 6:49). This is a very positive learning environment because stu-
dents know they are encouraged to make observations and do not need to be afraid about
being right or wrong. The students observations showed that they are comfortable and ex-
cited to say what they observe.
As students made observations, I continued to ask questions to elicit the responses I
was looking for to help expand their knowledge as seen in Video Clip 1 at 6:43 when I
ask Are these all one digit numbers or two digit numbers?
Confidence is an important factor in a positive learning environment and I demonstrated
creating confidence in Video Clip 1 at 6:51 when I told students that we were going to get a
little bit trickier with our activities. I asked them if we could do it to which they responded
yes. I told them that it was going to be no problem (6:51 - 7:00). This statement of my con-
fidence provided students with an explicit demonstration of my belief that they were ready
and able to do the more difficult activity.]
b. How did you demonstrate mutual respect for, rapport with, and responsiveness to stu-
dents with varied needs and backgrounds, and challenge students to engage in learn-
ing?
[In Video Clip 1, I demonstrated mutual respect for and rapport with my students by listening
respectfully to students answers and giving them plenty of time to form their sentences. The
clip shows one student who answers my question about what we worked on the previous
day by saying Boards which was not exactly the answer I was looking for, but I affirmed his
response because we did in fact use boards, but continued to ask other students to get the
answer I was looking for (00:00 - 00:21). If a student seemed unable to complete their
thought I stated Good job! ____, do you have anything to add? One student shows frustra-
tion at other students cutting in and correcting her statements about the Seahawks, and she
puts her head down. I said Keep going Jayd, that sounded really great! to encourage her
to continue, and she did (03:23 - 03:30).
In Video Clip 1, I continued to show rapport with students by affirming all students in
their math abilities when I said You guys are so great now at comparing numbers! (03:47 -
03:58). At 04:04, I demonstrated rapport with the students by asking for quiet volunteers for
our exploration activity and the whole class sat quietly and focused. At the end of the activi-
ty, I told students that they did a really great job and thanked them for helping me (05:02 -
05:05). I included every student at least once in this exercise, and selected the lower per-
forming students with more able students to help each other in the ordering activity.
I demonstrate mutual respect for students when I give them specific praise, for example
when one student noticed certain patterns in the numbers. In Video Clip 1 at 07:24 I asked
students if there was anyone who had not yet gone up front to participate because I wanted
to include every child to help them feel involved and included. I speak quietly and respectful-
ly to students and give all students a chance to participate by answering questions, working
with partners, and helping me in front of class.
In Video Clip 1, I challenged students to engage in learning as I begin to introduce the
next activity, I challenge students to think critically before beginning by asking them which
numbers would be at the beginning point of the line when we were working with numbers
from 0-99. I moved to the middle of the line and asked students which numbers could possi-
bly go around there, and then again at the end of the line which numbers would go there
(09:04 - 09:50). These questions challenged them to think critically about the number line
before seeing the actual numbers we were using for the activity.
In the entirety of Video Clip 2, I demonstrate a responsiveness to different learning
needs by asking students to use individual whiteboards. This is effective because many of
my students need an extra bit of stimulus to become and stay involved in the lesson. Using
these whiteboards also challenges the students to engage in learning. Each student is re-
sponsible for his own lear]
3. Engaging Students in Learning
Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.
a. Describe your strategies to elicit student expression of their understanding of the learn-
ing target(s) and why they are important. (Optional, if evidence is provided in the student
self-reflections in the Assessment task; evidence may also be provided by responding to
this prompt.)
[In Video Clip 1, I elicited student expression of their understanding of the learning target
and why it is important when I told students explicitly what we were learning that day. Then I
immediately asked students to tell me what the learning target was and why it was important
for them to know how to order numbers (00:40 - 01:30).
In Video Clip 2, students worked in pairs to describe to each other the learning target
and how they were able to solve the problem (01:38 - 02:04).]
b. Explain how your instruction engaged students in developing understanding of mathe-
matical concepts.
[In Video Clip 1, my instruction engaged students in developing understanding of mathemat-
ical concepts by incorporating Total Physical Response (04:13 - 08:50). Total Physical Re-
sponse is an especially effective tool with 1st grade because these students are so active
and their attention spans are so short. As students are physically involved being numbers,
they are engaging not only themselves, but also their peers who are watching to make sure
the numbers are arranging themselves in order.
In all of Video Clip 2, my instruction engages students in developing understanding of
mathematical concepts as I direct students to work on their individual whiteboards while I
work on the large whiteboard. Because students are working individually, I am able to see
all responses immediately and give quick and specific feedback as needed from the front of
the classroom (00:26 - 00:48). This feedback is vital to developing understanding of mathe-
matical concepts because I am able to easily spot which students are struggling with the
concepts and provide those individuals with extra help later on.]
c. Describe how your instruction linked students prior academic learning and personal, cul-
tural, and community assets with new learning.
[In Video Clip 1, my instruction linked students prior academic learning when I asked stu-
dents what we did the day before (0:00 - 0:41). My instruction linked students personal as-
sets when I prompted my students to think how learning to order numbers is a necessary
skill in real life. (01:35 - 03:12). At first my students were having difficulty thinking of ideas
outside of school. In the clip you can hear one student say that it is necessary so that we
can do our work in school. Another student chimed in that they needed to know this skill so
they could do their homework. So I provided students with an example of sports teams and
asked students to raise their hands if they liked sports. I provided assistance to get their
thinking started and mentioned that if the students were watching sports they would need to
know how to quickly compare numbers to know which team had won/lost, and which teams
were better in a large group of teams.
In Video Clip 1, my instruction linked students cultural and community assets when my
students brought up the recent Super Bowl in which Seattle Seahawks had just beat the
Denver Broncos (03:19 - 03:48). I activated my students personal and cultural asset be-
cause football is an important factor in their personal family lives (as shown by the raise of
hands when I asked how many students enjoyed watching sports at home) and also in the
greater cultural scheme. The Seahawks model also demonstrates a community connection
because my school is located in Washington, just a couple hours away from Seattle. Making
this connection engaged students to become further invested in the lesson and provided
them with a meaningful example of real world application of ordering numbers.]
4. Deepening Student Learning during Instruction
Refer to examples from the video clips in your explanations.
a. Explain how you elicited and built on student responses to promote thinking and develop
understandings of mathematical concepts.
[I elicited and built on student responses by asking direct questions to the whole group and
to individual students. If I notice a student who does not seem to be engaged or paying at-
tention, I ask that student a question directly. If the student cannot answer the question, I ei-
ther ask another student to help explain to the first student, or I will explain myself. Then I
will ask the student the question again to increase their interest in whether or not he under-
stands the concept.
In Video Clip 1, I built on student responses to promote thinking by rephrasing the ques-
tion or redirecting and asking another student to add on when the first student answered a
question correctly but not in the direction I meant to take it (01:20 - 01:57). When students
seemed to be limited to answers revolving solely around schoolwork, I provided them with
an example of why the learning target is important outside of the classroom to get them to
start thinking outside the box (02:15 - 02:48). Their responses were a great start, but I want-
ed to push them to think more deeply, and providing them with an example really helped to
push them in the right direction.]
b. Explain how you and the students used representations (manipulatives, models, tools,
diagrams, charts) to support students understanding and use of mathematical concepts.
[To support students understanding and use of mathematical concepts, I used a variety of
representations. Throughout Video Clip 1, I used a set of numeral cards for students to be
a one- or two-digit number. As students became these numbers and had to arrange them-
selves in order (either in real ascending order 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or sometimes skip
counting 1, 4, 5, 7, 9) they were put in a position to be a part of the mathematical concept
of arranging numbers.
In Video Clip 2, I used whiteboards to allow students to represent the numbers on their
own (00:25 - 00:45). Students were in control of writing and viewing the numbers them-
selves and this also provided practice for students to correctly write numbers themselves.
This is important because many of my students still struggle with writing numbers correctly
and need as much practice as possible. Later in the small group portion of this lesson, I
used unit cubes to help students represent the problems in their student journal work. As
students were able to represent and visualize the numbers, they were better able to com-
pare the numbers.]
5. Analyzing Teaching
Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.
a. What changes would you make to your instructionfor the whole class and/or for
students who need greater support or challengeto better support student learning
of the central focus (e.g., missed opportunities)?
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strate-
gies/support (such as students with IEPs, English language learners, struggling
readers, underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge,
and/or gifted students).
[To better support student learning of the central focus, I would change the time I allowed for
reflection at the end of the lesson. This would be a beneficial change for the whole class be-
cause while I did allow some time for reflection (what we learned, what we struggled with,
and what we did well), this group of students as a whole needs heavy mathematical support
and while tedious at first, teaching these students to self-reflect will be invaluable. When
students are able to recognize for themselves what they need to spend more time learning,
how to gauge how close they came to the learning target, and what they can do to access
more help, they are on their way to building autonomy.
In Video Clip 2, I had not paired my students before the lesson and so time was wasted
in the logistics of deciding who was sitting closest to who (00:49 - 01:25). This was a disap-
pointing waste of time for me, because I overestimated my students ability to pair up quick-
ly. Some of my ELL students happened to be sitting quite close to some of my IEP and very
low performing students, and so this pairing was not beneficial to either student. In later les-
sons, I would change this by pairing partners myself before the lesson and assigning stu-
dents to sit together in a clear pattern to make pairing up a quick and effective process. I
would pair English language learners together with students who are gifted at reading, I
would pair my IEP and underperforming students with my teacher students who are gifted
and do not require much help to finish their own work, and are therefore quickly able to help
other students with their work.
In Video Clip 1, it would have been more effective for me to pair students together and
have them discuss the learning target and its importance before discussing it as a whole
group. This would help students to come up with ideas in a low key setting because stu-
dents who are shyer would feel more comfortable to share their ideas.
When I explained the learning target in Video Clip 1, I said Ordering means to put
something in order. (00:59 - 01:04) This is ridiculous because if a student does not know
what ordering means, they also do not know what order means. It was a slip of my tongue to
define a word using the same word, but I did not recover well from that. I should have written
an example on the board to support English language students who struggle with difficult
words. Providing an example right then of a group of numbers ordered from least to greatest
and a group ordered from greatest to least would have been a great concrete example for
my ELL students to understand visually.]
b. Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your ex-
planation with evidence of student learning and principles from theory and/or re-
search.
[These changes would have improved student learning because students would be better
equipped to understand the learning target in a simpler and more visual way, which is exact-
ly what is stated in Crandalls theory of using visuals to teach math to English language stu-
dents. This applies, I believe, to not only English language learners, but also to all young
students. As I reviewed students work, I could tell that many students could have used
more practice and assistance. This is in accordance with Vygotskys theory of a Zone of
Proximal Development and Bruners theory of scaffolding. Many students are able to to work
independently using some skills, but many of my students showed that they still needed as-
sistance (or, scaffolding) to perform these skills. As I explained earlier, spending more time
on reflection at the end of the lesson would have given me a better understanding of what
my students understood and which parts of the lesson I would have ideally spent more time
on during another day of instruction. This time would also have allowed students to think
more deeply about what they had learned and how this is important to real-life tasks. More
time in reflection allows students to formulate a better understanding of the mathematical
concepts.]

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Elementary Mathematics for Washington

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