Daniella Chavez

LBS 400/ Spring 15

Mathematics Reflection
The California Common Core State Standards for Mathematics were created to prepare
California students for college. Achievement gaps exist and children are placing at average
grade levels. In order to improve this gap the standards will be used as a guide to help teachers
and students improve their learning and understanding of mathematics.
As a future elementary school teacher I need to fully understand math in order for me to
teach it to my students. I will implement the 4Cs techniques introduced by the mathematics
framework to help me plan my lesson plans and they will help me become a better teacher:
creativity and innotation, critical thinking and problem solving, communication and
collaboration.
The math classes I took in my community college gave me an overview of what is needed
to teach primary school. During this class we reviewed angles, word problems, rise over run, and
other important subjects. When I was taking this class I realized I had issues understanding basic
math because I didnt understand it when it was taught to me in elementary school. I want my
future students not only to comprehend, but I want them to be able to explain any math lesson
that was taught to them. But, in order for them to succeed I have to strengthen my weaknesses
and improve the areas where Iam having trouble. I feel less prepared in subjects like fractions,
percentages, decimals, angles, least common denominators, and measurements. I will use the
internet and other sources to help me understand math problems than Im having issues with. The
teaching credential Im pursuing is to teach kindergarten thru sixth grades. Knowing what each
grade covers in mathematics will help me gain a better understanding of what my students

already know, what they will learn, and what they need to know in order to move forward to the
next grade.
During my fieldwork observation, I had to observe a fourth grade class. Mrs. Panah, was
the teacher I was observing, her school was using the CCSS. During my stay, I took notes on her
lessons, and I also got copies of the classwork sheets the students were using. The new standards
require teachers to teach math using different strategies. For example, when my class was
learning how to multiply by tens they had to draw pictures to show their work and in the bottom
of the work they had to explain how they got the answer.
One of my math classes required us to make a lesson plan with steps, questions, activitys
and worksheets. I will be using this lesson plan as part of my artifacts because it explains my
objective, what steps I must teach first, and how will I check for understanding. During my
fieldwork observation I received copies of Common Core Math worksheets that the students
were working on. One thing I pointed out was how the new standards want children to learn how
to solve a problem by using critical thinking; I also saw that the majority of the questions
required students to explain and demonstrate how they got their answers. I will be using these
artifacts to prove my knowledge of mathematics; to encourage children to solve problems by
using different strategies; and to check for understating by having students explain the process to
answering a question.
As a future teacher, I will need support from the schools staff, parents, community, and
from parents. With a great support system, I will be able to ask for help when needed and I will
feel more comfortable teaching.