Dawn Topasna

PD894 Assumption Paper 2

Pedagogy, the method and practice of teaching, especially as an
academic subject or theoretical concept.

Taking Pedagogical Content

Knowledge in Elementary Mathematics into my own words at the beginning

of the course, meant how to build my knowledge on teaching elementary
mathematics more effectively. My knowledge of what math was, compared
to how math is taught and its underlying principles has changed. Based on
my prior knowledge and experience with math in elementary, math was
abstract, with chalkboard, paper, and pencil.

Even with my teaching

experience with Direct Instruction DISTAR and Connecting Math Concepts,

teaching math to kindergarten children was focused on verbal, visual, paper,
pencil, and a ruler manipulative.
However, since the transition and implementation of the Common Core
State Standards, my knowledge, skills, and disposition on teaching math
have changed. Changes that foster rigorous planning of lessons, activities
that stimulate student knowledge by calling them games, and assessments
that track daily progress of skills. Ive allowed for flexibility in all areas of a
childs learning domain. Students verbal and physical interaction through
small and whole group instruction, digging deeper into the vocabulary and
applying it, providing multiple means of engaging students, allowing
students to self-assess their understanding, and having FUN.

My lesson activities are designed to focus on fluency practice,

application problems, concept development, problem set and sometimes exit
ticket worksheets, and student debriefs.

I begin lessons with fluency

practice by playing up to three games, about 5 minutes each, which are a

review to previous standards and skills taught.

Then, I move into

application problems, which are word problems that students record into
their interactive notebooks. These word problems have a direct relation to
students lives. Next, I build on the representations of a standard through
concept development activities that requires a hands-on approach to
learning.

After students prove their understanding of the concept

development strategy, they apply and show what was understood on a

Problem Set worksheet.

The mathematical practice standards are

embedded in the concept development activity. In some cases, a student

will have to show their understanding through an Exit ticket formative
assessment. Lastly, students gather to debrief about the target standard
and explain.
I have focused on student growth, rather than moving on with
lessons that adhere to the curriculum map.

If an activity didnt seem

appealing and students were not as engaged as planned, then Ive accepted
that I either need an added tool or skill, because maybe this group of
students need something else. Who knows what next years students profile
will entail.

Some of the math practices I will more effectively implement are the
five organizational mathematical ideas and practice standards. Composition,
decomposition, relationships, representations, and context, along with the
eight mathematical practice standards.

Currently, the math resource Im

implementing has effective activities that foster the mathematical ideas and
practice standards.

Next year, I plan to tailor activities to my group of

students, their interests, and real-life situations related to Guam. I will strive
to have parents understand what was before to what is now when
thinking mathematically, and have students be the ones to explain and
argue mathematically in their own words. This will prove what research says
about researchers now understanding that every child can achieve at the
highest levels in math at school, if they are given the opportunities.