Drexel University

Domain 3 Reflection
EDUC 540
Professor Megan Giampietro
Abdulai Sesay
11/13/2017

This paper will reflect my thoughts on Domain 3 Instruction.

Domain 3 Reflection

In Domain 3, Instruction, Danielson writes about the way we communicate with our

students. Presentations should be presented with accuracy, and clarity. Precise academic

language should be used. In this math lesson the objective was for students to be able to add two

digit numbers, then explain their work. The key term in this lesson was regroup. When I Commented [AS1]: Communicating with students. I made
sure to hammer this term into their heads because as they
progress through future lessons it resurfaces.
learned this concept, I was taught the term carry. It was difficult to break myself of the habit of

using the term carry. We had been working on this strategy for a couple of days, and I noticed

from exit tickets, and independent practice, some students having trouble with it. This prompted Commented [AS2]: I demonstrated Flexibility and
responsiveness. I self evaluated my previous lessons and
knew I needed to change my approach.
me to change the way I presented the lesson. I chose to appeal to the visual learner. I brought

five students up to hold tens and ones cubes. Two represented the tens columns in the two

addends, two represented the ones columns, and one represented the sum. The equation was

46+26. I made the two kids with six blocks exchange ten of them for a tens cube, then give the

tens cube to one of the students who represented the tens column. They then gave the two

remaining cubes to the sum student. Next the tens students gave all of their ten cubes to the sum

student. Last I had the sum student count how many tens and ones they had in all.

I felt this was an imaginative analogy and a good way to relay the concept to students.

They got to see the concept in action and see how it can be explained when they are assessed.

Throughout the lesson, I made sure to ask questions like, what are you asked to find? What do

you already know about adding two digit numbers? Another essential question I asked was how Commented [AS3]: Questioning and discussion techniques.
This was a higher order question that had more than one
correct answer. This along with other questions help
can the students holding the ones cubes make it easy for the sum student to hold all of them? enhance our discussion and clarify the concept.

This question prompted them to go to the regroup strategy.

2
Domain 3 Reflection

Students were very engaged during this portion of the lesson. I could tell because

normally I have to use several methods to get them quiet and to get their attention. They were all Commented [AS4]: Engaging Students in learning. All of
the students had their eyes on their classmates, and
answered questions as we worked through the solve and
paying attention and interested in what was going on. This activity was out of our normal way of share problem.

doing the solve and share. The students that were not acting in the scenario were actively

working by completing the problem in their math books as we walked through it with the actors.

I was able to monitor student understanding by walking around during independent Commented [AS5]: Using assessment in instruction. I used
the independent practice as a formative assessment.
practice and spot checking their problems. I also used an exit ticket as the formative assessment

for this lesson. I was very excited to see per the exit ticket students starting to grasp the concept. Commented [AS6]: This was another form of assessment I
used to influence the next days lesson.
There were a few that still were not getting the regrouping strategy so I decided to take a small

group during the next days lesson to reteach. By the end of this session there was only one

student that I would consider needed more work. During the lesson, I constantly asked questions

that forced students to walk me through problems. This strategy is a staple in the way I conduct

whole class instruction. In the past, it has been recommended that I slow down during

instruction. I have taken this advice and applied it to my everyday approach in the classroom.

Since doing it I have noticed students responding with more enthusiasm. My other teaching goal

was the effective management of the classroom during the lesson. Especially while I took my

small group. Students stayed on task. When I got up to spot check, I noticed they were

progressing through the problems nicely. Students who finished the independent practice with

correct answers were able to play a math regrouping game.