EPC 3403 Practicum 3a

Higher college of technology

Practicum 3a

EPC 3403

Task 1

Student Name:

Maryam Abdullah Ali Bin Thani

ID: H00327121

Date: 28-2-2018

Teacher name:

Hamda Alawadi

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EPC 3403 Practicum 3a

Task 1. Mathematics in the School & My Classroom.

 Examine the table of contents for the math textbook used at your
Teaching Practice Placement.
o How does the content align with the CCSS for your grade level?
I’m teaching Mathematics for grade 2 level. They already have enough Math skills
that can help them gain the concepts of the book. Grade 2 have an extended prior
knowledge from grade 1 because they already know the numbers which are the basic
information for understanding Mathematics concepts. By capitalizing on students'
prior knowledge, teachers who are empathetic to their students' needs and
backgrounds bridge the new knowledge of the old, making learning new math
concepts more manageable for these students (Furner, Yahya & Duffy, 2005).

Grade 2 curriculum gives the basics that the students already studied in grade 1 but in
the details, so, if I will evaluate the curriculum from the table of content, I think that
the lessons matching the level but the number of lessons in each unit is a lot. I think
that if they reduce the number of the lessons, the teachers will have enough time to
focus in each lesson and the students will have the ability to understand all the points
of each lesson well.

From my observation of my MST’s class, she has good classroom management and I
think that there is a relationship between the student's level in any subject and the
classroom management. If the class was organized the teacher will be comfortable
when she is explaining the lesson, she will not forget any important point and she will
check the understanding of the lesson when they will complete the classwork
activities. Classroom management will improve the relationship between the teachers
and the students because they will have the chance to communicate more with the
teacher. Teacher-student relationships cannot be harmful or beneficial to teachers
unless these relationships are important to their goals or motives (Spilt, Koomen &
Thijs, 2011). The good relationship between the teacher and the students will help in
creating a successful Math class.

I think that the teachers are the one that can manage the system of how that the
students will have the ability to solve the Math questions, they have the curriculum
and they can make some changes with the arrangement. For example, if the teacher
notices that there are two lessons about patterns in 2 units, she can combine them

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together and explain it to the students and this will help the students in connecting
between the information.

I checked the table of content, it includes 5 units which are numbers, pattern and
function, measurement, shape and space, and data handling. All the units are
connected to the CCSS for teaching mathematics. The first unit which is about
numbers include lessons about Whole Numbers, Place Value, Estimation, and
Rounding, Counting and Ordering Numbers, Addition and Subtraction, Fractions,
Decimals, Percentages and Problem Solving. All of these lessons relate to 4 of the
CCSS which are Counting and Cardinality, Operations and Algebraic Thinking,
Number and Operations in Base Ten, Number and Operations-Fractions.

The second unit which is Pattern and Function related to Counting and Cardinality
and the Operations and Algebraic Thinking. The third, fourth and fifth units which are
Measurement, Shape, and Space and data handling match the CCSS in Measurement
and Data and geometry. As you can see from the compression that I mentioned below
that the table of content match the CCSS which means that the curriculum is
including all the important points that the students should gain.

Even that the practice standards are elegant, challenging and very supportive of the
school curriculum, but I think that the strict following to the CCSS increasing the
pressure to “cover” the standards by grade 2 which may reduce the attention to
substantial and challenging applications (Madison, 2015).

 Observe the math classroom arrangement (desks, shelves, materials,

walls, etc.) Take pictures to post in your portfolio

Students matirials (Pincels

(Using different kinds of math’s Storybooks ) ,erasers,crayouns ,papers and scissors)

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Math’s matirials (Cupes and puzzels) Wall ( Math’s corner )

 Post the typical weekly schedule for one group of students for all their
classes.

Teacher and students schadual Daily schadual

Examine your MST’s lesson plans. Take pictures or collect samples to

post in your portfolio.
o How does she write plans for the week? She is focusing on using the 5E’s
Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate because, she believes that
this will help teachers to achieve the goals of the lessons.The lesson plan also
includes specific points and sources of the activities and the worksheets because
this helps the teacher to be organized.
o For the semester? My MST depends on the meeting of grade 2 teachers so, she
did not decide by her self because they have to discuss, share ideas and prepare
the lessons aims together.

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Reflection about task 1

Task 1 help me gain new skills like the observation skills. I was using my observation
skills to mentor the steps that the MST is following in teaching the Mathematics
concepts. I think that observing the Mathematics class help me improve my problem-
solving skills. The first thing that I apply in task 1 is using the CCSS to compare to
the table of content of the grade 2 curriculum. I think that this helps me gain new key
terms that assist in moving my language and use it for explaining the lessons during
the TP. I think the taking an idea about the CCSS helps in giving me an idea about the
points that I should take it seriously for teaching Math for grade 2 students. At the
previous TP’s we teach only English, so, we don’t have enough experience in
teaching all the subjects, but, now I can notice the difference between explaining
Math and English.

I think that this task helps in showing that the plan of teaching practices in the
Education department of the HCT is helping us improving gradually, without having
the experience of using English we will not be able to teach Math. Teaching is about
applying different strategies, without learning all the general strategies for dealing
with the whole students, we will not be able to teach any subject.

Task 1 is useful because now I have an idea about the suitable classroom arrangement
for teaching Math. From task 1 I learn that even the small details like the arrangement
contribute in an extended way in improving the level of the math teaching. Teaching
is not only about lecturing, but using strategies for matching the thinking level of the
pupils. Moreover, task 1 teach me how to prepare completive lesson plans that can
help me in this TP. Without learning the steps of preparing lesson plans I will not be
able to explain a completive lesson that includes all the 5es and all the Math standers.
I think that task 1 gave me a good beginning of the teaching practice because I
learned all the important points of teaching Math and this is what will reflect
positively on my lesson level. Also, this will help me achieve the standards that HCT
select for giving completive Math class.

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So, the purpose of task 1 is to clarify the importance of the CCSS to teach Math
lessons. To show the connection between the class arrangement and the ability to
teach Math concepts. Also, to show the importance of the lesson plans for giving a
completive lesson.

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References

Furner, J. M., Yahya, N., & Duffy, M. L. (2005). Teach mathematics: Strategies to

reach all students. Intervention in School and Clinic, 41(1), 16-23. Retrieved

from https://search-proquest

com.ezproxy.hct.ac.ae/docview/211725097?accountid=1215

Spilt, J. L., Koomen, H. M., Y., & Thijs, J. T. (2011). Teacher wellbeing: The

importance of teacher-student relationships. Educational Psychology

Review, 23(4), 457-477. http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.hct.ac.ae/10.1007/s10648-011-

9170-y

Madison, B. b. (2015). Quantitative Literacy and the Common Core State Standards

in Mathematics. Numeracy: Advancing Education In Quantitative Literacy, 8(1),

1-13. doi:10.5038/1936-4660.8.1.11