FEAPS 3

3. Instructional Delivery and Facilitation. The effective educator consistently utilizes a deep and comprehensive knowledge of the subject taught to:

a. Deliver engaging and challenging lessons

I delivered an engaging and challenging lesson by making students productively struggle together to build the knowledge that was needed to successfully move on to the next lesson. This was the first time that students had ever been introduced to composing and decomposing numbers. I wanted to make sure they grappled with the content to engrain it in their brains using word problems and manipulatives. Giving students a chance to work through problems is a great way to challenge and hold them to a high expectation.

b. Deepen and enrich students’ understanding through content area literacy strategies, verbalization of thought, and application of the subject matter

I deepened and enriched students' understanding through content area literacy strategies, verbalization of thought, and application of the subject matter by having the students engage in a discussion on whether the work shown on the board was done correctly. I picked a student to share how they solved a problem and their answer using proper mathematic vocabulary. I wrote how they solved it on the board and gave students 30 seconds to look over their own answer. I then picked two students, one who agreed and one who disagreed, to share their work verbally and spark a whole group discussion. After about 3 minutes, I shared the correct answers and then worked through the problem correctly to help the students who were still have a hard time grasping the concept.

c. Identify gaps in students’ subject matter knowledge

I identified gaps in student matter knowledge by looking over prior assessments. This allowed me to plan different activities for there learning style groups that targeted their needs and helped them fully grasp the content before the summative exam. I believe that identifying these gaps prior to their summative exam helped them work more on their weaknesses and recieve a better score.

d. Modify instruction to respond to preconceptions or misconceptions

I modified instruction to respond to preconceptions or misconceptions by breaking up the conversion game into rounds. First round, the students they had to multiply to find the small unit and then during the second round, the students divide to find the bigger unit. Because they were struggling with the concept prior to starting the activity, modifying it and making them do one and then the other made it easier for the students to follow what operation they were using when going from bigger to smaller then smaller to bigger.

e. Relate and integrate the subject matter with other disciplines and life experiences

I related and integrated the subject matter with other disciplines and life experiences when I taught my students how to find locations using latitude and longitude. My students had become so used to looking at the map on their smart phones or using GPS to find different locations but I thought about what would happen if my students did not have technology to assist them. Students had to label the map and practice finding locations using lattitudinal and longitudinal coordinates. The students were given a work sheet to locate the names of each country. I chose this worksheet because some of the answers were places that my students or their family are from. This gave the students more insight into different facts about each place, teaching them more about the world around them.

f. Employ higher-order questioning techniques

I employed higher-order questioning techniques by giving my students a higher-order thinking question during one of my lessons and I required the students to take thirty seconds to think about the answer. Instead of the same five students raising their hands to answer, I wanted to see what my other students were thinking and did not want to put them on the spot. By giving the students time to think, I did not pressure anyone and gave them the time that they need to answer the question successfully.

g. Apply varied instructional strategies and resources, including appropriate technology, to provide comprehensible instruction, and to teach for student understanding

I applied varied instructional strategies and resources, including appropriate technology, to provide comprehensible instruction, and to teach for student understanding when I taught a lesson on composing and decomposing numbers 1-19. I used the guided release method to help prepare my students to be successful when completing the activity. I gave them multiple different manipulatives to use to better help them understand the content and make a connection to the lesson. Using technology, Plickers, I was able to see what my students took away from the lesson so I could reteach or build on the lesson the next day. I believe my students completely understood what was asked of them by the end of this lesson.

h. Differentiate instruction based on an assessment of student learning needs and recognition of individual differences in students

I differentiated instruction based on an assessment of students learning needs and recognition of individuals differences in students when playing the game "Would You Rather." The goal of the game was for students to write down what they were thinking in complete sentences but due to the young age of my students, I began to realize that some of them would not be able to do that. Instead, I allowed certain students to draw what they were thinking and then they discussed with their partner. Differentiating instruction helped my students complete the activity and take more away from it.

i. Support, encourage, and provide immediate and specific feedback to students to promote student achievement

I supported, encouraged, and provided immediate and specific feedback to students to promote student achievement when I walked around to answer any questions and make sure students were not plagued with any misconceptions. This gave me time to support the students who needed help, encourage those who were on the right track while providing immediate and specific feedback so they knew how they were doing in the moment. I believe this helped promote student achievement because the students made the necessary corrections and everyone understood the content in the end.

j. Utilize student feedback to monitor instructional needs and to adjust instruction.

I utilized student feedback to monitor instructional needs and to adjust instruction when I gave students a new form of assessment. It required the students to write three things they learned, two questions they have, and one thing they wanted me to know. When reading through the assessments to plan instruction for the next day, I saw that my gifted students felt that the lessons go to slow. Our whole class is very academically diverse so I always felt like I had to spend more time on instruction to ensure that all students are on the same page. The gifted students always had enrichment activities and more challenging work planned so I thought I was constantly pushing them, but I realized that making them sit through the repetitive instruction was a waste of their time. After this realization, I started giving instruction and then sending the gifted students off to do their extra activities and work with my CT to facilitate while I gave the extra instruction needed to the rest of the class.