CMP-Inquiry Middle School Interview

Stacey,

Sorry for the DELAY.  I have been swamped and not feeling well.

CMP has developed units that are to address the National Standards that we will start to 
implement this year and more in 2012-2013.

Students that are behind with their basic skills need lots and lots of practice to help 
cement their foundational skills.  Applying these basic concepts to the students 'real 
world' helps the students to see a connection of how the "skills/concepts" are 
used.

CMP does not really have a philosophy for HW.  Everything is to be done in partners or 
groups so that the students can discuss what they have discovered/learned.  The work they 
do is again apart of the cementing. I give HW so that I know what the student knows or 
does not know.  Studebts need practice in order for concepts to 'stick'.

With the larger class sizes this year it has become part of the class to breakdown 
everything into smaller instructional/discovery pieces. I try to do 10-15 min. of 
instruction and then 5 min. of think/share time and then repeat the 'cycle'. The time is 
an estimate depending on what the topic is. In the share time I will be walking around to 
listen to what the students are discussing.  Sometimes it is on topic and then again 
there are times when they are not.  We are giving assessments based on the standards but 
in math we are also assessing the students foundational skills.  Your second question is 
a reason for this assessment piece.

I hope this has helped and again I apologize for the lateness.

Lori

Inquiry & CMP Research

Inquiry Learning Model- I gather that this model is a form of investigation that the answer or outcome is relevant to the individual. The outcome is really important in this.

I read through the guiding principals for the CMP and honestly it could fit any math book. When you read them I feel like every math book ever created could use these as guidelines.
I was a math tutor over at Whitaker Middle School and they used these books. Although I love their light weight and easy to cary around mobility, I also really like how they are more relate-able to the students lives. There are money problems, pe applications etc... So I like CMP's relevance to students lives better than traditional text books who in terms of money problems you will see compounded interest problems (which doesn't really apply to students of this age range).
In terms of direct instruction, guided practice, independent work this all could be implemented to the CMP depending on the teacher. For instance, will a teacher make the students read the CMP packet on their own and do the problems? Will she make them work in pairs? Will she work with them before they break off to work in pairs? The CMP is a good idea, but in the hands of a poor math teacher it can be just as unsuccessful!

Closure and anticipatory set

After searching closure in teaching and various other combination of words that mean the same thing, I have come to the conclusion that closure in terms of a lesson plan is a reminder to the students of what they learned in the day while also wrapping it up while still being meaningful. My favorite site I found for this word was found here. I found numerous definitions and ways to go about wrapping up. This site wasn't bad either.

I know that in my art classroom (practicum) I implement exit slips that ask them a question regarding the topic we went over (or artist), so in their sketchbooks I have them write them down ans well as any questions they have. For a math class I too would make them have sketchbooks. But exit slips would differ a bit. I would have a problem like the ones we worked on in class and have them answer it as best they can, or I would have them make up a problem like the ones from the day's lessons and solve it like an answer key. I would then go over them and see if the students are really getting it. Its meaningful to their learning (they are teaching me) and serves as an assessment tool for me...where are they and are they getting it?

When I searched anticipatory set I found that the definition for me should be an exciting hook to get the students pumped which alludes to prior learning so new learning can be built upon it. I found these two sites helpful.

In terms of our lesson plan, the nest day's anticipatory set could say, Hey, remember when we went out and measured that tree? What else can we think of that is all around us that are triangles? This could then lead us to today's lesson which is built upon the understanding of yesterdays lesson.

Confused, restating what we found on our shared sheet

In my group I was assigned to look over the NCTM standards and I chose the following:
Apply transformations and use symmetry to analyze mathematical situations.
Grades 6–8 Expectations: In grades 6–8 all students should:

• describe sizes, positions, and orientations of shapes under informal transformations such as flips, turns, slides, and scaling;

• examine the congruence, similarity, and line or rotational symmetry of objects using transformations.

I felt that the NCTM were vague like the ones we selected.
My partner online/shared sheet found the following and we compared the two.Draw construct, and describe geometrical figures and describe the relationships between them.Solve real-life and mathematical problems involving angle measure, area, surface area, and volume.

I felt that the three we found fit together well. The standards from all seem very vague and general. In which we selected the ones in which fit the best together.

With our NCTM standard we were assigned to go over the khan website and find a video in which supports our lesson/standard. We chose http://www.khanacademy.org/video/similar-triangles?playlist=Geometry because our subject was geometry.
This video  is direct instruction and a great introduction into triangles. Although I am not sure I would use this lesson, I like what is being taught, I don't necessarily agree with the use of technology in this case.

Practicum- sharing a Lesson

Yesterday was my first day teaching at Judson Middle School. I taught the majority of the classes and it was a 'fun' day with the theme of the Day of the Dead.
Objective: Students will be able to create a papel picado.
In order to get the students able to do this, I showed a brief powerpoint of what the Dia de los Muertos was, where its celebrated and how its generally celebrated. I then talked about Papel Picado's and their function as a Mexican craft and world wide decorative piece. I then  briefly showed my example and folding and cutting techniques. I had stencils if they wanted them, but they were told that they could implement their own design.
I checked the understanding in my formative assessment via exit slips. And no, they didn't get it. BAH! But, this was good for me to see before I start my unit this way I can make changes and place more emphasis where it is needed for the students to really understand what I want them to get. Furthermore, as I was walking around to help and snoop on their progress I realized that the majority of the students were not paying attention when I discussed the methods of folding. I think for future projects that have direct ways of folding or what not, I will walk the class through this while they are doing it. This will get more students where I want them to be!

If I were to reteach the lesson? I would change a lot! I would have more information on the history and make the students do a mini group project to get the information in their heads. I would then walk them through the folding technique together as a class then cut them loose to have fun. Furthermore, because it was a fun day, not a lot of students were productive, this bothered me. I think that if it were my class they would still get a effort based grade for the day, that way participation would be higher.

Appropriate Use of Technology, again 2.2

1. What steps (categories) did the author use to design their Lesson Plan (eg, Step 1: Learning Objectives; Step 2: Materials)? These were not directly stated, so I would only have to guess. And that is that the learning target would be: I(the student) will be able to understand different techniques (angles and ratios) of discovering how to determine if triangles are similar.
2. What types of methods and teaching strategies were implemented?  Direct instruction implementing the use of technology.
3. Describe any applications of critical thinking or problem solving you observed. He does a great job explaining the triangles and similarity. I feel that this (in the class room) could lead to practice problems that the students could do in pairs.
4. If you were to teach this same lesson, what might you change about the delivery or example(s) I would not do this lesson on the computer, this seems pointless to me. Using hands on examples of triangles would be better for constructive learning.
5. If I wanted to do this in my classroom, I would add hands on activities as well (so that they actually have to measure the angles with a protractor). Furthermore I would have practice problems for them to try with their partner (next to them), then go over as a group.

Warm-ups in Math Education

I have been in a variety of math classrooms throughout my lifetime, and warm ups have been apart of the majority of them. Warm ups have different meanings to each class. I personally will use a five problem daily warm up. Two questions will be moderately easy covering the past topic of the week, the third and forth will apply the same concept in a harder more applicable way. The last problem will be a challenge, it will be a problem in which the explanation will follow in the weeks lessons. The last problem will let me see how students would go about solving for it without the proper technique given. This will help me see their way of thinking and help me construct a way that is beneficial for them to understand. Simultaneously the students will feel good about themselves in solving the first two-four problems and let them see what type of problems we are going to focus on in the week to come (they will no that the last problem is just to try, not expected to know).
      So, overall, warm ups are used to boost students confidence as well as let them experiment with new topics/problems. Warm ups are not tests and will not be graded, they will be placed in sketchbooks in which I will read once a week to see their progress. This allows me to see what I need to spend more time on or go over, as well as see how my students go about solving problems without knowledge of a technique prior to solving. This is beneficial because it helps structure the way in which I will teach these new techniques. Problem five of these warm ups are like mini pre-assesments.