Elementary Mathematics Instruction (edTPA)

Mathematics instruction at the elementary level is a complex process. How does one meet the various needs of students with different learning styles and varied instructional levels while keeping every child engaged in the lesson? During my student teaching experience in a third-grade class, I planned, taught, and evaluated two math lessons with the goal of improving my implementation of mathematics instruction. These lessons focused on division and were based on information provided by the Go Math mathematics curriculum. The purpose of this content is to strengthen the students understanding of operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It also serves to prepare students for more fraction centered instruction. These lessons use the workshop model of teaching which provides opportunities for whole group instruction, partner work, and independent work with strong teacher support. During my evaluation, I chose three students to act as target students. Their summative assessments were closely evaluated to determine the effectiveness of the lesson and feedback was provided to the students to help either strengthen or enrich their understanding of the content. I chose three students of varying levels in order to ensure that I effectively differentiated my instruction for the students. I selected one student who is performing math at a sixth-grade level, one who performs math at a third-grade level, and one student on an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Through this planning, implementation, and evaluation process, I have developed skills and strategies that will strengthen my instruction as an educator.