Blog Two: Personal Concerns & Next Steps

The number one concern on my mind right now is the midterm test. I am slow when it comes to taking tests, especially math tests, and this one definitely required more than the allotted time. So therefore I am hoping that there will be a time during which I can finish the test. I felt I was adequately prepared for the test, I just did not have the amount of time necessary for me to complete it. Other than that, I do not have many more concerns. The math class is an eye-opener. Though just today I sat in on a freshman/8th grade algebra one class and it was still being taught in the way that I had learned math. The teacher is only in his second year of teaching too, so it makes me wonder when this whole math thing will switch over/gradually change/whatever. Anywho, moral of the story is that I am concerned about the test. I feel my next steps for the next test would not change much just maybe more aware of the time. Which would help if there was a clock in the room.

Personal Concerns and New Insight

At the beginning of the year, I was not worried about this math class because math has always came easy to me. I expected this class to be like any other methods type course and expected to learn how to teach math. After the year has progressed, I feel like this class has nothing to do with math and has more to do with the thinking process in general. Sure, we are thinking about math but it involves thinking more outside teh box. I know I have learned information but I feel more confused and shambled after class. The quizzes are not a highlight of the class. I understand that they are designed to think outside of the box but I feel they are to confusing for ELED teachers. For example, I believe it was quiz 3 when not one person in the class correctly answered the first question on a quiz. I have not talked with one person in the class who has got a 100% on a quiz. The midterm is another topic that makes me want to pull my hair out. One hour and fifteen minutes was enough time for only TWO people finish the test. The proctor was not aware of allowing additional time to complete the test therefor in the last ten minutes I struggled to fill in the answers on the test and not have any blank. I feel the midterm was very unorganized. I am trying my best to stay positive about the course and I am sure it can only get better.

New Insights and Their Implications/Personal Concerns

Like it was stated in the beginning of class, this class has become frustrating. Both good and bad. Good because I believe you must struggle with a concept in order to make the connection to the learning that is taking place. I also think that it is important for us as teachers to understand the "why" behind math, if we don't understand how can we teach our students? However there have been some bad frustrations. I am never exactly sure what is going on in class, what topic we are specifically covering, or even what homework is being assigned, and even when homework is assigned I am never sure what exactly is being expected of me. I also never know if what I did for my homework or answers that I have given in class are correct or on the right path. I think that sometimes some feedback is good. I know there are multiple ways to get to the answer of a problem but I would like it if maybe you would show us some of your methods, or how you came to an answer...or if we are going in the right direction.

On the other hand I have learned some useful information. I have learned the importance of being able to show "why". I think as children it is not an obvious question, usually younger children will accept that you do things just because that's how you do it, especially if they aren't taught why. In my job I teach adults who are trying to get their GED or just improve their skills. I have realized that these older students really want to know why we do the things we do in math, and from this class I have gone out of my way to help them see "why" we do what we do in math. I think that it really helps them grasp the concept. I have actually used the fraction bars that we made in class with one of my students to explain equivalent fractions, and it worked pretty well.

Personal Concerns and Next Steps

The reason I chose this to blog about was as a result of the recent test I just took. My main concern is that I did not finish it! I really wanted to do well on it, so I took my time, and the time got away from me! I hope that I will be able to finish the questions I did not get to. Another concern I have deals with actually teaching mathematics in the classroom. Wednesday of this week I participated in project Coyote in which I helped teach in a first grade class and a third grade class for the day with fellow classmates. It was a great experience, but it did kind of worry me about actually teaching in my own classroom someday, and because math is by far my least favorite subject, I hope that as I go through this course, I will be shown examples of an effective way to teach elementary level students in ways that they understand. Other than those two, I have no concerns and have found this course to be very helpful, and I know that as it goes on, I will continue to learn new things and carry that information with me into my own classroom.