State Math Standards & National Domains
o Students will identify both state math standards and national math domains and determine how different math concepts are organized.
Vertical Alignment of Math Concepts/Skills
o Students will compare and contrast how math concepts build from grade/level to grade/level and describe how what is learned in one grade/level prepares students for concepts in the concepts that follow.
Elementary Mathematics Content Knowledge Pre-Assessment
o Students will take a basic mathematics assessment that include math concepts from domains focused on in elementary math standards.
Assessment Data Analysis, Part 1
o Students will use a set of example formative math assessments to analyze if a math concept was understood, where misunderstandings/misconceptions occurred, and how to help each child moving forward.
Assessment Data Analysis, Part 2
o Students will use a set of deidentified formative math assessments from their practicum classroom. The data is gathered from a math lesson they taught. The data is then used to analyze if a math concept was understood, where misunderstandings/misconceptions occurred, and how to help each child moving forward.
Math Tasks & Questioning
o Students will practice completing an elementary math task and then write one of their own to teach to their practicum students. The math task must include higher-order questions that will allow children to think deeply about math concepts and encourage communication about their thinking.
Math Lesson Plan with a Task
o Throughout the semester, students will teach several lessons in their practicum classroom. One math lesson must include a math task. Students will turn in the lesson plan written for that lesson, along with a reflection that addresses the following questions. What did you learned as a teacher about planning and implementing math tasks. What went as planned? What surprised you? How could you ensure all students had a chance to communicate their thinking, strategies, connections, etc.? What did you use to determine if students were understanding the concept? How many students met your objective for the lesson?
Math Domains Presentations
o After learning about each math domain, students will complete individual presentations about each math domain. The presentations includes an explanation of the domain, identifying which grades/levels teach concepts from the domain, creating/finding two learning activities that could be used to teach concepts in the domain including at least one mathematical process, and identifying hands-on resources and/or manipulatives that could be used to help elementary children understand concepts taught in the domain.
Math Games to Practice Concepts
o After a concept is taught, students will create/find and share at least one math game that students could play to practice and strengthen knowledge or skills needed in that concept. A math game will be shared for each math domain.
Math Domain Mini-Lesson
o Students will sign up for a math domain, plan a mini-lesson focused on a concept in that domain, and teach it to their peers.
Teaching Video Demonstration #1 and #2
o Students film themselves teaching a lesson to their practicum classroom, review it for what went well and where improvement can be made, reflect on goals that can be set, and share it with their professor for further feedback. Professors will watch the video and conference with the student about their teaching demonstration.
Disposition Self-Assessments
o Students fill out a dispositions report on themselves in the practicum setting with children at least twice throughout the course.
PLC Attendance
o Students attend and participate in at least one professional learning community meeting with their assignment practicum grade level team.
Mentor Observations
o Mentors observe and give specific feedback to students on lessons taught in the practicum setting. Students then reflect on both the lesson taught and the feedback and set goals.
Practicum Timesheet
o Students submit a timesheet, signed by their mentor teacher, that shows how much time was spent in the practicum setting.
Practicum Lesson Plans
o Students turn in and get feedback weekly from professors on the lesson plans submitted throughout the semester before teaching the lesson plans to children.
Final Reflection Paper
o Students reflect on their experiences in the practicum setting, including management strategies and adjustments throughout the year, and reflect on what went well, what they could do differently to improve, and how they will use what was learned to improve teaching strategies/approaches in the future.