Microteaching: Integer Arithmetic
Peer- Assessment:
Overall, from our peers, Tam, Kevin, and I received very good comments for our microteaching on integer arithmetic. In general, most of our peers liked the temperature analogy with ice cubes and hot water that was used to explain addition, subtraction, and multiplication of integers. The students, who we presented to, also thought that we spoke clearly and loud enough. Many of them also said that we were encouraging during our lesson. Additionally, many students felt that our overall lesson was very well organized.
However, some students did mention that we needed to work on a few areas. One student mentioned that we should try to think of another way to explain that
Negative # × Negative # = Positive # instead of using patterns. Moreover, many students mentioned that we needed to find better ways to extend mathematical ideas such as providing better activities to allow students to use higher-level thinking and to provide enrichment activities for the keenest students. Nevertheless, almost all the students felt that this was very difficult to do because the 15 minutes we were all given to do this microteaching was not enough time. Hence, as a group we received very good comments, but there are some areas that we need to work on.
For my individual portion of the lesson, I explained how to do division with integers. In general, I received very good reviews from my peers on my lesson. Many of my peers felt that I spoke in a good voice and the verbal and visual communications that I used were clear. Many students felt that I was enthusiastic and cheerful. Also, one student who reviewed me felt that I did a good job including humour into the lesson. One area that I was told to work on was to talk a little slower. One student felt that I talked a little fast; however, the student was still able to understand what I was trying to teach. My peers felt that my lesson and the mathematical ideas used in the lesson were clear. However, I was told to make sure that I clearly explain what I am going to be discussing and teaching before I jump into the lesson. Generally, students were actively engaged in learning during the lesson and they felt that I showed that learners’ active engagement was valued. One student suggested that I pick on some quiet students to answer questions to make sure everyone in the class is involved in the lesson. However, this student understood that this was difficult to do because we were not given very much time. Some of the students felt I did not have a lot of variety in the activities that I offered the learners. Overall, I received fairly good reviews for offering activities that opened opportunities for mathematical inquiry and for involving higher-order thinking in the lesson. However, some students felt that I could have done a better job providing extension questions to provide chances for enrichment for the keenest students. Therefore, I received some very good reviews on my portion of the lesson and I found the suggestions that I was given to be very useful in helping me improve my teaching.
Self –Assessment:
In general, I feel that our lesson on integer arithmetic went very well. Our lesson was organized and clear and each of us had an equal amount of time to present our part of the lesson. I thought we also did a good job keeping track of the time to make sure that we did not run out of time. Moreover, I felt that Tam, Kevin, and I used very clear verbal and visual communications. We talked clearly and loud enough. I thought the temperature analogy that was used to explain addition, subtraction, and multiplication of integers was very helpful and allowed students to have a better understanding of integer arithmetic. According to me, the learners were actively engaged in learning throughout the lesson and we showed that the learners’ active engagement was valued. We did this by interacting with the students throughout the lesson by constantly asking them how to solve the problems we presented, along with other questions. Since I was the last person in the group to present, extending mathematical ideas was my responsibility. I think that in the most part the questions that I asked students during the post-test opened opportunities for mathematical inquiry, allowed for higher-order thinking in the lesson, and provided some chances for enrichment for the keener students. Hence, I think that, overall, the three of us did a good job teaching integer arithmetic in this 15 minute microteaching.
Although I feel that, overall, our microteaching on integer arithmetic went very well, I think that there are some areas that I need to work on. Even though I spoke clearly and loud enough, I think that I spoke a little too fast and went through each example too fast. Also I feel that as a group we did not provide a wide variety of activities for learners. I think that the answers that we asked the students were very good, but, perhaps, the learners would have been more engaged in the lesson if they had a wider range of activities to work on during the lesson. Moreover, like one of the students who reviewed me mentioned, I feel that I did not do a good enough job to make sure everyone was involved in the lesson. I have to make sure that when I am in the classroom I ask the “quiet” students questions to make sure that they feel involved in the class/lesson and to know if they are understanding what is being taught or not. I found this microteaching to be helpful because it made me realize what some of the things I have to make sure I work on before I start teaching.
General Comment:
Although I found this microteaching assignment to be very helpful in making me realize what I have to work on before I start teaching, I do not think that we were given enough time to include extension activities in the microteaching. I found it very difficult to teach the learners the concept, provide them interesting activities, and provide enrichment and higher-order thinking activities. As a result of this, my group was not able to include a wide range of activities in the lesson. We wanted to make sure the students got an understanding of integer arithmetic and in doing this we ran out of time to include a wide range of student participation. If we had more time we would have got the students much more involved in the lesson, instead of just asking them questions. If I had more time I would have liked to play some sort of review game with the learners and perhaps even have them come to the board to answer questions. However, I think that the questions we constantly asked the learners throughout the lesson did involve them during the 15 minutes that we had. Additionally, I think that if I had more time to present I would not have spoken as fast as I did and I would have made sure that even the quieter students were involved in lesson by answering questions. Furthermore, it was difficult to teach our peers the concepts that students in grade 8 are finding difficult. While I was teaching my peers, I was expecting them to get the questions that I asked them correct. Therefore, through this microteaching, I was not able to get a good sense of whether or not the analogies that we used would be helpful in reviewing integer arithmetic with grade 8 students. However, a teacher always has to change the way he/she teaches because every student is different and every class from year to year is different. Although 15 minutes was not enough time to do the microteaching and we were “teaching” students who already knew the topic, I still found it to be somewhat helpful. Through this microteaching, I got comfortable explaining a topic that I will have to explain to high school students. Additionally, I got a lot of ideas of how to explain other high school math concepts to students in interesting ways from the groups that I observed.
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