Teaching Context:
- School: a high social-economic-status, suburban school district in small, prestigious village.
- Class: small class with majority of causation, Kindergarten students (20 total)
- Arrangement: tables of 4 groups (5 students per table/group)
- Schedule: A.M. & P.M. Kindergarten groups with short schedules
- Available Resources: supplies bought and paid for by school every year, smart board, elmo projector, free printing at will, and many other various resource
Overview of module objectives and activities:
- Unit Summary and Rationale: Students need to understand that collections of money have their own values, as well as identify individual names and values of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. I introduced them to the exploration of these coins, one at a time through various hands-on activities. This helped create an understanding of the meaning behind each, while working from concrete to abstracts concepts of money in coin form. Because this transition from concrete to abstract is so difficult for many Kindergartners, and because the concept of money and its value is difficult for many young children to grasp, I introduced and reinforcing the identification of coin names and values through hands-on exploration, experiences of real world application, and follow-up practice games. The unit was taught with the purpose of helping students understand how they can use money, identifying its various values, manipulating and calculating groups of it accordingly. Also, for the understanding of money values to deepen the conceptualization and use of place value principles.
- Ohio Content Benchmarks, Standards, and Indicators:
- Benchmark: Kindergarten Mathematics, Benchmark D – Determine the value of a collections of coins ; Standard: Number, Number Sense, and Operations; Indicator: Kindergarten Mathematics, Indicator 9 – Identify and state the value of a penny, nickel, and dime;
- Benchmark: Kindergarten Mathematics, Benchmark E – Make change using coins for values up to one dollar; Standard: Number, Number Systems, And Operations; NO Indicator
- Methods used and Rationale:
Large group discussion: I used the beginnings and ends of lessons as a large group explanation and question/answer time, to draw out of students what they already know about the topic (connecting to what we’ve already learned, students BK, and what they know about topic being introduced). This is also the crucial time to make sure to give engaging instructions, clear directions, and expected outcomes (sharing the main point with students). Lastly, students came together to share as I dictated on chart paper, the main points of what we discovered together. Following-up in this way was the best time for students to share with myself and the class something they have learned throughout the whole lesson with the class.
Small group: I had students work within their groups at their designated tables, to do hands on tasks together, coin rubbings on paper, talking about what they’re doing and sharing with at least 2 “friends” something they have discovered or learned in the specific activity, etc.
Individual Assessment and exploration: I work one on one with During center time, students have the freedom to explore the materials used for the unit on money, coins, with magnifying glasses. Also, student do their own coin rubbing with pencil and paper for each coin, to make a print, a duplication of each and observe the details on them.
Overall, using a good balance of student exploration and teacher instruction helped students feel the freedom to ask questions at appropriate times and explore to resolve their curiosities throughout the unit.
Video Clips Combined:
Rationale for choice of teaching clips:
These clips show some of my best efforts to use best practices, taking a difficult topic for Kindergartners to learn into a child-centered exploration approach; yet , I still use some direct instruction for purposes of structure and unity of thought. This class is usually very rowdy, as they are used to a teacher who does not provide consistent structure; therefore, to learn this hard-to-teach content effectively, I felt I must provide a slight direct instructional approach along with normal exploration. Although, I know I could have been more effective (there’s ALWAYS room for growth), I feel if this is close to my best efforts than any critical feedback will be helpful in adjusting my efforts for even better instruction. HOPE YOU ENJOY! 🙂
Summary of Pre-Assessment Findings & Summary of Post-Assessment Findings:
Summary of Pre-Assessment Findings | Summary of Post-Assessment Findings |
Administering pre-assessments, I initially found many students knew names of at least one of the three coins. Some of these coin values, however, were initially only recognized by a little less than half of the class. Also, there were misconceptions that the larger coins were worth more, as students are learning concrete size-identification association with size. Therefore, I realized that for my instructional methods, I needed to focus on understanding values of coins, while helping students reconstruct their understanding of size associated with value when exploring coins. | Administering post-assessments, I found most students who were not able to identify all coin names and values, were now able to identify the majority of these coins and their characteristics. They demonstrated that they had met the unit goals/objectives through their oral descriptions of coins, answering specific and open-ended questions about them, and some through pointing to and/or using body language. I simply changed the students’ – markings to a + if they displayed evidence of learning the names and values on the check sheet, to record whether they have developed understanding to recognize and identify the name and value of each coin. There were a very small percentage that only learned one or two coin names an values; however, all could at least count the pennies, adding their values to other coins. For those few who could not identify each, I worked with them to make sure they understood the coin names and values as well as the differences between each. |
12:31 am - 4-8-2012
I very much enjoyed watching you teach!
Some comments on your teaching:
You did an excellent job of creating structure, rules and routines before the lesson started. From our past discussion, it seems that this group really needs that. You also used a variety of behavior techniques to get them quiet and on-task. Great!
You interact with children of this age so naturally and have great conversations with them.
I like how you used the magnifying glasses as incentives for good behavior. That is so much better than candy or another prize, because it is actually part of the lesson and will help them learn even though they still think it is a prize!
I’m sure you noticed this when you watched your videos. When you started to dismiss the kids and then remembered that you forgot to mention something, the kids at the tables already were totally unfocused. It may have been better to have them all come back to the carpet or wait until they were all at their tables to explain what it was you forgot.
You integrated spelling and letter sounds into Math when you were writing the words- Great!
At the beginning, you asked them how many fingers to hold up for two nickels. From the clips it kind of appeared that you did that without first discussing how much one nickel is worth. It was a little confusing to me. Then at the end when you were reviewing, you asked them to hold up fingers for how much one nickel is worth. I saw at least one child hold up ten, which may have been because she was thinking about your first question at the beginning. In the future, start with the basic first and then move on to multiple coins second.
Some questions:
When you first dismissed the groups to the tables, at the table closest to the camera it seemed the one child pushed the other kid out of his sit and stole his chair. Have you noticed any bullying problems with that child before? Obviously, this happens often in early childhood and it was not your fault that it happened in the lesson, but it is something to look out for. The kid doing the bullying seemed bigger and so it might happen often if it is not addressed properly.
How are the students grouped? Did you group them or are they groups they work in everyday?
Do you think the activity took long enough for the students? While you walked around and checked everyone’s it seemed that many of them were off-task. Is there an extra activity or enrichment thing that you could have had them do once they were finished to keep them on-task? Maybe some folder games about coins that they could get out quietly and work on until you came around to check?
Do you think the children are given too much praise and positive reinforcement? I know that is kind of a silly question, because obviously it is very effective and necessary at this age. However, I saw you give a star or some kind of prize to a table just because they put their materials away. The author of my life history book would argue that they should not be rewarded for something that they should be expected to do. Do you see any basis for that? Do you think we should praise students for doing something that is expected of them such as putting away their materials? Obviously, this will differ depending on the class.
2:14 pm - 4-8-2012
The classroom is very colorful, and the students where well behaved. I thought that you did well explaining to the students what you wanted them to do and reminding them of what they have done. It was interesting to hear you lead the correct pronunciation of silver. I also liked the repetition of 5.
Could you have made a game where they acted as pennies and work together to form a nickel, or some other way to get the students up and moving?
Do you think that this activity would have worked else where such as in urban or rural district? If no how would you change?
3:46 pm - 4-8-2012
The video was fun to watch:
Question: What specific objectives did you have for your lesson? Did the students meet them?
Suggestion: to enforce on the understanding of the value of money, maybe you could have made a display of a small shop and have students buy binders, pencils, story books (the normal things you can find in the classroom), have the students buy different things just to understand that the bigger and more valuable things cost more while the not so valuable things cost less. Give them a variety of coins and have them figure out what to give the shopkeeper (you) when they ask to buy something.
Question:In the groups did the students display any signs of helping each other understand the value of coins.
Question: in the coin scratching activity, did the students do the same for all the different coins?
suggestion: the coin scratching activity I think could have been made longer. There was a time when some groups had finished and were sitting idle waiting for the teachers assistance. I understand the difficulty of working alone with kids.
10:04 pm - 4-8-2012
Lyndsy~
I can tell you invested substantial time and thought in the planning process, because your teaching reflects preparedness, intentionality, and creativity. Strengths include a balance of teacher- and student- centered approaches, on-going assessment (conducted whole group, small group, and 1:1), positivity (rapport with students), use of different media (Doc camera, white board chart, etc.), and appropriate pacing.
I really like how you broke the unit into small chunks, and focused on one type of money at a time.
My questions for you are: Did you plan the majority of your questions before you taught? Did you plan your questions with Bloom’s taxonomy in mind?
Depending on how you respond to the questions, my suggestion might be to take all of the questions you asked and chart them on Bloom’s taxonomy (to see where they are landing).
My second suggestion would be to verbally tell students what the learning objectives/goals are, and to begin the lesson with them written on the board so students can continuously reference them. What do you plan for them to understand by the end of your time teaching?
Keep up the great work!!
10:56 pm - 4-8-2012
This is in responce to Kirby:
First, thanks for the great feedback – so much; I appreciate it!
I can reply to more of your comments later, but I want to quickly respond to the positive reinforcement and praise part. Yes, sometimes I think I did give a little too much praise. It can be more valuable when used less often. However, I’ve been taught and encouraged from so many different directions to use this strategy, and it simply comes natural to me. How to balance it with my own class will be a little different, as I’ve noticed that I tend to do it a little more with groups of students who are not my own, to build rapport. Interestingly enough, the teacher of this class cleans up after this group and doesn’t make them push in chairs of clean up after themselves (except at centers). So seeing that one table cleaned, I felt this was a really good example to use for the other groups; and was simply excited to see that some cleaned up without even having to be told (when normally it is not even expected of them). Yes, I agree that children should not be praised too much for things that are basic expectations; praise should only be given to the degree of challenge a child meets in completing that task; the more a child struggles to effectively attempt and finish a task expected of him/her, the more rational for moderate praise until they once have gained a capacity and understands that it should then be considered normal and not special! For this class, just their smooth cooperation was such an improvement from their behavior with the teacher that I wanted to get them to keep it up. I actually cut out a few areas where I had to be firm and stop to redirect them. So, I was my positivity changed depending how well they were cooperating. 🙂
10:35 am - 4-9-2012
Thanks Joe!
The students aren’t usually this well behaved.
It’s funny you ask about such a game, because I actually did create and implemented an outside activity where they acted as pennies and work together to exchange themselves while going to a pretend store to buy “candy,” to get the students up and moving. I did this after the second lesson, to help them apply what we had been learning about so far. It was very fun but a little difficult for some of them.
For an urban setting, I would have had to modify these activities for sure, and probably somewhat for a rural area as well. I would have adapted the unit to fit their interests, such as rapping about money or buying finishing pools and bait with money.
11:13 am - 4-9-2012
Video 1:
Strengths:
Vibrant, energetic and dramatic teacher you are!
Used lots of praises and recognition of the students skills, practices and responses
Demonstrating manners and appreciation that they can learn from – “Thank you”
Giving explanation and demonstration to higher vocabulary words – ‘observe’
Learning consequence and dealing with the matter away from the other students to avoid embarrassment – the student didn’t ask and so he lost out on an opportunity
Questions/Comments:
Are the students allowed to have a bit of time to engage with each other freely (unstructured), that way, they have the opportunity to use skills or discuss topics and build conversation skills?
Did you use real money? If you did, did you encourage them to wash hands after use?
Video 2:
Strengths:
Recalled previous lesson before moving on
Very warm when you calmed the student down from shouting out his responses
Teaching them to take turns to speak and allow others to speak – “I want to hear from someone else.”
Questions/Comments:
Too many jumps/cuts in your video which somewhat affected my being able to get a sense of the flow of the lesson
Is it normal at this age level to have them regroup, or asking them to pay attention, several times?
What happened between doing the activity to cleaning up the tables? Did I miss something?
5:05 pm - 4-9-2012
Lindsay,
I think you did a great job managing the classroom. The students seemed very interested. Nice job with the never give up motivation. Did you think that the idea of using nickels was too easy? Once they understood the concept of a nickel equaling 5 cents do you think it would be appropriate to move on to dimes, or was this about more than just value? What was your favorite part of this lesson? What would you have done differently to achieved more comprehension? Is this your regular class? If so would you have approached this lesson in a different way for unfamiliar students?