Final Self-Reflection Report

Assignment #1-Lesson Plan: Recognizing and Regrouping Coins

Description:

I chose to focus my lesson plan on a math lesson which dealt with the topic of money. This lesson would be taught in a 6th grade classroom during a mathematics lesson. The goal of this lesson was to have students recognize the following: penny, nickel, dime, quarter, dollar bill, and five dollar bill, regroup coins, and count to one-hundred using pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. My objectives of this lesson was to have the learners demonstrate knowledge of the different coin values by selecting different coins from the table, analyze the coin values by regrouping different groups of coins, and demonstrate knowledge of counting to one dollar by counting to one-hundred using pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. The following are the standards that I used:

  • StandardMST3: Mathematics

Students will: understand the concepts of and become proficient with the skills of mathematics; communicate and reason mathematically; become problem solvers by using appropriate tools and strategies; through the integrated study of number sense and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and statistics and probability.

Students will build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving.

Students select an appropriate representation of a problem.

Students use physical objects to model problems.

Reflection:

I really enjoyed this assignment because I am an elementary teacher who has to construct lesson plans everyday but it has been a while since I had to put a formal lesson plan together. The reason why I chose to focus my lesson on money was because I taught a money unit while I was students teaching in a sixth grade classroom and I really enjoyed teaching this unit to my students. I really enjoyed this assignment because it made me realize how I can make my lesson plans better that I have to develop on a daily basis. I realized that I often forget some of the main components of a lesson plan because I am such in a routine of designing them. After I completed this assignment, I was really glad that I was given the opportunity to design a formal lesson plan again!

Link:

EDU 506-Assignment #1.docx

Assignment #2-Excel Project: Student Grades

Description:

The purpose of my excel project was to organize my students grades into an excel spreadsheet. There were fourteen students in my classroom and these students often needed extra math worksheets so the columns that are highlighted in orange represent each worksheet. Depending on how well the students grasp the mathematical concepts will depend on how many worksheets that they will need to complete in each unit. Every week I try to input each student’s grades and formulate each of their averages and letter grade because it helps me determine if they are improving their mathematical skills. This spreadsheet will make it much easier for me to calculate each student’s average grade and letter grade because I used a formula that can be applied to each student’s scores. This spreadsheet also makes it easier for me to compare all of my students and determine which students need further explanations and extra help.

Reflection:

I really enjoyed this assignment because I never created an excel document before. I navigated around excel a little prior to this assignment but I was never taught how to create any sort of document using this program. This program was much easier to use then I expected and I chose to focus this assignment on my grades that my students received because it is a helpful tool I can use throughout my entire teaching career. Since I understand how to design an excel document using the scores of each one of my students, I can make many other spreadsheets that can record the scores of different assignment. I was so thankful that I finally learned how to use excel and how to use many different formulas.

Assignment #3-Webquest: Exploring the Water Cycle

Description:

I chose to develop a Webquest on a science topic which was the water cycle. This Webquest was designed for third/fourth grade students. Each student had to pretend they were a meteorologist and had to study the four phases of the water cycle (precipitation, condensation, evaporation, and run-off.) They had to research each phase and then develop a presentation to be shared in front of their “boss.” They also had to research how to construct a water cycle diagram and be able to draw one on their own. The students had to make their own connections between the four phases and they also had the freedom to develop their own presentation.

Reflection:

I really enjoyed this assignment and this was the first time that I was ever informed about a Webquest. I really liked this assignment because I was able to take a typical science assignment and make it more engaging for my students. I feel that my students would have really enjoyed this assignment if it was given to them. I learned how to design a Webquest which can be a very helpful tool to use in my classroom. Teachers can use Webquests in a variety of different ways and with a variety of different subjects. As a teacher I feel that I can design many engaging Webquests for my students that they can benefit from. Since I am always looking for ways to enhance my lessons and ways of teaching, I was very appreciative to have been given this assignment.

Assignment #4-Course Portfolio: Jenna’s Course Portfolio

Description:

I have learned a lot of valuable information and teaching approaches throughout our EDU 506 class. Since our final assignment was to develop a course learning portfolio, I had to learn what one was before I could design my own portfolio. I learned that this type of portfolio is a flexible document that focuses on the learning process that took place during one or more courses that an individual was engaged in. This portfolio is intended to document an individual’s reflections, evidence, and collaboration while thoughtfully analyzing the course. Throughout our course, I completed four assignments and was proud of each and every assignment that I completed. I have learned about many different computer programs and tools that I can use in my own classroom that can help enhance many lessons that I teach. I focused a lot of my assignment on a sixth grade class because that is the grade that I am currently teaching.

Reflection:

I have never constructed this type of portfolio before but was excited about this assignment because I wanted to look back at all of the assignment that we completed in EDU 506 and reflect upon them. I feel that assignments are often forgotten about after they have been completed and handed in for a grade so I was happy to go back through my completed assignments and reflect upon my experience. This was the first time that I was asked to reflect upon all of the completed assignments that we finished throughout our course. I think that teachers should spend more time on reflections because they can help benefit the students.

Link: EDU 506-Assignment #4 Course Portfolio.doc

EDU 506-Assignment #4 Course Portfolio