December 12, 2013

Laura G.
Final fall 2013 observation
Students come into class it is 1244.
1,2,3 eyes on me. Who can tell me what decomposing means? Darrel to break apart. We are going to
decompose a 2 digit numbers? Can someone show me how to break up a number 20? Lorelie can you
show my using the blocks how you would get 20? She demonstrates 20. Aijay says you can break it into
ones. Loeilie breaks it into tens and ones. Lets count class. They count aloud with you as little Lorelie
places the blocks on the doc cam. Little Averee is very intrigued with me she eyes me down until I look
up her and smile then she turns her focus back to the doc cam.
My number is 452. Can someone only a quiet one. Hands silently go up. Aijay is called and stacks 4
hundred blocks, five tens and 2 ones.
How many hundreds do we have Melissa? Umm 4! Perfect!
So, you guys are going to have a paper just like this. And how are these blocks written? The class in
unison tells you what numbers to write.
Sandra models the decomposition of 452. You call on Jake to explain what Sandra just did. He struggles,
as he was not listening initially, but you continue to prompt him until he responds with the correct
answer. Sandra gets to come up and break it down since her verbal response was right on! Averee gets
excited and answers that there are 12 pieces.
Alejandro, how can we break this down another way? He starts out by saying 14 I am guesing he has
already done the math and is giving you the answer. He says take away a hundred and breaks in into
tens. You ask him to come up and show how he would do this. Alejandro needs 10 ten pieces to break
down a hundred. The class counts aloud.
So how many hundreds do we have? The whole class counts aloud. And concludes that there are 14
ten pieces.
OK! One more way Jake gets to come up. Break this down however you want. Explain it be the
teacher! Jake is breaking down a hundred again. He counts out 10 ten pieces. He makes a very good
point he said I already had four. How many hundreds are left? Jake says, two.
How many tens do we have? There are 24 tens. Students exclaim that there are a lot of tens! Jake
already knew there were 24. Whats ten more than 14?
What would happen if we took all of that and broke it down into ones?
Thomas responds -- 452 because that is what the number was.
Now we are going to try a new number. Can you use this same chart to do the same activity? Melissa
comes up to fill in the table to show another way to do this. Kennan comes up and gets to do another
way to write it. (you have called on a variety of students girls, boys, right side of room, left side of
room, front, and back a good representation are you able to name the strategy by which you did
this?)
Are they correct? whole class YES!
Aijay comes up to draw one of the numbers for you. He does not draw it correctly. You catch on
immediately to what he has done. 2 hundreds; 24 tens; 12 ones. You validate his work and then seek to
take his understanding further. As soon as you are confident he understands the material, you send him
back to his desk where he feverishly draws out the work on his white board. (Laura I note your
empathy and natural ability to individually instruct).
At 1pm Mrs. Hoppe asks you if it is OK for the students to try this and see how they might show it. You
respond with an exuberant YES! Mrs. Hoppe asks students to raise their hands when they are done and
she will check for understanding. (Here, Mrs. Hoppe is expertly mentoring you, while teaching students).
Carter takes a while to locate his whiteboard. He discusses with Jake a bit. You take time to work Aijay
through his misunderstanding, using manipulatives. Excellent differentiation happens here in real time
as you support a single learner, others enact with the content, and Mrs. Hoppe checks the majority for
understanding. (This is my favorite teaching moment on a number of levels during my observation
time).
You call for students to hold up their whiteboards at 104pm. You quickly identify those who did not do
this correctly and ask them to correct. (quick assessment check)
1,2,3, eyes on me. (classroom mgt technique to gain student attention) Show me how you would draw
452 using 4 hundreds, 5 tens, and 2 ones. Averee and Elyse explain how easy this one was. You ask
them to show a new way to decompose the number. As they show, you ask them to continue to find
new ways to demonstrate. One little one asks if they can just draw two. Hannah is drawing a number
line and you remind her to draw.
Jake is very distracted because his Mom came in.
1,2,3 eyes one me. (classroom mgt technique to gain student attention) OK I see a lot of you drawing
your hundreds square like this what does this say to me? (immediate assessment happens here)
OK, does anybody have any questions? (questioning technique you wait 8 seconds before moving
on). None are asked. You ask them to pull out their testing folders. Effective transition. 110pm. Mrs.
Hoppe takes the speaking floor and addresses the whole class, Mrs. Massi is here and she is going to do
timed reading. This is the only time you are allowed to be out of your desk.
Folders are up. Mrs. Hoppe and you give tests to quiet and ready students. Students begin testing @
111pm. The two of you walk the room. You are both quiet flexible as you support each other, answer
questions for students together. Early test finishers have a coloring math activity to complete. You seem
to read each other very well. I appreciate the way that Mrs. Hoppe offers ideas as you teach. She is
careful not to undermine you as teacher, yet she provides support to you and encourages deep student
engagement. You are very comfortable with this interaction and are eager to accept her suggestions.
Neither of you miss a beat. I feel like I am watching a class act improvisation. Together you both
facilitate a very professional exchange. I am impressed
Laura do you feel the goals you, Mrs. Hoppe, and I discussed at midterm have been met? If yes, what
evidence indicates this? If no what framework needs to be in place to ensure forward movement to
meet desired goals?
Ladies what a pleasure it has been to be in your classroom. Thank you for your warm and welcoming
attitudes, your laughter, and your flexibility. I really will miss this I wish every student teaching
placement could be like this Corinne you are a star! Thank you! Laura you are a star! Thank you!!