Artifact 3

Cheryl Hoskinson
Math 211
December 2, 2015

Field Experience
1) A brief description of each lesson observed:
I had the chance to observe three classes not in the way that
was printed on the sheet: however, I observed the first two classes on
the same week, because after I filled out the back ground check I was
waiting for an answer back. What I found out later was the school
would only call me back if there was an issue which of course there
was not an issue.
The first class I observed was on the 18th of November at Oak
Creek Elementary. The class covered how to decompose story
problems, and how to find patterns in story patterns. The students
also learned how to make tables with the information that they gained
from the story problems themselves. They were basically learning how
to problem solve. Throughout my observations the children were
working with multiplication. I have included the information that the
students covered on all three days in this paper.
On the 19th of November the students were reviewing the
concepts they had learned in the unit for on the 20th of November they

would be taking Chapter 4-unit test. The students were once again
working with multiplying different numbers and working on different
story problems. For instance, if Mike bought 7 bottles of water before
he went to camp. If Mike drank one bottle of water before he went to
camp, and then 6 at camp. How many bottles of water did he have
left? 0 because he drank them all.
My last observation was December 2, 2015. Today unfortunately,
the teacher I had been observing had to miss the class, so I got
exposed to having a substitute teacher. She had a different strategy of
teaching than Brittany did. The class once again went over
multiplication, and how to use the multiplication table. For instance, 3
x _____= 24. Look at the table to see where 3 falls and then carry it
down to 24 and that makes 8.
Another activity that the students did was to multiply one side to
come up with a number and then to equalize it on the other side. For
example, 3 x 10 = 5 x ____ do one side then the other. 3x10 =30 and 5
x 6 = 30. 30 =30.
2) What if any connection I can make between the lesson and
what we have covered in class?
The connections I made between the third grade math and my
math class are phenomenal especially the first day. When I went and
observed on the 18th I noticed that the students were learning how to
problem solve which is exactly what I have been learning in this class.
They were looking how to decompose story problems and how to
break the story problems into tables of information. They were also
looking for patterns, and that is what our class had been learning that
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week. They also used rectangular arrays to solve their story problems
as we have been learning to do as well.
Today I learned how what we do to one side we must do to the
other the beginning of algebra in multiplication.

For example, if one

side had 70 + 2 = 8 x __ how does one go about equalizing both sides

by adding the first side to get 72 and then multiplying 8 x 9. Which is
similar to what we are doing right now. How to balance each side of
an equation what you do to one side you must do to the other.

3) Name at least one Common Core standard that you observed

being reinforced
Students observe an understanding of the meanings of
multiplication and division of whole numbers through activities and
problems involving equal sized groups through arrays, and equal sized
groups as in 3 x 8 = 4 x ___ 24 = 4 x 6. Multiplication is finding an
unknown product and division is finding an unknown factor in these
situations. Although the students I observed are not using division
principles yet. The students will learn to use different methods to
learn how to multiply single digit number which is exactly what the
students I observed were learning. For example, 3 x8 = 24 and 3 x 8
= 4 x __. Different methods same result the answer is 24.
Another common core standard that the students were learning
was how to solve problems involving the four operations, and identify
and explain patterns in arithmetic. The students all know how to add,

subtract, and multiply. They also know how to find pattern. Probably
in the near future they will learn how to divide which will complete
the four operations and find patterns using all of the operations.
4) What were the different teaching styles used? (i.e. visuals,
manipulatives, individual seat work, group work, technology)
The different teaching styles that were used was that the
teacher would use the projector, and work out the problems with the
students until they had a clear understanding of how to do the
problems. She then broke them into pairs where they would work
together to find the solution much like we do in class and then have
them together to share their answers. She had them work on white
boards to work out story problems by building first a table, and then
the answer. She also had them work in stations to share with each
other the answers to different math problems. Finally, she had them
working on their own, and then sharing with their partners the
solutions to the math problems.

5) How did the children respond to these different styles?

The children were a little restless when it came to watching the
board work. I think that they really liked working in groups to come
up with the solutions. A lot of the students were their own people, and
would really prefer to work alone. All the students tend to learn at
their own speed. Some were understanding the problem on their own,
and others required more assistance.

6) What were some of the outstanding teaching qualities you

observed?
After watching todays event unroll with a substitute teacher I
really appreciated the way that Brittany had control of her students. It
is not to say that the students didnt get a little restless, but the
students today were a lot noisier, and restless than normal. You can
tell that the normal teacher had a lot more of a command over her
students than the substitute teacher.
7) Was there anything in your observations that was new, exciting,
surprising, or that changed your perceived idea of the
elementary classroom?
I think that the main thing that I got out of this observation is
that I love to help people learn, and I really believed that I have found
my calling in life to work with students one on one to help them
succeed in life as a student, and afterwards. I really enjoy working
with students.
8) Any other astounding observations you would like to share
about this experience.
The main thing that I learned is that if you dont succeed with
one school than try another. For example, I emailed all the 3rd and 4th
grade teachers in Lake Grove Elementary didnt hear anything back
from them. Than Marsha had suggested that I email another school,
so I went for Oak Creek which I heard was one of the best schools in
Lake Oswego within a day, and a half I heard back from Brittany
inviting me to come and observe her class. Dont give up just keep
trying.
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Another thing that I took back from this activity is that if you do
a back ground check find out if the school will call you no matter what
the results. I waited a whole week to find out if I passed, and when I
finally did get a whole of someone they said that the school would only
call me if they found something wrong. I could have already started
my observations. Learn to ask the right questions.
Finally, like I said before what I mainly learned from this activity
is that I have found a place for me where I can do my very best and
succeed that is in working and helping other individuals succeed.