Indicator 3: Teachers have knowledge of patterns, relationships, functions, symbols and models. Teachers:

-Understand patterns, relationships, functions, systems and models, recognize and use likeness and differences in defining and describing patterns with actions, words, objects, numbers, and set, create, extend, and predict using geometrical and numerical patterns and sequences, construct tables to illustrate a relationship, illustrate open number sentences by describing relationships, identify and apply variables, expressions and relationships, and use appropriate software applications to extend and promote understanding of patterns, functions, and relationships.

I have met this objective by including multiple activities to engage students in a single concentration: patterns. By employing these multiple hands on activities, I have appealed to different types of learners as well as reinforced the mathematical concept being taught.

Standard Seven: Elementary teachers have used developmentally appropriate strategies to design and deliver instruction in all areas of the elementary curriculum.

Indicator 1: Teachers develop and implement the pacing and alignment of curriculum that is consistent with the NC SCOS, LEA standards and pacing guides, and national standards in all subject areas.

Indicator 3: Teachers promote new learning by using students’ prior knowledge, misconceptions, and interests when designing lessons.

Indicator 4: Teachers implement a variety of teaching and communication strategies for instruction.

Indicator 5: Teachers assist students in developing multiple learning strategies to address discipline specific content, critical thinking, and problem solving skills.

Indicator 6: Teachers modify instruction and assessments to meet the needs of individual students.

Indicator 7: Teachers develop and use a variety of formal and alternative assessment strategies as an integral part of instruction and learning appropriate for assessing individual, peer, team, and collaborative skills.

I met this objective by appealing to the kindergartener’s tactile needs. At this young age, the students really need to be involved with their whole bodies in the learning process. Having the students create necklaces encourages them to use their fine motor skills as well as encourages them to think through the pattern they are creating. It slows them down and makes them look at what they are doing. The headbands are also a developmentally appropriate activity. It was also an activity that encouraged them to think through their patterns and explain their patterns.

This objective has also been met by the way that we scheduled the activities. The beginning of the lesson was a class activity. We all sat together and talked about what patterns were, and where they could be found. We called on students to stand up and show us patterns around the room. The students right away were able to connect what a pattern was, and how to identify them around them. Giving the students this foundation before sending them off to make their own patterns was developmentally appropriate. Also, at the end of the lesson, we came back together and discussed the patterns that the class created, enabling the children to vocalize their experiences. While the children were telling the class their patterns, I had time to informally assess their performance and understanding of the projects.

Standard Nine: Elementary teachers understand and use the processes of problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, and representation as a foundation for the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Indicator 1: Elementary teachers develop instruction in problem solving that enable all students to:

Build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving; Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts; Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems; Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving.

Indicator 3: Teachers develop instruction in communication that enable all students to:

Organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through communication;Communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others;Analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies of others;Use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas precisely.

This lesson encouraged children to work through their craft and create their own pattern. We encouraged them to create patterns more complicated than the “red, green, red, green,” and saw some students take that challenge. The students were able to create their pattern on their headband, but before we stapled them together, they had to tell us their pattern. The same was true for the necklaces they created; before they were tied off they had to tell us the pattern they created. Encouraging these younger students to vocalize their logic is a framework for talking about and understanding mathematics of the future.

Standard Fifteen: Elementary teachers encourage under represented groups to engage in the schooling process, especially math and science.

Indicator 1: Teachers use a variety of strategies to encourage underrepresented groups to engage in the schooling process, especially math and science. They:

-Utilize community resources, give personal attention and encouragement to underrepresented groups of students, use relevant and real-world applications that interest a diverse population, encourage underrepresented groups to assume leadership roles.

This objective has been met by teaching in a classroom with such diversity. The classroom placement that I have taught this lesson in consist of mostly Hispanic children. I have encouraged all of the children in the classroom, as well as this underrepresented group children to excell in the schooling process, especially with this mathematical lesson.