Reflection: Decimal Review

I have a love-hate relationship with formal observations.  I see the benefit with an external observer in that this person often pushes me towards growth.  But I just really just hate being watched.  Maybe I'm over self-conscious and I do not like the idea that someone could tell me that I'm doing a poor job.  That noted, however, observations usually tend to go well and I'm usually pleased with the process (once it's completed).

My principal observation--the first one of four--happened today and it was a generally positive experience.  While I feel I babbled a little too much at the beginning, the students had a generally positive experience I feel their learning was enhanced on what otherwise could have been a rather tedious textbook review page.  Today's topic was decimal review and both the grade 5 and 6 classes had to review the same concept; this was a bonus.  Essentially, I could review the concept for both levels at the same time while giving each grade appropriate exercises.

The lesson followed this outline: 

1. Introduce project
2. Model example
3. Debrief example and group assess
4. Make groups and distribute sheets
5. Allow time for presentations
6. Presentations and assessment
7. Post: photograph and distribution of examples

The students were fantastic.  Ironically, what I learned from them may have been greater than what they learned from me.  Some of the points of discussion I hope to follow up with in tomorrow's class are these:

• Language: the language of mathematics continues to be a weakness.  Too often they're using words like 'plussing' and 'minusing' when 'addition' and 'subtraction' would be much more suited to the mathematical domain.  I also learned that the simple letter 'm' could be interpreted as metre or mile.
• Mistakes: it's OK to make and to model mistakes.  Much has been written about this idea and I want to ensure my students are not afraid to make mistakes.  From this I hope they learn to become greater risk takers.
• Worked out answers: seeing other students present their worked out answers it beneficial.  In some cases, one student was narrating a process while another was constructing it on the whiteboard in the background.
• Misconceptions: I was quickly alerted to some mathematical misconceptions.  Specific elements like the omission of units (e.g. metres) were quickly addressed.
• Strategies: I was particularly impressed when a single group introduced multiple strategies to arrive at a correct solution.
• Ambiguity: sometimes questions present higher degrees of ambiguity resulting in multiple solutions. 

I was also able to ask some pretty great questions which shed light on the learning process of my students:

• Do you learn better while listening by listening or doing?
• Why do you think teachers don't stray from the exercises in the textbook more often?