Kirsten Blomster

Field Experience Multi Culture Setting

ECHD

4/9/2017

Observation 7
 I. Observation 7:
Math

II. Grade:
Kindergarten

III. Students:
9 girls, 9 boys

IV. Setting:
Lamonte Annex, Bound Brook NJ
Multi-Age (5-6 years old) classroom, 18 students, 1 head teacher.

V. Pre Observation
I conducted this observation to analyze the teaching of math in an early childhood
education classroom. I also planned to identify any improvements that could be
made. I selected a kindergarten class from the Lamonte Annex, an elementary
school in Bound Brook, NJ. I set aside a three-hour block to use to observe and
form a running record. To better prepare myself for this observation, I conducted
some research about instructional mathematics.

VI. Data:
Observations were conducted on March 10, 2017.

Upon entering the classroom, I noticed several aspects of math around the
classroom environment
o Number charts and math problems were posted on the walls
o A count of how many days they have been in school so is on the
whiteboard
o Classwork that the students did pertaining to math are posted both
in and outside the classroom
o A large poster of an animated calculator depicts the calculator as a
character who is smiling and is saying that Math is fun!
Their first math activity of the morning is a worksheet with several math
problems on it for them to solve
o They use counters
o They learn to use their fingers
The teacher plays a counting number song on the smartboard for them to
sing along to while they work
They all sit down on the carpet and the teacher asks them questions about
the calendar, and the students all take turns answering. The teacher does
not tell them, she has them keep making educational guesses until they get
it right. They also have a different pattern piece that cycles every four
days. They have to identify what the next piece is each day. Calendar
aspects:
 o The month
o The day of the month
o The day of the week
o The season
o The year
o Upcoming holidays in that month
o Day of the school year
They then go over their countdown to the end of the year, and subtract
today from that countdown to find how many days are left now
One student is having difficulty. In response, the teacher says encouraging
things and helps him arrive at the answer
The next math activity that they do is a group game
o They all stand up on the carpet and the teacher asks them a math
question. She gives them 4 options for the answer. Each option
corresponds to a different corner of the room. The students then
have to run to the corner that corresponds to the option that they
think is the answer. The students in the correct corner get to stay in.
The rest go back and sit down at their seats.
o While the students no longer playing sit at their seats, they are
encouraged to think of the answer in their head. If they think they
know the answer, they can write it down and the teacher will look
at it before she announces the right answer. The students can be
brought back into the game with two consecutive correct answers
from their seat.
When the students ask questions, the teacher helps them arrive at the
answer themselves rather than just answering it outright

VII. Analysis:
In this classroom, math is taught in a way so that the students have fun while
learning. This helps the students love to learn from an early developmental stage.
The art/classwork that covers the walls allows the students to be proud of their
accomplishments. Posters of math problems add to the students understanding of
math. The animated calculator gives the students a reminder that math is indeed
fun. The students are always encouraged to learn as much as they possibly can.
Writing out math problems and solving them on their own with the use of
counters and/or their fingers, helps them not only learn math skills such as
addition, subtraction and counting, but also practices how to write out the
numbers properly. Going over the calendar covers a variety of aspects of math.
They learn the days of the week, the months of the year, and the seasons. They
learn what an ordinal number is and how to know what today is. They gain
knowledge of the year and how it progresses. The countdown to the end of the
year also helps with their subtraction and with their large number skills. The game
allows the students to have fun while learning math. The competitive aspect of the
game and the fact that they may have to go sit down for a bit motivates them to
work hard to get the right answer. The aspect of the game that allows them to get
 back into the action with two consecutive right answers gives them a reason to
keep trying to get the right answer and to keep working hard. When a student is
having trouble, or cant quite figure something out, the teacher helps them arrive
at the answers themselves rather than just telling them. This allows the students to
practice problem solving and writing numbers on their own. Doing things
themselves makes learning more efficient.

VIII. Recommendations:
Overall, the math in this kindergarten classroom is fantastic. Math is introduced in
so many different ways. While this classroom is mostly ELA oriented, it also
contains more than enough aspects of math. However, I would incorporate some
measurement and data lessons into the curriculum.

IX. Post Observation:

This observation went smoothly. The teacher incorporated several aspects of math
into her lessons and the classroom setting was filled with math projects, posters,
and other motivational things exhibiting aspects of math. Many of the techniques
for teaching math that I picked up in my research were demonstrated by this
teacher. She followed the standards and taught the lessons well.

X. Citations:

Mathematics Standards | Common Core State Standards Initiative. (n.d.).

Retrieved April 9, 2017, from http://www.corestandards.org/Math/

Kindergarten Measurement & Data | Common Core State Standards

Initiative. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2017, from
http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/K/MD/