Topic: Introduction to Division Lesson Date: March 14, 2013 Reflection On Thursday March 14, 2013 I introduced division.

Three of the five third grade teachers are working together to teach their classes division. At the beginning of the week the teachers gave their classes a division assessment. Based on the assessment scores the students were split into three groups with similar test scores. Mr. Jones was assigned the group who scored the highest on the assessment. I was given the opportunity to run the first lesson on division. I taught the lesson fourth period around 11:30, so it was before lunch. The objective of my lesson was that students would be able to use models to solve division problems involving sharing and record solutions using division number sentences. To start my lesson I asked the class to help me create a web of words that they thought of when they heard the word division. I noticed that the students were aware of words that make up the division sentence; for example dividend, divisor, quotient, etc. The students were not giving me the words I was looking for such as sharing or grouping. When I prompted the class to think of a word they could use instead of divide, someone said separating. I encouraged students to use separating to think of more words like separating and eventually I was given the words sharing and grouping. Then as a class we tried division problems that I created prior to the lesson. At first the students were working backwards and using their knowledge of multiplication to solve the problems. I then pulled out blocks to use as manipulatives to show how to use sharing to solve a division problem. The students were good at showing and explaining to the class how to use the manipulatives to solve the problems. This is how I know that the students started to meet the goal of my lesson. They were using sharing to solve division problems. Where I feel like my lesson did not succeed were the questions I asked the class. At one point Mr. Jones stepped in to ask the class a good question and I have realized that I need to work on coming up with intriguing questions to ask students to increase their understanding further. I could tell that the students were engaged because they were keen to answer my questions. Also, when I introduced the activity that we started today the class expressed enthusiasm. They enjoyed creating their own division sentences and

stories. They also found it fun that when they traded division stories with another student that they would have to travel around the classroom to find the matching division sentence. At the end of my lesson I asked a few students if they enjoyed the lesson and they all said yes with enthusiasm!! The lesson that I would run the next day would be a continuation of the lesson I started today. We were unable to finish the lesson because we ran out of time. The second half of my lesson could be completed the next day. I would also include a homework assignment for the class to finish over the weekend to reinforce what we learned the first two days of division. If I were to teach this lesson again there would be one thing that I would do differently. I would come up with questions to ask the class that intrigue them and enhance their thinking. The place where I believe that my lesson succeed and where I learned a lot about myself as a teacher the most is my presence in front of the class. When I am teaching I feel comfortable and it confirms my belief of wanting to be a teacher. I also thought I gave my directions for the activity very well.