Elementary Education - Mathematics

Task 4: Mathematics Context for Learning Information

TASK 4: MATHEMATICS CONTEXT FOR LEARNING INFORMATION

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 4 single-spaced pages, including prompts ) by typing your responses within
the brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Pages exceeding the maximum will not be scored.

About the School Where You Are Teaching

1. In what type of school do you teach? (Type an “X” next to the appropriate description; if
“other” applies, provide a brief description.)
Elementary school: X
Middle school: _____

Urban: X
Suburban: _____
Rural: _____

2. List any special features of your school or classroom setting (e.g., charter, co-teaching,
themed magnet, classroom aide, bilingual, team taught with a special education teacher)
that will affect your teaching in this learning segment.
[The school in which I teach is a magnet school. The magnet focuses are in communications:
multimedia, writing, and Spanish. The school is a Pre-K through fifth grade elementary school
with 474 students. 100% of the students are on free lunch. 96% of the students are African
American. There are 35 classroom teachers in all. The school implements The Leader in Me
program and focuses on teaching the 7 Habits and promoting leadership in all students. The
school also implements Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) and they combine it with
The Leader in Me program. The third-grade teachers, that I teach with, work together to
collaborate and plan weekly. The teachers also group students based on math ability for
intervention groups for forty-five minutes at the end of each day. Each of the third-grade
teachers takes a group to focus on a specific skill during intervention: mathematical fluency,
calculations, computations, and problem-solving. Beginning in January, third through fifth grade
students are selected to participate in after school tutoring. The teachers on these grade levels
use benchmark testing data to identify students who would benefit from after school tutoring in
mathematics. My host class has three gifted students in it and my host teacher collaborates with
the Gifted Teacher to develop math lessons to challenge these students. The gifted class takes
place on site once a week and the students stay with the gifted teacher all day.]
3. Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that might
affect your planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of
specific instructional strategies, or standardized tests.

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 Elementary Education - Mathematics
Task 4: Mathematics Context for Learning Information

[Students take the standardized state assessment in math. Students also take the STAR
benchmark test monthly in math. Teachers look at the scaled score from the STAR assessment
to progress monitor where students are and the growth that they need to make in order to be on
grade level. The district aligns the pacing guides with the Common Core State Standards, and
teachers follow the pacing guide provided by the district. Lessons follow an instructional
framework provided by the district. The instructional framework includes problem solving,
mental math, mini-lessons, and strategy practice. The teachers use the GoMath curriculum to
aid in instruction, this includes a textbook and a workbook for the students, as well as interactive
math modules on the computer.]

About the Class Featured in this Learning Segment

1. How much time is devoted each day to mathematics instruction in your classroom?
[In my classroom, students have a 75 minute math block. My host teacher teaches two classes
of math. Students are engaged in problem solving, mental math, mini-lessons, and strategy
practice each day. Students have a 45-minute intervention block at the end of each day.
The third grade teachers work with students on math calculations and math computation
during this intervention block.]
2. Is there any ability grouping or tracking in mathematics? If so, please describe how it affects
your class.
[Students are sometimes grouped by ability during math stations. Students are also grouped
based on their math scaled score from the STAR benchmark assessment during the
intervention block described above.]
3. Identify any textbook or instructional program you primarily use for mathematics instruction.
If a textbook, please provide the title, publisher, and date of publication.
[The textbook that is used is GoMath! Georgia, Publisher: Houghton Mifflin-Harcourt Publishing
Company, 2014
Use of school district pacing guide, state standardized framework, and school district
instructional framework.]
4. List other resources (e.g., electronic whiteboard, manipulatives, online resources) you use
for mathematics instruction in this class.
[Some of the resources utilized during the math block include the interactive panel, math
manipulatives, online manipulatives, laptops, math books, and videos.]

About the Students in the Class Featured in this Learning

Segment
1. Grade-level(s):
[ 3rd ]
2. Number of
 students in the class: 4
 males: 0 females: 4
3. Complete the charts below to summarize required or needed supports, accommodations, or
modifications for your students that will affect your mathematics instruction in this learning

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 Elementary Education - Mathematics
Task 4: Mathematics Context for Learning Information

segment. As needed, consult with your cooperating teacher to complete the charts. Some
rows have been completed in italics as examples. Use as many rows as you need.

Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/supports
or accommodations/modifications to instruction or assessment (e.g., students with
Individualized Education Programs [IEPs] or 504 plans, students with specific language
needs, students needing greater challenge or support, students who struggle with reading,
students who are underperforming or those with gaps in academic knowledge).
For Mathematics Assessment Task 4, you will choose work samples from 3 focus students.
At least one of these students must have a specified learning need. Note: California
candidates must include one focus student who is an English language learner.1

Students with IEPs/504 Plans

IEPs/504 Plans: Number of Supports, Accommodations,
Classifications/Needs Students Modifications, Pertinent IEP Goals
Example: Visual processing 2 Close monitoring, graph paper for 3 digit
numbers

Students with Specific Language Needs

Language Needs Number of Supports, Accommodations,
Students Modifications
Example: English language 2 Pre-teach key words and phrases
learners with only a few through examples and graphic organizers
words of English (e.g., word cluster, manipulatives, visuals)

Have students use pre-taught key words

Example: Students who
speak a variety of English
other than that used in
textbooks
and graphic organizers to
complete sentence starters
5 Make connections between the language
students bring and the language used in
the textbook

Students with Other Learning Needs

Other Learning Needs Number of Supports, Accommodations,
Students Modifications
Example: Struggling readers 5 Provide oral explanations for directions
and simplified text for word problems

1
California candidates—If you do not have any English language learners, select a student who is challenged by academic
English.

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All rights reserved. V4_0915
The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is
permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.
 Elementary Education - Mathematics
Task 4: Mathematics Context for Learning Information

Students who struggle with 1 Intervention, guided math, number talks,

computation/reading problem solving, simplified oral directions
Gifted learner 1 Provide additional opportunities for
challenge in instruction

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All rights reserved. V4_0915
The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is
permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.