I.

Observation 9
Children Study Number Two

II. Grade
First Grade

III. Students
9 boys, 8 girls

IV. Setting
Kingwood Township School District
Multi-Age (7-8 years old) classroom, 17 students, 1 head teacher

I. Pre-Observation
To complete this observation, I observed the same student from the first observation. For
this observation the child was still working on math, but this time it was rocket math.
Math is a timed test. The children all started on level A and if they complete their goal,
they move up to the next letter. The students only have one minute to complete the test.
Before the test one student, the learner sits with the practice sheet in front of him/her.
The problems for practice go in a circle around the outside of the page and should not
have the answers written in. The learner will practice only these outside factors. The
learner reads each fact (not just the answer) aloud and says the answer. The other student,
the checker has the answer key and listens for a hesitation or an error on one of the
facts. That is a fact that needs extra practice (How Rocket Math Works).

II. Data Observations were conducted on March 28, 2017.

The student I was observation was sitting new to his partner. He started as the
checker. In the beginning he was just saying correct, correct, correct, but after the
other student got one wrong he began to yell, STOP, STOP, STOP! Mrs. Michalski
came over and hold him he needs to be nicer and be quieter. He was not looking at
her and as soon she walked away he very quietly said, stop over and over. They
switched so my student was now the answer. He quickly read the answers out loud,
but when he got stuck the partner gave him the answer. He got very upset and
yelled, I don't need help! Mrs. Michalski came over again and removed him from
the group. He looks very angry and grabbed his stuff and moved to the back table.
When it was time for the test, he did not look up or talk during the minute. When the
time was down he put his pencil on his head like everyone else.

III. Analysis
 The student that I observed had a very hard time working in a group today. He just
wanted to start the test and move on. I could tell during this time, he just wanted to
be on the next letter. He was on letter D. He currently was on highest of the class
last week, but someone else got to letter E. He did not like having someone in front
of him. He also was getting very angry and upset with his partner. I agree with what
Mrs. Michalski did by making him sit alone and practice by himself. I loved that Mrs.
Michalski did not call rocket math a test; I remember being in school and them
saying you have to do the rocket math test. Mrs. Michalski calls it Rocket Math
Worksheet. I think be her doing this brings done the stress level for these first
graders.

IV. Recommendations
During this active, I would've recommended that Mrs. Michalski walked around the
classroom more to see what the children are doing and to see if the students were
following the directions. I would also recommend switching the time she should rocket
math. I believe after a different math lesson is not the right time because the children are
tired of math after lesson of the day. I believe if she did it first thing before the math
lesson would be better.
 V. Post-Observation
After during this observation I could tell the students were very competitive over one
another. I heard Mrs. Michalski say, It is not a race. Everyone just try your best. I don't
know if there's any way to fix this competition because the children are on all different
level. If I had the choose I work not want rocket math in my classroom. I remember
doing it and I didn't like how competitive it was. Nothing as change about it.

VI. Citations
How Rocket Math Works. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2017, from
https://rocketmath.com/about-rocket-math/how-rocket-math-works/