PSU

TEACHER WORK SAMPLE

TEMPLATE

Your First and Last Name: Kayla Jones

Date Submitted: 11/28/2017

District where you completed

Frontenac
the TWS:

Name of School Building

where you completed the Frontenac High School
TWS:

Content Area of your TWS: Math Algebra

TWS Unit Topic: Solving Equations

Grade Level of the Classroom

/ Students in Which the TWS Freshman
Unit Was Completed:

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 1

 I. Contextual Information and Learning Environment Factors

A. Narrative General Contextual Information for Community, District, and School (limited to 1 page)
The Frontenac community is located right next to the Pittsburg community. It is the second largest city in Crawford county with around 3,450 people. Most of
the community is white and fall into the middle working class. About 10% of the community population is below the poverty line. The Frontenac Community is
located in the poorest county in Kansas. Some of the local businesses include a couple of Italian restaurants, gas stations, bars, a tire shop and a car wash.
Frontenac is home to the famous chicken place called Bartos. There is a Frontenac Sports Complex which is a five-field complex. The community also has
many parks including the Frontenac Rotary Park that has a playground, a skate park, and an area for picnics. Another park in town has many fishing pits. Since
the Frontenac community is located right next to the Pittsburg community, the two are intertwined. Some students may live in the Pittsburg area or in the
country. The community is very supportive of their high school sports teams. In 2017, the high school football made it to the state competition level.

The total enrollment for the school district according to ksde.org is 916 students. The elementary, middle, and high school are in one building with different
sections being for the different grades. The district is almost 91% White, 5.6% other, and 3.3% Hispanic. The graduation rate has been very high for Frontenac
with last year being 98.2. The district is almost 43% economically disadvantaged and is about evenly split between males and females.

The high school enrollment is 269 according to The Kansas Report Card for 2016-2017. Of the 269, about 45% of the student population is female. The
percentage of economically disadvantaged is about 42%. Looking at the Performance Level Reports on ksde.org, Frontenac High School had no students at
level 4 in 2016 for math which is the highest level. On the other hand, in 2017 it increased to 3.17%. Although the percentage of students at level 4 increased,
the percentage of students at level 1 also increased from 47.76% to 55.55%.

The school culture is very friendly, warm, and inviting. Although the school is rather large, everyone seems to be familiar with each other. The high school has
a student led business called Raider Ink, where the students make and sell t-shirts. The high school has one-to-one laptops. The high school has a testing day
where certain students are given the Aspire or an ACT Practice test. One program that the high school has set in place for students struggling in school is called
Academic Assistance, which is every morning before school and after. The school has also implemented a Second Breakfast for students after first block every
day. They have a longer passing period and are able to eat breakfast if they had missed it before school. On the second Wednesday of every month, the district
has what is called Early Release. Students are released at 12:30, and then teachers have staff development and departmental meetings.

Table 1.1 Class Contextual Information (limited to 1 page)

Grade level __9___ Content area (e.g., mathematics) __Mathematics_______ Topic (e.g., geometry)_Algebra_______
Age range of students _______13-14___ Number of male students __5____
Total number of students ___12___ Number of female students _7__
Percentage of students receiving free lunch ___33%___ Percentage of students receiving reduced lunch_____17%_________
[if free/reduced lunch information not available for class, provide school percentages]
Area in which students live (check all that apply) Urban __x___ Suburban ______ Rural __x____

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 2

Ethnicity of students (give numbers)
Language proficiency of students (give
numbers)
______ African American or Black ______ Hispanic or Latino
______ Native American/Alaskan Native ___12_ White
______ Asian or Pacific Islander ______ Other (specify) __________
_12___ Fluent English Proficient ______ English Language Learners

Identified special needs categories
represented (give numbers)
___3___ Specific Learning Disability
_______ Hard of Hearing
_______ Deaf
_______ Deaf-Blind
_______ Other Health Impaired
_______ Multiple Disabilities
_______ Brain Injury
_______ Established Medical Disability (0-5 yrs)
_______ At risk for developmental disabilities
_______ Speech/Language Impaired
_______ Visually Impaired
_______ Orthopedically Impaired
__1____ Emotionally Disturbed
_______ Autism
_______ Mental Retardation
_______Gifted
_______ Developmentally Delayed
___1___ Other (Specify) __referral process_

Subgroup Selected (describe the group) : 1. Males vs. Females 2. Special needs vs. Not special needs
The girls of the class are very talkative and open about everything. There has been a lot of freshman girl drama this year. They are moody
some days and happy the next. The boys in this class are mostly football players except one who is very quiet. The boys are a little quieter
than the girls on most days.
The group of special needs students range from outgoing to shy. Some students will participate and be engaged while others are reserved
and quiet. They do very well on handing in assignments and are willing to do what is asked.

Rationale for Selection: I selected the first subgroup based on the notion that males are better than females at mathematics. The class has
five males and seven females. The class is about evenly split. I want to see if this notion is correct with my class.
The second subgroup was selected because when looking at previous test scores in this class, some of the special needs students scored
higher than the other students in the class. I found this to be interesting. There are four students with special needs that are in special
education and one female who has been referred.

Provide appropriate charts/graphs to display demographic data for district, school, and classroom in Appendix A.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 3

Table 1.2 Student Characteristics for Whole Class (limited to 1 page)
Student Characteristics
Intellectual Characteristics
- Including readiness,
cognitive abilities, learning
needs, developmental levels,
etc.
Previously demonstrated
academic performance/
ability:
% Above standard __0%__
% Meets standard __8.3%__
% Below standard _91.7%__
Social Characteristics
- Including emotional,
attitudinal, motivational, etc.
Specific Descriptions
The Basic Algebra students in my class have been placed here due to the fact that their previous math teacher felt
they werent ready for Algebra II. Their readiness levels are very low. The students need more practice and time to
develop their skills. There are days where the students are unmotivated to learn. The students can have an immature
attitude at times. The learning needs of the students in this class vary as each student is different. I have recorded
notes and made my lessons more visual for different types of learners. Students in this class struggle to stay
motivated and turn in assignments when the material gets difficult or the assignments have a large number of
problems.
On the state assessment results from 2016, 8.3% of this class were meeting the standard and 91.7% were below
standard.
The class I selected would be best described as moody. They are freshman who have struggled with math in the past.
The boys in the class can be loud and immature at times, but will follow my instructions when I correct them. The
girls in the class can be very mean to each other when they are allowed to work in groups. The students are chatty
and not as motivated as they should be about school. They will complain and get off task easily.

Personal Characteristics
- Including physical, social,
individual experiences,
talents, language, culture,
family and community
values, etc.
The students in this class have grown up together in the Frontenac community. They will talk about their interests
which include sports, farming, band, and shopping. Many of the students play sports together and have been friends
since junior high. Sports are an important part of the male students lives as they all play football together. Some of
the students have grown up on a farm, which they are passionate about. The students are very social and are a close-
knit group.

B. Narrative: Implications for Whole Class Instruction Based on Information from Table 1.2 (limited to 1 page)
I plan to teach this unit on solving equations to my Basic Algebra. Each day the students will take notes, complete in-class practice problems, and
then have a take-home assignment. I plan to allow my students to work in groups on the in-class assignment to promote participation. The students
will be using a website called Goformative to complete their in-class assignment, where they enter the answer and get told immediately whether
they are correct. Once a student has gotten all the problems correct, they must show me and begin on the take-home assignment if time allows.
While my students are working, both the para and I will monitor the students by walking around the room. I like to walk by each student and ask
whether they need help or not. I have noticed that some students will not ask for help and others ask for every little detail.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 4

 I plan to structure the class this way partially since it was the way my cooperating teacher had done it before. I believe the in-class assignment of
anywhere from six to twenty problems allows the students time to ask questions. I am also able to check their progress and discuss any concepts
again that the students are struggling with. Because the students lack motivation, I believe the in-class assignment is very beneficial for them since
they are forced to work on it. They must have it completed before leaving class. This makes sure that the students are practicing the math even if
they do not turn in the take-home assignments.
Since my students have been recommended to the Basic Algebra class instead of Algebra II, most of what we will learn they had already seen
before. The material covered should not be the first time they have seen or heard of it. Knowing this, I will have to plan my instruction to be
certain I cover the material detailed enough and to also challenge my students even more. On most of the take-home assignments, I will assign the
critical thinking problems from the book.
I chose this class in particular because I feel that since the students are freshman, they are new to high school and may be more excited about
school than seniors would be.

C. Sub- Groups/Students Information

Describe this
subgroup/student
using information
from Table 1.1
Boys vs. girls
There are five males and
seven females in this class.
Both can be very talkative
and immature. Three males
and two females are
identified with special needs.
Why was this
subgroup/student What was learned about this subgroup/student?
selected?
This subgroup was selected Intellectual
because it has been said The girls of the class are more likely to turn in homework than the boys. The students lack
that boys are better than motivation to work on assignments outside of class. The females performed better than the males
girls at math. on both the pre-test and post-test. On the pre-test, the average for females was 27.4% and the
males averaged 25.6%. The difference was very small for the pre-test, but on the post-test the
difference was 8.1% with the females at 70.1% and the males at 62.2% for averages.

SUBGROUP
or Social
Both the girls and boys of this class are very talkative. The girls like to sit by each other and
FOCUS gossip instead of work. The boys will watch videos or play games. The girls of the class have a
STUDENT lot of drama which can put a strain on the atmosphere in the classroom. They can be very moody
and disrespectful one day and completely change the next day. All but one boy in the class is
outgoing.
Personal
A couple of the females are involved in sports and only one is in band. Of the male students, all
but one is in football. The students will talk about sports any chance they can.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 5

 Special needs
Of this subgroup, three are
males and two are females.
One female is in the process
of being referred to special
education since she has
always struggled with
classes. The other female and
SUBGROUP two male students have
specific learning disabilities.
or
One male student is
FOCUS emotionally disturbed.
STUDENT
I selected this subgroup Intellectual
because almost half of the Some of the students with special needs in this class lack organization or motivation to complete
class have special needs. homework. Others are highly motivated and organized. The students with special needs scored a
Before anyone told me that higher average than the students without special needs on both the pre-test and post-test. The
these students were in percentage of difference was very small. For the pre-test, it was 2.7% and only 1% for the post-
special education, I would test. The students with special needs took the pre-test in my classroom, but went to the resource
not have never known. On room for the post-test.
previous tests, one male
student with special needs
scored the highest. Social
One female student is almost the most talkative and rowdy of the class. As a whole, these
students are very talkative and dont know when it is time to be quiet. I have to remind them
many times to be quiet. One male student only says a few words the whole class period.

Personal
These students are very open and personal about their home lives and what is going on with the
drama of their class. One male student is very quiet, but bright. He has gradually opened up a
little more to me. One female is in volleyball and two of the males play football.

D. Narrative Implications for Sub-Groups/Focus Students Instruction (limited to 1 page)

I plan to teach the first subgroup of males vs. females the same. In order to see a difference in the aviation mathematics skills between males and females, I will
teach them the same. I will not differentiate instruction for this subgroup. When I allowed the students to work in groups on the in-class, the males work
together, and the females work together. For both groups, I taught the same material by writing notes, assigning the in-class, and then the take-home assignment.

For my second subgroup of special needs vs. the rest of the class, I plan to give the special needs students the physical worksheet instead of having them view it
on the computer for the take-home assignment. Each day, I will write notes on the iPad using the projector with different colors to represent different concepts.
This will be beneficial for the different types of learners in the classroom. I will also save each of the notes to upload for my students. This will allow them to
view the notes at any time if they need a refresher or were absent one day. I also have videos on our classroom Canvas page which are available to all students.
As the students will work on the in-class, I walk around the room to check their progress.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 6

 II. Instructional Design

A. Narrative Description of Range of Objectives and Rationale for Selection (limited to 1 page)
The objectives selected will challenge the students to understand what makes an equation, how to write, and solve one. The students will need to apply to
knowledge they will learn about inverses, equal signs, and numbers to solve equations. Students will also be able to evaluate a value for an equation by using
what they have learned about solutions to equations to do so. As students will be expected to create and write equations based on given information, they will
have to use reading skills to find the valuable information. The objectives for this unit will set the expectations high for the students to learn about solving
equations.
I selected these objectives because they address the Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, and Synthesis levels of Blooms Taxonomy. Most of the
objectives are on the Application level, but other lower levels must be used as well. Students will have to remember previous knowledge about equality of
equations and be able to understand that knowledge to apply it to solving an equation. Students will have to create and write their own equations about
percentages which is the Synthesis level of Blooms Taxonomy.

B. State Objectives Here: Focus should be on student performance not activities. What will students know or be able to do? (limited to 1 page)

Level(s)
Obj.
Unit Objectives (e.g. Blooms
No.
Taxonomy)
Knowledge,
1 Comprehension,
The student will be able to solve equations by adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing. Application
Knowledge,
2 Comprehension,
The student will be able to solve equations using more than one operation. Application
Knowledge,
3 Comprehension,
The student will be able to solve equations containing parentheses. Application
4
The student will be able to check solutions to equations. Application
5
The student will be able to solve problems about percentages by writing and solving equations. Synthesis
Knowledge,
6 Comprehension,
The student will be able to apply concepts and skills to find discounts and sale prices. Application
Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 7
C. Identify State Standards Benchmarks Addressed by Unit Objectives How do objectives address these standards? (limited to 1 page)
The Kansas Mathematics Standards addressed in this unit are the following:
Standard 1:
HSA-REI.A.1
Understand solving equations as a process of reasoning and explain the reasoning.
Explain each step in solving a simple equation as following from the equality of numbers asserted at the previous step, starting from the
assumption that the original equation has a solution. Construct a viable argument to justify a solution method.
Standard 2:
HSA-REI.B.3
Solve equations and inequalities in one variable.
Solve linear equations and inequalities in one variable, including equations with coefficients represented by letters
Standard 3:
HSA-CED.A.1
Create equations that describe numbers or relationships.
Apply and extend previous understanding to create equations and inequalities in one variable and use them to solve problems.

Objectives 1 4 addresses both standard one and two by having students learn the process of solving equations with one variable. Objective 5 will address the
third standard by having students create equations to solve percentage equations.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 8

Table 2.1 Instructional Design Unit Plan
The pre-assessment was taken on September 25. It consisted of 42 questions including multiple choice, fill in the blank, and short
Pre-Assessment: answer questions. Each question addressed one of the six objectives. The students had 70 minutes to complete the pre-assessment.
T Lesson Formative
Instructional Activities/ Describe Specific Adaptations/
Lesson Date R Objecti Assessment
Strategies Differentiation
I ve(s) (formal/informal)
1 9-25 T, R All Pretest Formal pre-test None
I printed off the color-coded notes for students with
Notes, lecture, in-class assignment, take- Informal observation
2 9-27 T 1, 4
home assignment and practice problems
special needs. While doing the in-class, I monitored
the students more attentively.
Formal quiz, informal
Quiz, notes, lecture, in-class assignment,
3 9-29 T 1, 4
take-home assignment
practice problems, The students had no time limit on the quiz.
observations
Class discussion with board problems,
Informal observations I gave the students with special needs more time to
4 10-3 T 2, 4 notes, lecture, in-class assignment, take-
and practice problems work out the problem before going to the board.
home assignment
Formal quiz, informal
Quiz, notes, lecture, in-class assignment,
5 10-5 T 3, 4, 5
take-home assignment
practice problems, The students had no time limit on the quiz.
observations
Informal practice
Notes, lecture, in-class assignment, take- I printed off the notes for students with special
6 10-9 T, R 6
home assignment
problems and
needs.
observations
Formal quiz, informal
Class review, in-class assignment, quiz,
7 10-11 T, R All
take-home assignment
observations and The students were able to use notes on the quiz.
practice problems
The students with special needs went to a quiet room
8 10-13 T, R All Posttest Formal
with the para.
Etc.
The summative assessment was taken on October 13. It consisted of the exact same questions as the pre-assessment. The students
Summative Assessment: had 70 minutes to complete it.
T- Lesson integrates technology; R- Lesson uses reading strategies; I- Lesson demonstrates integration of content across and within content fields

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 9

Table 2.2: Narrative Description of Pre-assessment, Formative Assessments, and Summative Assessment (limited to 2 pages)
Describe the assessment to be Explain rationale for choosing
II. D, H, and K
used this assessment
The pretest is 44 questions and
contains a range and variety of
questions. There is multiple
Pre-Assessment choice, yes/no questions, fill-in-
(Diagnostic) the-blank, and short answer
questions. It will address and
evaluate the students ability to
master the objectives
The informal assessments used
will practice problems on the in-
Formative Assessment
class assignment and board
- Informal
problems.
The students will be given a
computerized quiz on the third,
fifth, and seventh day of the unit.
The first quiz consists of six
questions which address objective
one. The students are expected to
Formative Assessment work the problems on paper to
- Formal hand in to earn credit back for
showing work. The second quiz
was also six questions addressing
the second objective. The third
quiz was on the review day. It
contained ten questions that
resembled test questions. Some
Pittsburg State University
Which
objectives Identify how the assessment will be
does this scored and/or the criteria to be
assessment used for evaluation.
address?
The pretest will be scored out of 95
This assessment addresses all
points. Students will be able to earn
objectives with different types and
partial credit by showing work on
levels of questions. I chose it All
problems. Questions range from 1 to 4
because it will promote high level
points possible depending on the
thinking.
difficulty.
The practice problems on the in-class
allow the students to work on similar
The in-class assignment is graded based
problems to the take-home
on completion points. The students get
assignment. They have time to ask
credit for doing the problems. It is graded
questions and practice the problems.
as correct or incorrect, but the students
This also allows me time to monitor
All have to get all problems correct before
their progress and see if anything
they get the points. They must rework the
needs explained more.
problems that are incorrect. The board
The board problems will be a fun
problems are based on observation and
activity that gets the students up and
the students will not be graded.
moving while I am able to evaluate
their progress.
The questions on each of the quizzes are
worth two points. The students can earn
I chose these quizzes because they
one point back for showing work on a
will show if the students are
All sheet of paper. The work shown must be
struggling with something before
on the right track to receive a point.
moving on to the next section.
The review question is worth 20 points
and the other two are worth 12 points.
Teacher Work Sample 10
 questions were multiple choice or
fill in the blank.

The summative assessment will be

I chose this assessment because it
The summative assessment is the evaluates what the students have
Summative
exact same as the pre-assessment. learned in this unit. It addresses each
Assessment objective with different types of
questions.
graded the same as the pre-assessment.
There are 95 points possible. I will be
All giving partial credit if the student has
made a slight error. No credit will be
given for incorrect answers if no work is
shown.

Narrative for Instructional Design

II. E.
The lessons are sequenced this way to ensure that students develop and understand the basics of solving
equations. The beginning lessons focus on one step equations then two steps. More steps are required to
Why are the lessons sequenced in this
solve complex questions. This allows the students to build upon knowledge as the lessons progress.
manner? Learning how to solve one step equations first will allow students to break down the equations later, which
require more steps, into smaller pieces. Each lesson will build upon the previous one.
II. F.
The learning strategies incorporated involved the use of technology to complete the in-class assignment,
white board problems for hands on learners, and cooperative learning. I also modeled examples on the
What learning strategies were incorporated
board and had the students complete guided practice problems. After that, students used GoFormative.com
into this unit? to practice more problems and assess their own strengths and weaknesses. They have instant feedback on
their work.
The instructional strategies used to teach this unit address the learning objectives by showing students the
How do the instructional strategies/activities steps to solving equations, how to write equations, and evaluate them. The students were able to see the
address the learning objectives for this unit? teacher work out problems, then try them on their own. The board problems the students did allowed me to
assess their progress on the objectives.
II. G.
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills will be implemented into the lesson over discount and sale
How will critical thinking and problem price. The students will use the prior knowledge learned from previous lessons to solve real world problems
solving strategies be implemented? Give such as calculating the sale price of a shirt which has a percent discount. Also the students will have to
specific examples of use. think critically about the important information in the problem because not all of the information will be
used.
II. I.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 11

Explain the reading strategies that will be
used throughout the unit. Give specific
examples. (Remember that using text is not a
reading strategy)
How will technology be integrated within the
unit? Explain both teacher use and student
use.
How does the unit demonstrate integration of
content across and within content fields?
II. J.
What specific adaptations or differentiated
activities were used to accommodate
individual learning needs for the whole class?
What specific adaptations or differentiated
activities were used to accommodate
individual learning needs for the identified
sub-groups / students?
Provide a copy of two complete detailed lesson plans in Appendix B.
Pittsburg State University
Reading strategies used throughout the unit include solving word problems. Students will need to use
strategies to find the relevant information to answer the question that is asked. They will have to think
critically about what information should be used to build and solve an equation over the sale price and
discount of items.
Technology is integrated into the unit by the teacher in the form of using the iPad to write notes. The
Doceri app is used to write notes and projected onto the board. Students use the GoFormative website to
complete an in-class assignment every day. The students will have at least 10 problems each day. The
website will allow the students to instantly know whether they did the problem correct. The teacher is able
to view progress and provide live feedback that the students see on their computers.
The unit demonstrates integration of content across content fields by having students use reading strategies
to solve problems. Also, the students will need to know how to solve equations for other classes such as in
science when measuring. The unit will help students learn problem solving skills that can be used in every
day life and other classes. The students will have to go through the solving equation process and find the
best way to start.
Some adaptions that were used for individual learning needs was color coding notes for visual learners.
Also, recorded notes were made available to all students on Canvas. The recorded notes are audio and video
for all types of learners. This allows auditory learners the opportunity to listen again to the lecture instead
of just looking at notes in their notebook.
I did not make many adaptions to accommodate individual learning needs. I allowed students with special
needs to take the post-test in a quiet room. I also let the students with special needs print off worksheets and
gave them a copy of the notes.
I did not change any instruction for either of the subgroups.
Teacher Work Sample 12
 III. Teaching and Learning

A. Narrative: Daily Teaching Reflections (limited to 4 pages)

Day 1:
The students took the pretest on the first day of the lesson. I had planned on teaching the first lesson as well on this day since the students are on a
block schedule with ninety-minute classes. I did not have enough time to do that though. My cooperating teacher started by going over the
students previous test scores. That took at least ten minutes. One of my students had to leave before taking the pretest to talk with the principal
and three students forgot calculators and went to their lockers to get them. Their lockers are on the other side of the school, so it takes them at least
five minutes to get them. I told the students they would be taking a pretest today and that they needed to do their best even though they may not
have been exposed to the material before. I put the students names on the test and had them move seats, so they were all spread out across the
room. The students took most of the class time to finish the test. The one girl who had left to talk with the principal returned and started her test
with thirty minutes left. I decided then that I would not have time to start a new lesson. When the students took the pretest, I had the special needs
students stay in the classroom instead of going to the special education classroom with Mrs. Houghton, the para.

Day 2:
We first began class by discussing the pretest and what the students found to be difficult. I did not allow students to view the pretest since the
posttest will be the same. I taught the first lesson over deciding whether we have a solution to an equation and solving equations using addition or
subtraction. I had a warmup activity of having the students find a number that makes an equation true. I made them explain to me what they had
done to get there. I explained that what they were doing was solving the equation. There are a few students that will participate in class when I ask
questions. There is one male student with special needs that will always answer. I began calling on students by name to promote more participate.
The students would know the answer, they just did not want to volunteer. The students were eager to start on the in-class assignment, which is on
goformative.com. The students enter their answer on the website, which then tells them whether they are correct or not. I allowed the students to
work together on the in-class and sit where they wanted. The students were also able to listen to music while working as long as they had
headphones. This lead to many students getting off-topic. Especially, one girl with special needs and two male students. I warned the students that
this behavior would not be accepted next class period. As I walked around the room, students did not have questions over the material. They were
more interested in talking to their peers. This is something that I noticed that I needed to come up with a plan for in the future.

Day 3:
First, I started class by going over the take-home assignment from the previous day. All students had the homework completed except one male
student. The take-home assignment is based on completion. Before teaching the second lesson, I gave the students a six-question quiz on the
computer over the previous lesson. The quiz was on Canvas and it was a free response quiz. Once all students were completed, I gave the students
a new seating arrangement. I had noticed the day before that the students were off-task partly due to where and who they were sitting by. I taught
the second lesson over solving equations using multiplication or division. I explained to the students that everything we do from now on will build
from this and what we did the previous day. Once the lesson was finished the students were to start on the in-class assignment, but I did not allow
the students to work together or listen to music while working. I felt this was a distraction last time. I had one male student get upset by this and

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 13

make a comment. I told him, the next time he made a comment he would be going to see the principal. The students worked quietly and got the in-
class completed and had time to start on their take-home assignment. I allowed them the last two minutes to talk with their friends before class was
over. The students had more trouble undoing division than multiplication in the equations. This may be because division appears as a fraction in
the equation.

Day 4:
On the fourth day, I went over the take-home assignment from the previous lesson. As a review of the previous lessons taught, I gave each student
a problem to work at the whiteboard. They were to explain to the class their steps as they worked. I had two students go up at a time. Everyone was
to listen and respect the students at the board. Each student willingly did what was asked of them. After each student presented, I had the class clap
for them to show support. I feel that the students enjoyed being up and at the board working problems since one student asked if they could each do
another problem. I decided to let them all do another for extra practice. Some of the students in class were shy about going up to the board or
unsure of their answer especially one female student. After each student had completed a problem at the board, I taught the lesson over solving
equations using all operations, which was the third lesson of the unit. I explained to the students that on the previous days, we had solved equations
that involved only one step. Today, we would have to use two or more steps. The students did very well with understanding what the first step in
solving was. I had written out step by step instructions for them to follow. The students had an in-class assignment on the Goformative website
again, which they worked on by themselves. I noticed that the students had difficulty getting rid of negatives in an equation.

Days 5:
I began the day by going over the take-home assignment from the previous day. I had the students go around the room and share their answer for
each problem. If a student had the incorrect answer, I had another student state the correct one. After this the students were given a six-question
quiz on Canvas. They were to show their work to turn in for partial credit. Once all were finished, I taught the fourth lesson over solving equations
containing parentheses and writing percent equations. I started by reviewing the order of operations with the students and also what it means to
distribute. I explained how parentheses in an equation mean you may have to distribute. Many of the students asked if they could be allowed to
work with a partner today since they had been good the last couple of days. I decided to allow them to work together on the take-home and listen to
music after completing the in-class. They had to work by themselves on the in-class, but could move to work with someone on the take-home. The
students surprised me and worked quietly with few disruptions.

Day 6:
Today was the last new lesson of the unit. I went over the take-home assignment from the previous day. I taught the lesson over solving equations
with variables on both sides of the equation and calculating discounts and sale prices. I had three examples planned to work for the students on
solving equations with variables on both sides. After the second example, one student decided to speak up and ask if we could move on to the next
section. I decided to have them work the third example on their own, then work it out on the board. While the students worked out the example, I
walked around the room to check their progress. When I worked it out on the board, I had the students tell me what they did to solve the equation. I
called on different students by name to give me the next step. Once they had solved it, we discussed discounts and sale price. I should have spent
more time on discounts and sale price. Looking back, I can see that I assumed that the students would understand the definitions of discounts from
their own experiences with shopping. I will not do that in the future. The students had many question while working on the in-class about what the
problem was asking for. On each problem, they wanted to find sale price, but the question would be asking for the amount of the discount. Also,

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 the discount was given as a percent, so they would enter that and get the problem wrong. After a few students had asked me about that, I explained
it to the whole class.

Day 7:
This was the review day for the unit. We started by going over the homework from the previous day. I walked around the room as I read the
answers to the problems. Only four of the twelve students had the homework finished to turn in. One of those four was a special needs student. I
asked the students why they didnt do their homework. Generally, I get the response from one boy that he left it at home, which I know is not
true. Other students informed me that they did not understand the homework assignment. They were confused on how to do the problems over sale
price and discounts. Since the students complained that they didnt understand what we did the last class, I decided to reteach it and still have the
review day. This day was an early release so the classes were shortened by thirty minutes. We spent around ten minutes going over the lesson on
equations with variables on both sides and discounts and sale prices. I think I assumed too much that the students would understand sale prices and
didnt do as well teaching the previous day as I should have. Once the students were able to understand it better, they had an in-class review
assignment on the goformative.com website to complete. I had planned on giving my students a quiz that day which would resemble questions
from the test. The students took longer than I anticipated on the in-class, and I had not planned on reteaching anything which took more time. Once
the first student had finished the quiz, I had her begin on the take-home review assignment. My students during class will talk to peers and get
sidetracked from homework at times. In order to redirect this, the para and myself monitor the students closely.

Day 8:
I started class by going over the take-home review assignment. I noticed that many students sat with nothing in front of them as I went through the
answers. Only four of my students had completed the review assignment. Of those four, one was a male student and one was a special needs
student. I should not have been surprised since this has been happening often. I decided to have a talk with my students regarding the importance
of completing homework. I explained that the point of the review is for their benefit to know what will be on the test. I gave the students five
minutes to review and ask questions before taking the posttest. Once the five minutes was up I collected the four reviews and had the students clear
their desks. I have the students move seats when it is test time. I put their names on top of the paper for the test, and spread them out across the
room. Students are to stay in that seat after handing in their test to me. The students had an hour to take the test. When each student handed in the
test, I would go through to check for unanswered questions and make the student go back to answer them. Many students kept saying that they
couldnt remember how to do the problems and would leave them blank against my suggestion. When a few students got done, they would try to
whisper to a friend which I did not allow. I would walk by that student signaling them by putting my finger in front of my lips. This worked very
well. All of the students were able to complete the test with time left in class.

B. Classroom Management Plan (rules, procedures, preventative strategies, supportive strategies) (limited to 1 page)
The classroom rules set in place are the following:
#1 I will be respectful to all.
#2 I will be prepared for class.
#3 I will be positive and open-minded.
Students are expected to be on time and prepared for class every day. This includes, but is not limited to, having the textbook, paper, pencil, notebook,
computer, etc.. Students should remain seated until dismissed by the instructor at the end of the hour. The students are not to stand up and leave the classroom

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 when the bell rings. Students should be respectful to all individuals. Students are to complete homework by the next class period unless a specific due date is
given and then the assignment will be expected at that time. All late homework will be worth 50% of normal credit and will not be eligible to be thrown out, if
applicable.
Students will be given a verbal warning first for any unacceptable behavior outlined upon or deemed appropriate by the teacher. If the behavior persists, student
will be talked to in private about it. Students will be held after class or school for continued misbehavior. Lastly, if the student continues to have unacceptable
behavior, they will be sent to the principals office and given a detention.

Discipline Hierarchy:
1. Verbal warning whether given in front of class or just given quietly at the students desk.
2. Student given a detention and told their next offense will result in a trip to the office.
3. Student sent out of the room to the office.
* Severity of offense may bypass any or all of steps 1 and 2 and go
directly to step 3. *
* The warnings will carry over from day to day!

C. Student Interaction and Engagement(Strategies for promoting student to student interaction and student motivation) (limited to 1 page)
In order to promote student interaction, students will be encouraged to work in groups and ask peers for help. Students may have practice problems to do at the
board during the beginning of class. After each student shares a problem, the class will be expected to clap and be supportive of the student. One strategy for
student motivation will be to allow the last five minutes of class for free talking if the students all have the in-class assignment completed. To keep students
engaged while lecturing, I will call on different students when asking questions or have the students read a problem out loud to the class. Students will be able to
ask peers for help on the in-class assignments.
I will also give the students a problem to work while lecturing. I will ensure each student does the problem by walking around and checking their progress. I
will not move on until each student has shown me their answer. After that I will have a volunteer tell me each step of the problem.

D. Student Communication (detailed description of appropriate strategies to encourage student to student communication) (limited to 1 page)
To promote student communication, I have encouraged the students to help each other and work in groups when possible. I also have the students encourage
other students when they work problems on the board. If the student has trouble, they are to ask a peer for help. Instead of asking the para or myself for help,
they are to phone a friend as in the game show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?. Some students are shy about going up to the board, so I encouraged them
by discussing how we needed to be positive and supportive of our peers.
Most of the students in this class have gone to school together for many years now. They are comfortable talking to their peers. There are a few quiet ones who
do their work, which I would highlight to encourage them to help others.

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Narrative: Analysis of Assessment
E. Pre-Assessment
Overall analysis of results.
Discuss the results in reference to
the learning objectives.
Describe how pre-assessment data
was used to proceed with instruction
for all students.
What is the plan to differentiate for
all learners?
F. Formative Assessment
Overall analysis of results.
Discuss the results in reference to
the learning objectives.
Are students learning what was
intended they learn?
Pittsburg State University
Overall, every student performed poorly on the pre-test. The students struggled with solving equations. Every student
missed the questions that involved solving an equation with parentheses and variables on both sides of the equation.
The highest grade on the pre-test was a student with special needs which was a 61%. The average percentage score
was a 26.7% for the whole class. The average score was highest for the subgroup of students with special needs with
a score of 28.2%. For students without special needs the average was a 25.5%. The male subgroups mean score was
a 25.6%. The females averaged slightly higher at a 27.4%.
The results of the pre-test showed that the students had a very little knowledge of solving equations and calculating
discounts and sale prices. The students were more successful with objective six than the other objectives. The
students struggled with most objectives especially objective three. It is evident that the students need to be taught
everything from this unit with great detail.
The pre-assessment data was used to emphasize certain areas of instruction. The students needed to be taught every
objective. Since the students struggled with solving equations with more than one step, I decided to put more
emphasis on that. I put slightly less emphasis on the sale price and discount objective since the students seemed to get
those questions correct on the pre-test.
The plan to differentiate for all learners is to focus on understanding how to solve an equation by getting a variable on
one side of the equation by itself. The students need to know how to undo an operation before they can start solving.
This is the foundation to solving. For a student who completes the in-class quickly with understanding, they can be
given a few more difficult problems.
Overall, on the formal formative assessments, the students did well. On the quiz for Sections 5 & 6, the class average
was a 94%. The students seemed to have an understanding of how to solve a one step equation. Two females, one
with special needs, and a male student scored a 10 out of 12. The second quiz over Section 9 for solving equations
with two steps had an average score of an 85% for the whole class, the special needs subgroup, and the students
without special needs. The female subgroup averaged a 90% and the males averaged a 78%. Some students struggled
with the problem dealing with undoing division. All of the in-class and take-home assignments are based on
completion. Many students would not hand in an assignment. The review quiz had an average score of a 70% for the
whole class. The female subgroup had the highest average at 87%. The male subgroup was the lowest at 50%. The
special needs subgroup scored an average of 80% and the students without special needs had a 62%.
From the three quizzes, it is evident that the students began learning the first objective which the first quiz addressed,
but as the material got more challenging the scores went down slightly. The students still learned what they were
intended to learn at that point. The results showed that the students were able to solve equations with one step or two
steps. From the formative assessments, the students learned objectives 1 and 2. As the students worked on the in-class
assignments, I was able to gauge their abilities on the other objectives. When the students didnt turn in take-home
assignments, it was difficult to tell if it was from a misunderstanding or lack of effort.
Teacher Work Sample 17
 Based on the results from the formative assessments, I had to reteach a section over sale price and discounts. This was
Discuss any adaptations based on the on the review day that I decided to go over it again since the day we talked about it was the day before. Everyday, I
results of formative assessments. had warmup problems that would clarify information from the previous section and lead into the new lesson.

Identify differentiation needed to In order to help all students, meet the objectives of this unit I had to work with each student during the in-
help all students meet the goals and class assignment individually. Some students lack confidence and that was what they needed in order to be
objectives of this unit. successful.

G. Summative Assessment
What did the disaggregated data of
the assessment reveal?
Discuss the results in reference to
the learning objectives.
The post-test results showed that all students improved from the beginning. The class average was a 66.8% which
was higher than the pretest. The average for the subgroups are the following: males 62.2%, females 70.1%,
special needs 67%, not special needs 66%. The data from the summative assessment is not consistent with the
assumption that males are better than females at math. Also, the subgroup of students with special needs had a higher
average than the other students. The students did very well on the vocabulary and discount and sale price on the post-
test.
In reference to the learning objectives, the students did very well on mastering objective one with being able to solve
equations with one step of adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing. When more steps were required the students
made mistakes such as objective two and three. The students did well on objectives five and six.

Students learned most of what they were intended to learn. There were some students such as the male subgroup that
Did all students learn what was did not learn objective three. Overall, I feel that the students have a basic understanding of what was discussed in the
intended they learn? Explain. unit, but I do not feel that they mastered it.

Provide a copy of pre-assessment document and the corresponding scoring key/rubric in Appendix C.

Provide a copy of one formal formative assessment document and the corresponding scoring key/rubric in Appendix C.

Provide a copy of one informal formative assessment document and the corresponding scoring key/rubric in Appendix C.

Provide a copy of the summative assessment document and the corresponding scoring key/rubric in Appendix C.

H. Visual Representation of Disaggregated Data

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Chart/Table/Graphs of disaggregated data for the Pre-assessment should be included in Appendix C.
Due to the varied nature of data collected by the teacher candidates, each candidate is asked to create a chart/table/graph that includes data for
the Whole Class, Subgroup, and Focus Students. Title the table/chart/graph and use labels to accurately portray the data.

Chart/Table/Graph of disaggregated data for the Summative Assessment should be included in Appendix C.
Due to the varied nature of data collected by the teacher candidates, each candidate is asked to create a chart/table/graph that includes data for
the Whole Class, Subgroup, and Focus Students. Title the table/chart/graph and use labels to accurately portray the data.

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 IV. Self-Evaluation and Reflection

A. Narrative description of Successful Activities and future implications

Based on the analysis of all the assessment

results, identify TWO learning objectives
from the unit students were most successful.
Objective 1:
The student will be able to solve equations by
adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing
Give more than one reason for each of the successes identified.
I believe the students were successful with this because I emphasized how everything we would do from
here would build on this. I gave the students the steps for what to do when an equation has one of the
operations and how to solve it. The students liked solving one step equations since they were short
problems. These required the students to only undo one operation. As I walked around monitoring the
students, I could see that they were solving the equations correctly.

Objective 2:
The student will be able to apply concepts and
skills to find discounts and sale prices.
The students were successful with this objective because I spent more time on it. Since the students had said
they didnt understand the lesson, I decided to reteach it the next day. I feel that spending more time helped
the students be successful with this objective. The second day, I gave them steps and the formulas again.
Also, I applied this objective to the real world. Discounts and sale prices are things the students will see
every day when shopping.

Discuss at least TWO things to do differently in the future to extend these successes to continue students academic growth.
One thing I can do differently is to show the students the solving equations song. It goes through the steps of solving an equation. It says what you should
do when you have addition, subtraction, multiply, or division. I would make my students sing along and memorize the song. I could have them practice
the words while doing a problem. I could use cooperative learning to help students memorize the lyrics. I feel that this will extend student success
because if they know the song, they will know what to do when solving. It would be helpful for students who are more musically intelligent. Another thing
to promote success would be to actually bring in every day items that are on sale for students to calculate prices. I could also have the students complete a
project with a partner of researching prices, calculating prices, and comparing.

B. Narrative description of Least Successful Activities and future implications

Based on the analysis of all the assessment
Give more than one reason for each of the least successful objectives identified.
results, identify TWO learning objectives
from the unit students were least successful.

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Objective 1: The students were least successful with this objective because they struggle to use the distributive property.
The student will be able to solve equations I assumed this is something they should have learned in the past chapter. Also, the students did not have as
using parentheses. many practice problems over solving with parentheses. I think this affected their performance on this
objective.

Objective 2:
The student will be able to solve equations
using more than one operation.
This objective gave the students difficulty because they would get confused on where to start solving. I
gave the students the steps for how to solve an equation with more than one operation. They struggled to
undo an equation with subtraction and division. Another reason for this being a least successful activity is
because it requires more work from the students. They tend to give up easily when the problems require
more than one step.

Discuss at least TWO things to do differently in the future to improve students performance.
To improve student performance on the first objective, I will give the students a review worksheet over the distributive property. This will help refresh
their memory on how to use it. I will also try to emphasis the distributive property in an equation that we solve. I can use different colors to show that you
must distribute to the terms inside of the parentheses.
To address the second objective, I will also use different colors for each step of the equation. I could give the students more problems to do at the board
for extra practice and make it a fun game.
Another thing I will do differently for these objectives is to put more emphasis on keeping the equation balanced. On the posttest, I saw students undoing
an operation only on one side of the equal sign for problems that required many steps. In the future, I will bring a balance scale and show the students
how when you remove something from only one side the scale is not balanced. This will help the visual learners in the class see why and how the equal
sign is meant to be. Also, this could be a hands-on activity where I put the students in groups with a scale. The students will have weights that represent
either a variable or number and they can manipulate the scale to solve the equation.

TABLE 4.1 Communication Log

Follow Up
Method of Result or Impact on (if
Date Person Contacted Contact Reason for Contact Instruction necessary)
From talking with my cooperating
teacher, I was able to adjust the
Cooperating teacher, schedule of the unit to where the test
9-20-17 In person Planning the unit NA
Mr. Buzard did not fall on an early release day
when the students would have less
time in class.

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 Follow Up
Method of Result or Impact on (if
Date Person Contacted Contact Reason for Contact Instruction necessary)
Mrs. Houghton was able to provide
Discuss any adaptions that need to be made me with ideas of what would help
9-27-17 Para, Mrs. Houghton In person NA
for any of the students in the class the special needs students in my
class.
From talking with my cooperating
Planning for the test and discussing the teacher, I was able to adjust the
9-29-17 Mr. Buzard In person NA
behavior of one male student in class schedule and given tips on how to
handle the behavior.
No impact on instruction for this
Parent teacher conferences to discuss unit. Gave me a better
10-25-17 Parents In person
student progress understanding of where my students
come from

Add rows as needed

C. Narrative Reflection on Impact of Communications (limited to 1 page)

After discussing with my cooperating teacher on how he has taught this unit in the past, I was given some ideas on how I should plan my instruction for the unit.
He was able to provide me with information on what methods have worked in the past with different types of students. I set up my unit plan beforehand to
discuss with my cooperating teacher any suggestions he may have. This helped me to know where I should change aspects of my lesson. Each day after teaching
a lesson, I would give him my opinion on the lesson, and he would tell me anything he saw that didnt work well.
Another person who I was able to communicate with was the para in the room. She was in class every day to help the students with special needs. She would
also help other students when I was busy. Talking to Mrs. Houghton gave me a clearer picture on what she does for the students in special education. We would
discuss ways to get the homework completed that the students with special needs were not doing. Discussing this with her and making sure that they worked in
class and when they were in the resource room improved the homework that was turned in.
I have had limited communication with the parents of my students. I did not have any major behavioral problems that needed to be reported to the students
parents. I was able to meet some of my students parents or guardians at the parent teacher conferences in October. The parents were very willing to nag the
students about completing homework.
A few of my female students and one male student would come visit my classroom for help during seminar. During that time, they were able to ask questions
and complete any missing work. This improved the students performance on the quizzes that they had to take in class.

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D. Narrative Reflection on Future Professional Development (limited to 1page)

Identify at least TWO aspects of instruction that could be improved.
Explain reasoning.
Aspect 1:
I would like to improve on creating engaging class activities. Students
enjoyed doing problems at the board, and I would like to have more
activities like this for them to engage in
What specific professional development opportunities/activities will
help to acquire that knowledge or skill?
To improve on this aspect, I can use many resources such as the Internet or
other teachers for ideas. Having engaging activities for the students could help
improve instruction so students have higher achievement of the objectives.

Aspect 2: One way to improve on this would be to figure out what type of learners are in
I would like to improve my ability to differentiate instruction for the my classroom by having them take an assessment. Based on this, I can give the
different types of learners in my classroom. students different options for assignments based on their learning style.

Pittsburg State University Teacher Work Sample 23

 REFERENCES

1. Algebra 1. (2001). Parsippany, NJ: Globe Fearon/Pearson Learning Group.

2. Building Report Card. Kansas State Department of Education. 2017. KSDE.

http://ksreportcard.ksde.org/

3. Go Formative. Formative. 2017. https://goformative.com/

4. Kansas Mathematics Standards. Kansas State Department of Education. 2017. KSDE.

http://community.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=5276

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 APPENDIX A

District
Male/Females Ethnicity Economically Disadvantaged

Students with Disabilities

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 APPENDIX A

High School
Ethnicity Economically Disadvantaged
Male/Females

Students with Disabilities

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 APPENDIX A

Classroom
Male/Females Ethnicity Economically Disadvantaged
Females Males White White

42%

58%

100% 100%

Students with Disabilities

Students with Disabilites
Students without Disabilites

42%

58%

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 APPENDIX B
Lesson Plan #1

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 APPENDIX B

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 APPENDIX B

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 APPENDIX B
Lesson Plan #2

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 APPENDIX B

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 APPENDIX C

Pre-assessment and Summative Assessment Key

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 APPENDIX C

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 APPENDIX C

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 APPENDIX C

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 APPENDIX C
Informal assessment (In-class Section 7 & 8 on GoFormative.com)

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 APPENDIX C
Informal assessment Key (In-class Section 7 & 8 on GoFormative.com)

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 APPENDIX C
Formal assessment (Quiz Section 9 on Canvas)

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 APPENDIX C

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 APPENDIX C
Formal assessment Key (Quiz Section 9 on Canvas)

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 APPENDIX C

Full Class Pre-test vs. Post-test

100
90
80
70
60
Percent

50
40
30
20
10
0
Student Student Student Student Student Student Student Student Student Student Student Student
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Pretest Posttest

Post-test vs Pre-test Subgroup Averages

100
90
80
70
60
Percent

50
40
30
20
10
0
Males Females Special needs Without special needs
Subgroup

Pre-test Post-test

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 APPENDIX C
Pre-Assessment Data
Student Pre-test % Males Females Special Needs Without special needs
Student 1 61 61 - 61 -
Student 2 43 - 43 - 43
Student 3 41 - 41 - 41
Student 4 33 - 33 - 33
Student 5 29 29 - 29 -
Student 6 23 - 23 - 23
Student 7 22 - 22 22 -
Student 8 18 18 - - 18
Student 9 16 - 16 - 16
Student 10 15 15 - 15 -
Student 11 14 - 14 14 -
Student 12 5 5 - - 5
Average: 26.7% 25.6% 27.4% 28.2% 25.5%

Summative Assessment Data

Student Post-test % Males Females Special needs Without special needs
Student 1 73 73 NA 73 -
Student 2 96 - 96 - 96
Student 3 88 - 88 - 88
Student 4 64 - 64 - 64
Student 5 85 85 85 -
Student 6 47 - 47 - 47
Student 7 49 - 49 49 -
Student 8 37 37 - - 37
Student 9 92 - 92 - 92
Student 10 73 73 - 73 -
Student 11 55 - 55 55 -
Student 12 43 43 - - 43
Average: 66.8% 62.2% 70.1% 67% 66%

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