Teaching Strategies
End Goal
In order to explain the teaching strategies I will employ in this unit, I find it necessary first to describe the summative assessment for this unit. Keeping my end goal in mind for this set of students in this initial unit will be integral in selecting the most effective methods and strategies.
Students will ultimately work in teams of three to research health problems that are prevalent in their neighborhoods. They will first use measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, and frequency diagrams to summarize the demographics and health statistics they find. They will then identify possible factors contributing to these health problems and utilize a least squares regression method to analyze the linear correlation between these factors and the problem. Students can examine both physiological and social factors affecting these issues, though there will be a greater emphasis on the social factors given their limited biology knowledge at the beginning of the year. Finally, students will examine current and potential resources and solutions for these health problems in their neighborhood. They will be expected to work as a team to select and employ the most effective mathematical tools to examine these resources and solutions and make recommendations for the future health of their communities. This component of the summative assessment will represent my students’ growing abilities to apply core statistical methods and other mathematical skills to issues that are relevant to their lives.
The presentation of these statistical analyses to each other also represents an important end goal for this unit. Students will need to effectively communicate their findings to the class, beginning to practice their roles as health advocates in their communities with each other. We will compile the class findings, and the class will decide the most effective way to share this information with the school community. In addition, we will work together to write questions addressing the biological underpinnings of these health problems as they are discussed. Students will take on the responsibility of working to understand the answers to these questions throughout their studies in 11th Grade DP Biology. Reports will be revisited in our math class at the conclusion of the school year to reflect on progress in understanding the physiological factors of health problems as well as any updates to resources and solutions within their neighborhoods. This component of the summative assessment will represent my students’ growing ability to communicate with mathematics fluently and effectively, and to understand health issues and advocate for their right to adequate health resources.
Initial Classroom Structures
We will work together at the beginning of this unit to establish initial classroom structures that make students responsible for their own learning in this unit and subsequent units. As 11th grade students accepted into the rigorous Diploma Program at our school, this group brings a wealth of positive strategies and skills to the classroom that I intend to tap into. Through a series of individual, team, and class questioning activities, we will establish classroom routines and procedures, as well as consequences that we will all uphold and enforce. Some examples of these classroom protocols are detailed below.
Weekly Agendas
Upon establishing the core components of each week (team explorations, direct instruction, team practice problems, individual practice problems, individual quiz or exam), we will work together to build our typical weekly agenda in terms of sequence of activities and the duration of each. I will use this template to then provide a detailed weekly plan to the students on a regular basis so that they can prepare accordingly. Students will have choice as to when they submit each assignment based on when we schedule the activity. For example, if team practice problems are scheduled for Thursdays, we might agree they are routinely due every Friday along with the individual practice problems. I have found that the student choice allowed in setting the weekly agenda structure helps students better understand their role and responsibility in class, and it often increases their investment in class.
Team Explorations
Team explorations will occur at least weekly and will be integral in engaging students in the material, as well as leading students to make connections to prior knowledge, making the math more accessible to them. Teams will need to work independently from other teams and the teacher for a specified amount of time, and then present their findings at the end. Correct answers will not be emphasized, and in fact, explanations of incorrect solutions will be encouraged so that we can better understand the process each team went through in their attempt to solve the problem set.
Direct Instruction
Direct Instruction will be limited to 15-minute intervals maximum during this unit. Upon completion of the instructional objectives, students will be given time to update and compare notes, as well as to ask relevant questions from the lesson in order to ensure that they have a complete and thorough record to use in later activities.
Team and Individual Practice Problems
These problems will be a mix of textbook problems as well as application problems I compile related to health statistics in Chicago. When we determine our weekly agenda template, we will set aside one day of “study group” time, where students will meet with the same team for one full class period. We will work to set out student and teacher expectations for this time in class. I have found this study group day to be integral in higher-level mathematics studies in giving the students time for regular, supported practice of difficult content. We will also work to lay out a procedure for checking in these practice problems through study group teams – both for completion and correctness. I will typically not take the lead on checking in these types of practice problems.
Individual Quiz or Test
Students will know that as individuals they will be responsible for demonstrating an understanding of certain mathematical skills and content on a weekly basis in the form of a quiz or test.
Ideas for Progress
Think-Pair-Share
It is often extremely difficult for students to feel comfortable participating in mathematical discourse. As we discuss statistical methods and health topics, I will routinely turn to Think-Pair-Share time in order for students to gain comfort in participating in discussion. This time will be built into and around direct instruction and team exploration activities, as well as class warm-ups and other relevant times.
Double Entry Journals
Individual and team practice problem sets will require students to map out selected solutions in double-entry journal style – mathematical work on the left side of the page and written explanations of the steps and their thought process on the right. I will also utilize this format during direct instruction from time to time to model the correct format as well as the utility of this practice. Through this strategy, I hope to increase student understanding and ability in communicating mathematical processes (both correct steps and missteps).
Reflection and Self-Assessment
Students will be expected to assess and reflect formally and informally on their performance in this class on a regular basis. I will alternate the focus between grades, participation, team collaboration, and understanding of material. We will use this assessment and reflection time to refine our classroom protocols as necessary.
Student-Led Warm-Ups
Every class will start with a 5-10 minute warm-up of sorts to prepare for the day, particularly while I take care of any administrative tasks. Initially, I will develop the preview or review problems utilized as the warm-up, and volunteers will be taken to present. As we progress through the unit, we will begin to assign roles in the warm-ups so that they truly become student-led. Some students will be responsible for researching relevant health statistics, others for writing application problems related to these statistics, and others for presenting their solutions once the class has had a chance to attempt each problem. We will rotate roles to ensure that everyone takes on each role at least once by the end of the unit.
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