“Teachers who differentiate believe that every child is unique, with differing learning styles

and preferences. Of the utmost importance to the teacher who differentiates is providing a
learning environment and opportunities that exclude no child” (Anderson, 2015).
Differentiation was poignant to this lesson, just like every lesson but more specifically with the
rounding strategies being used. Each student was aware of the strategy that worked best for
them which helped the lesson run smoothly. The numbers given to each student during the
rounding game was also differentiated.
This lesson was rushed and fit into a twenty-minute lesson. One of the students was absent
during the time of the lesson. She will be caught up upon her return. The learners who were
present obtained the big ideas and obtained the desired outcomes. The assessment that took
place after learning was a sheet that contained four rounding questions where students had to
reach 75% to establish mastery. Two students received 100% on the worksheet collected at the
end of the lesson, and one student received 75%.
In two of the articles we learned that teaching for understanding will help the students
connect with the material in a meaningful way. We also learned what it looks like to teach for
understanding. In Unger’s article, he believes students need to “understand applications in real-
world situations, and use what they already know to make sense of what they didn’t know”
(Unger, 2015). The real-world connection that was made to spending money was another
strategy that helped the students understand why we need to round. The other real-world
connection a student came up with was to estimate the length or height of something. The
other instructional strategies that helped the students were the rounding game, discussion,
targeted feedback, and group work/ peer feedback. The instructional strategies and tools can
always be improved. I would have liked to incorporate the analysis of student work. If time had
permitted, I would have liked the students to analyze each other’s work while trying to have a
meaningful conversation with each other explaining their own work.
This lesson included some strategies and tools that provided for multiple means of
representation, action/expression, and engagement. The rounding game, background
knowledge, the anchor chart, and displaying a number line on the computer encouraged
curiosity and excitement about continuing the next step of rounding. The different tools used
(number line, white board, rounding coaster, game, t-chart) accounted for representation
during the lesson. Positive feedback definitely assisted the students when rounding as well.
This lesson was rushed due to an incident that occurred, which led the phone to ring three
different times. The students weren’t as focused as I wished they could have been, but it
seemed the point got across quicker than I anticipated. I think the rounding game had a lot to
do with that and the fact that each student was aware of the strategy they liked the best. Each
student needed assistance once in a while to further their thinking, but overall, they worked
independently. I would have liked the time to incorporate all of the things planned in the
lesson. I feel that would have provided the students with more confidence as well as a concrete
idea of how to round three-digit numbers to the nearest ten independently.
“Reflection continually emerges as a suggested way of helping practitioners better
understand what they know and do as they develop their knowledge of practice through
reconsidering what they learn in practice” (Loughran, 2002). Upon reflection of this lesson,
(aside from it being rushed) I felt that the feedback came more naturally this time. I was more
aware of making sure to make that connection with the student. At one point, I was even able
to stop myself mid-sentence to give feedback.
 Works Cited

Algozzine, B., Anderson, Kelly M. (2007) Tips for Teaching: Differentiating Instruction to Include
All Students. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 51:3,
49-54.

Loughran, J. (2002) Effective reflective practice: In search of meaning in learning and teaching.
Journal of Teacher Education, 53(1), 33-43.

Unger, C. (1994). What teaching for understanding looks like. Educational Leadership, 51, 8-8.