Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4

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: _____
Other (please describe): _____
2. Where is the school where you are teaching located? (Type an “X” next to the appropriate
description.)1
City: _X____
Suburb: _____
Town: _____
Rural: _____
3 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.
[My host school is a themed magnet school focused on Communicative Arts. There are three
classes that support the themed magnet title. Those classes are Multimedia, Writing, and
Spanish. The specials are elective classes. The school is a Leader In Me School that follows the
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People which are Habit 1: Be Proactive, Habit 2: Begin With
The End In Mind, Habit 3: Put First Things First, Habit 4: Think Win-Win, Habit 5: Seek First to
Understand, Then to Be Understood, Habit 6: Synergize, Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw. These
habits are used to teach students life and leadership skills. The habits may be referred to during
my learning segment. There is an onsite R.E.A.C.H. teacher for gifted students who meets with
them weekly. There is co-teaching at the grade level. I teach Math for two classes, and ELA for
one. My co-teacher teaches Science and Social Studies for two classes, and Reading for one.

The school where I teach is located in a city in a low-income area; with 100% of the students
classified as being economically disadvantaged. Students with disabilities make up 11.4% of out
population, and English Language Learners only 2.1%. A large majority of the school is African-
American at 94.3%. Three percent of the students are Hispanic, 1.6% are considered as being
Multi-racial, and 0.9% are White. Asian/Pacific Islander makes up the last 2% of our student
population.

Although the school is not very racially diverse, there are many different types of learners. As I
began my student teaching experience I took several inventories of the class. I specifically
focused on the Multiple Intelligences and True Colors Personality Testing. I will pull the data that
I got from those assessments when I plan my learning segment.]

1 If you need guidance when making a selection, reference the NCES locale category definitions
(https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ruraled/definitions.asp) or consult with your placement school administrator.

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 Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4
Task 4: Mathematics Context for Learning Information

4. 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.
[ The grade level follows a pacing plan for Math, but the topics are taught at the teacher’s
discretion. Star360 tests are given monthly, and Milestones testing is given at the years end.]

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, there are two math blocks taught each day. Math I is taught from 11:00 a.m.
to 12:05 p.m.. Math II is taught from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.]
2. Is there any ability grouping or tracking in mathematics? If so, please describe how it affects
your class.
[Math grouping is flexible and can be based on data from Star 360 assessments, instructional
need, and behavioral patterns within the class.]
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 textbooks that are used in Math instruction are Go Math Georgia Teachers Edition Grade
4 Volume 1, Go Math Georgia Student Edition Grade 4 Volume 1, and Go Math Georgia
Standards Practice Book Grade 4 Volume 1, all of which were published by Houghton Mifflin
and Harcourt Publishing Company in 2014. ]
4. List other resources (e.g., electronic whiteboard, manipulatives, online resources) you use
for mathematics instruction in this class.
[ Other resources that may be used in math instruction are the Cleartouch board, Document
Camera, fraction strips, fraction circles, dominoes, personal whiteboards, StudyJams.com,
learnzillion.com, and khanacademy.org.]

About the Students in the Class Featured in this Learning Segment

1. Grade level(s):
[4]
2. Number of
 students in the class: __20___
 males: __11___ females: __9___
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
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).

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 Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4
Task 4: Mathematics Context for Learning Information

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.2

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 through
learners with only a few examples and graphic organizers (e.g.,
words of English 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

2 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. V07.1
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.