Math Mini Lesson

In planning my mini lesson, I considered the time and the number of students I could work with effectively. However, the primary consideration was the time, as the students are available only for about 30 minutes. I chose ratio to teach them with the goal that I could help them approach the topic in the most simple and practical way. 

I understand that some students are visual learners but some are not. This is important for me to know as math is mostly abstract, but could also be visual with the use of proper strategy and innovation. To determine whether who is visual and who is not, I asked the students a question, “pretend we are in a big bird cage where there were a total of 20 birds and we were to determine ratio of birds to another bird, how will we do it?”  The students did not know what to do, how to start and what to start with. Then, I directed their attention to a group of students in the hallway and asked them, “what is the ratio of girls to boys in that group?” They were quick to respond. Thus, I figured out that they were visual learners.

Having identified the students’ best learning strategy, I brought out my lesson plan and materials. The lesson was delivered informally and I made clear to my students that mistakes may be expected but are respected. I also made sure that we will address the mistake to correct it. They showed a sigh of relief and became more open to the activity and discussion. Most of the students displayed understanding of the topic through the activities. They showed enthusiasm all throughout the lesson. I attribute this to: first, the learning environment since we decided to hold the activity outside the classroom; second, the use of drawings and illustrations; third, practical application.    

At the end of the day, I felt happy about what we have done. I felt proud of myself knowing that my students understood the lesson and enjoyed the entire activity. This is my goal as a teacher. I do not want the students to be forced to study and learn. I want them to develop the interest to learn and discover things on their own initiative. I am here as a teacher to help motivate them, give them proper instruction and guide them through out their learning.