Dario Avila Assignment 3A

This entry is about information gathered from the post-assessment of my students at the end of this unit.

Findings
The students improved their graphing skills and excelled at solving systems of equations by graphing. The students did not perform very well on solving systems of equations by substitution. The majority answered correctly on the first question, which required manipulation of just one equation, but they struggled mightily on the more lengthy problems.
The students were better at solving systems of equations by elimination, but still struggled mightily with the more complex problems.
The students struggled with graphing systems of linear inequalities.

What changes would I make?
I believe that my students struggled because I used too many "easy" examples during instruction. The questions on the test were a higher degree of difficulty than the examples I showed in class and in the activities that I guided the student through during class. In the future, I will select test questions that are more reflective of what I covered in class.  Lastly, I will make the instructional time more rigorous so that the students find the test questions far more manageable.

What did I enjoy?
I enjoyed seeing the students understand the concepts better.  My Algebra IB class is full of students who failed Algebra I at least once. When the students begin to make connections and see the correct way to solve a problem, their eyes widen and they become engaged in the learning activities.

TED 633 Assignment 2B: Entrance Tickets

Hello everyone,

Photo credit

I have decided to test one of my unit plan pre-assessments from my Algebra 1B class. It is a variation of the exit ticket or exit slip strategy (see photo at right), except that I plan to use it as a warm up and pre-assessment. The students will each be given an "entrance ticket" upon entering the class. The activity is designed as a warm up, will be graded as participation points, but it is also a tool for the teacher to check for understanding. The students will solve a problem on their entrance ticket that blends the previous lesson into the current day's lesson. The students will be graded based on the following rubric: 

• Score Level Four:
• Student shows each step in the solution and correctly answers the question. Student uses the appropriate method of solving and demonstrates content mastery. Student is ready to move to the next content area.
• Score Level Three:  
• Student uses the appropriate method of solving and includes some steps of the solution process. The student is close to the correct answer, but makes a small error or two. The student will be ready to advance to the next content area after a small review and practice prior to the next lesson.
• Score Level Two:  
• Student attempts to solve the problem, but does not use the appropriate method correctly. The student is able to produce an answer, but the solution is incorrect. The student will benefit from one to more days of reteaching and review before moving on to the next topic.
• Score Level One:
• Student struggles to write anything down.  The students writes little to no work and does not use the appropriate method of solving.  The student needs extensive practice and reteaching before he/she is ready to advance to the next content area.

I administered the pre-assessment to the entire class and recorded the data for five students. I was surprised to see that no students scored a level four. Only one student graded out as a score level three, one was a score level two and the remaining three were a score level one. The pre-assessment was very effective because it showed me that I need to go back and reteach the content and also have discussions with the students about having more tutoring time available outside of the regular class time. 

I believe adjustments are needed in the instruction and in providing the students with proper and timely feedback. The rubric is a good way of showing me if I need to reteach or move on to the next content area. The students that struggled were overwhelmed by the fact that they had to graph two linear equations on the same coordinate grid. Perhaps I can use more scaffolding and post visual aids around the room that can help the students with the step by step solving process. If there are any additional suggestions for changes, please share in the comments section.

Sincerely,

Dario Avila

Dario Avila Introduction

Hello everyone,

My name is Dario Avila.  I am currently working as a long term substitute teacher and assistant football coach at Birmingham Community Charter High School in Lake Balboa.  I will begin student teaching in January out of my assigned classroom.  My subject is Mathematics and I am currently teaching Algebra 1 and Geometry.

I am originally from El Paso, Texas, but I have been living in Los Angeles since August 2003.  I earned my bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California and I am excited to be completing my single subject credential in Mathematics from National University soon.  Education and athletic competition are my two passions in life.  I was fortunate to have had some great teachers and coaches throughout my youth that taught me valuable lessons about life.  It was through these mentors that I was able to believe in myself and overcome any of life's challenges.  I want nothing more in life than to pay it back to the community and help as many people as possible.

The personality tests reveal that I am left-brain dominant.  I generally agree with that assessment. Although, I am not a very organized person (one just needs one peek into my car or desk at work), I need structure and organization in my life to function.  I do not enjoy working somewhere that has irregular hours and little to no structure.  I like to have a plan, and then have to execute that plan.  In the classroom, it is essential to have a pacing plan and a unit plan to guide the instruction.  However, it must allow for flexibility when certain units require longer periods of reteaching.  As a football coach, organization and planning is also very important.  Goals must be set and there needs to be a plan in place to attain those goals.  After each practice or game, I meet with the other staff and maybe the team captains to brainstorm ideas of how the team can improve.  I am comfortable taking tests.  I treat life like a competition.  There are always benchmarks that must be reached.  When I fall short of attaining certain goals, I know that it is time for me to go back to the drawing board and come up with an action plan to either adjust my goals or formulate a new strategy for success.  These are traits that I believe will translate well into the classroom.  It is important to constantly reflect and determine what went right, what went wrong, and what can be done to get better.


A little encouragement can go a long way to helping someone.  I will work hard to ensure that I plan my lessons in a way that maximizes the students' abilities.  I believe that teaching and coaching are one and the same.  As I grow and improve as a teacher, I will undoubtedly grow as a coach.  I look forward to the challenges and rewards that are in store for me in education.

Sincerely,

Dario Avila