By Lisa
I plan to increase my effectiveness as a teacher through technology by using an interactive Venn diagram activity (located at the web address below) periodically throughout the year in my Algebra classes as a vocabulary builder, as a math reminder/enhancer, and as a stepping stone for next level of my students’ mathematical future. Through the use of this Venn diagram activity, my students should be more capable of using and understanding the mathematical content that they will be taught.
The type of students that I teach range from grades 9th to 12th, and they are considered to be remedial students with different ethnic backgrounds. Some of these students are repeating this class for either the first or second time. Their skill levels are varied as well as their behaviors. Some of these students are in my class because they do have low skill levels, while others are in my class because they have behavior issues. So, it is accurate to say that my students are varied in many ways.
As mentioned above, I will be using interactive Venn diagrams to help enhance my students’ mathematical knowledge. The specific way that I plan to use this interactive activity in my classroom will be as an opener on the first day of school and throughout the first week as a class entry task. The main purpose of this activity is to not only allow the students to show me what they now about mathematical vocabulary, number classifications, and polygons, but also to let the students discover what they know as well. By using Venn diagrams in preference to a different form of technology, the students will be able to receive a much clearer and deeper understanding of the topic in question since these Venn diagrams compare up to three things at once.
The main way that I plan to support this technology based activity is to use the students’ scores that were provided by this program as a building block for the lessons that will be taught each day. For example, after reviewing the scores for each class, I will review/revisit the most commonly missed topics with the class. First, I will give a basic review for some lower level concepts. Next, I will ask students to come up to the board and do examples in front of the class. It is also important to mention that during this review and class activity, the students will be expected and required to take notes on the material for future use.
When considering how this interactive computer generated activity will help and enhance the specific Algebra lessons that will taught this year, it is safe to say that it directly relates to the first few lessons in chapter 1 of the computer portion of the Carnegie curriculum and various others. To be more specific, the few computer lessons require the students to classify numbers in various ways, much like the Venn diagram activity. By allowing time for the students to work with the Venn diagram activity before beginning their computer lessons, they should be better prepared to be successful at completing their lessons with commendable scores.
In conclusion, by using the interactive Venn diagram computer activity as a precursor to a lesson, the students should gain a deeper understanding of their needed/required math vocabulary and therefore become more successful at mastering their required skills.
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/VennDiagrams/