1. PATTERNING GRADE 3 – UNIT PLAN AN ONGOING PROCESS OF LEARNING

2. REFLECTION OF UNIT PLAN -Clear expectations have always been the key in my schooling -Teachers have always given me, WHAT’S REQUIRED -Our professor did give us an outline but there wasn’t a list, a diagram, an example that we were to follow -This was the first time feeling lost, where do I start, how would I organize it, do I collaborate with others or try this on my own -I look back and felt a bit lost at how I would handle this task, this learning experience

3. REFLECTION ASSIGNMENT #1 – GRADE 3 FRACTIONS -Excited, I called my partner-teacher from second semester’s placement to borrow a Grade 3 math text Math makes sense: 3 from her. -I was invited to explore unit planning with her and thought to myself: ‘with Ms. Parte’s guidance, this unit plan will be a breeze’ -She said, “let me show you patterns, not fractions, I’m not that far in the text yet. It is only September” -I wanted her guidance but suddenly what I was learning at school in regards to traditional teaching methods was right in front of me. I didn’t realize it then

4. IN TEACHING MATH: IS THERE A PERFECT ORDER … OR NOT? -With a couple of classes under the guidance of Dr. Jo Towers, I was becoming a tiny bit confused as to her expectations -My evening with my partner-teacher, where she showed me her step by step process was colliding with the information I was reading for math and what Dr. Jo Towers was conveying -Before the evening was over I posed a question to my partner-teacher, “why don’t you begin with fractions go to geometry, and back to … and teach other disciplines in”

5. MY PARTNER TEACHER’S OPINION ABOUT INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES AND MATH. - “…the math curriculum should be open to the teachers, not be imposed on us…and because I teach two classes of grade 3 math, it makes interdisciplinary teaching even harder…” (Parte, 2012). -“…the program of studies, interferes with my freedom to teach combined different disciplines as I have to cover what is set out and mandated by the program of studies, so rather than trying to change my teaching style, I just follow the math text book how it is set out…if I was free to teach anything it would be easier” (Parte, 2012). -The statement my partner teacher made confirms the findings of “…that teachers are not able and willing to prepare interdisciplinary projects and collaborate (Holubova, 2008)” (Anderson et al., 2010, p.2). -States: with two math classes along with other courses hinders her possibilities of interdisciplinary teaching. I find that difficult to believe as I even visualize math being integrated with with religion -Math and Religion  12 disciples (counting) & the breaking of bread (fractions)

6. ASSIGNMENT #1 – I’M MORE CONFUSED -I begin laying out the foundation for my unit plan. -There seems to be something missing -I’m sensing boredom, probably the children will as well - How do I create something more interesting - Pearson text … I’m not being drawn to it

7. GRADE 3 PATTERNING – MY NEW PLAN OF ACTION! -I’m going to integrate Grade 3 Social Studies into the math curriculum -I want the children to build and create, what I call LANDMARKS and see the patterns within any -Everything went well for me, so I thought -My unit plan was about patterns but throughout I keep on mentioning LANDMARK

8. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY LANDMARKS, ROSELLE? -I thought it was odd for our teacher to be asking me, what do you mean by landmarks? -I demonstrated with paper and pencil a LANDMARK to Dr. Towers, “ah, LANDMARKS … now I understand you” -My mind begins thinking … ‘if she couldn’t see that, how can I make an activity that demonstrates what I mean” -I still don’t put 1 and 1 together, I re-submit Assignment #1

9. MY LANDMARK A FELLOW CLASSMATE ALSO WANTED ME TO EXPLAIN LANDMARK SO I PURPOSELY STAYED UP TO SHOW HER WHAT I MEANT

10. A NEW LANDMARK PATTERN EMERGES This will be a simple bridge pattern

11. IT A STRUCTURE An Aha Moment What developed: The time Dr. Jo Towers took to get me on the path The time I took to actually describe a STRUCTURE During the time I took to do the whole unit plan I realized something huge, I as a math teacher cannot simply put an X on a child’s answer if it isn’t what ‘I’m looking for’ Set children on the path of learning, they’ll figure it out if I can Don’t set limits

12. THE NEXT GENERATION OF MATH SPECIALISTS OWEN, MY 3 YEAR OLD SON PROUDLY COUNTING I WOULD WANT YOU, MY CLASSMATES, TO TEACH HIM

13. TEACHING MATHEMATICS I love this wonderful subject and I would love to pass my passion on to the next generation of children I teach