Running head: PLANNING, PREPERATION, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESSMENT OF

LEARNERS

PLANNING, PREPERATION, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESMENT OF LEARNERS

Jessie Caprio
Regent University

Running head: PLANNING, PREPERATION, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESSMENT OF

LEARNERS

PLANNING, PREPERATION, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESMENT OF LEARNERS

When I was a child I never thought about what it meant to be a teacher. Of course, they
came into class and taught every day. They often were knowledgeable about many things and
were even good for advice now and then. If asked, I would have said they went home every
night and didnt think about school until they showed up the next day. I now know this is not the
case. Being a teacher is much more than showing up in the morning, teaching a lesson, and
going home as soon as the bell rings. There are large amounts of planning, preparation, and
work that goes into each and every subject and lesson.
Rational
This week, I introduced subtraction to my students. During the first three days of the
week, we only worked on to subtraction problems. I wanted the students to gain comfortability
with subtraction before mixing it with addition. During the last two days of class, students
worked on mixed subtraction and addition problems.
My first artifact is a pre assessment given at the beginning of the week. The pre
assessment was important for a number of reasons. First, it gave me a baseline of knowledge for
the students. I knew how well they performed in the subject before teaching it. Using this
baseline I was able to accurately determine how effective my lessons were and used that to
assess their knowledge. Second, it helped to identify areas of the subject in which the students
are least comfortable. Overall the students performed as expected. For the most part, they were
unfamiliar with subtraction and struggled with the assessment.
My second artifact is a picture of students using snap cubes. In this instance, we were
working as a class and I noticed a number of students struggling with the concept. I identified

Running head: PLANNING, PREPERATION, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESSMENT OF

LEARNERS

the students who were struggling and took them to the carpet for more individualized instruction.
The other students continued the activity we were doing. When on the carpet, we used snap
cubes to demonstrate what subtraction is. I wanted the students to understand the concept. It
was apparent the carpet time had a great effect.
My third artifact is the post assessment test that was given at the end of the week. In the
assessment, the students were required to solve both addition and subtraction problems. When
compared to the pre assessment, the end of week assessment was significantly better than the pre
assessment. The students were not only able to successfully answer most of their subtraction
problems, there was little confusion when mixed with addition problems.
My fourth artifact is the math lesson plans used for the week. The plan starts with
introducing the concept of subtraction in the beginning of the week, reinforcing it with practice
during the week, and combined with addition in the later part of the week. At each point, the
lesson was differentiated to suit the needs of various learners and assessed at each step to
determine effectiveness.
Reflection
Each of the previous competencies reflected an area of instruction that was important and
instrumental to the teaching process. If any one of them were left out, the classroom would be
less effective. They each represent a single point of the process. At the same time, it is
important for a teacher to do more than just focus on the tools and strategy available to them.
Becoming narrowly focused on one competency takes away from the others. Ones ability to
plan, prepare, instruct, and asses their students moves beyond single competencies and looks at
the entire process of teaching. There is no correct method that will work in every situation of the

Running head: PLANNING, PREPERATION, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESSMENT OF

LEARNERS

classroom. I saw that when I created carpet time with a number of my students this week. The
classroom is fluid. A world-class teacher restlessly seeks to develop and improve the skills that
produce the best learning outcomes. They are a fluid and dynamic and understand that so too is
their profession. (World, n.d.)
Perhaps one of the greatest techniques I have learned over my time at Regent is the need
for prayer in my classroom. I certainly prayed before I was a student at Regent and have always
known its value. However, as I worked through my student teaching I saw the vast effect it had
on the children in my classrooms and me. I can teach the students morals and virtue. I can teach
them right from wrong. I can lead by example and always demonstrate all the right things. Most
of this is frivolous though if not backed up with prayer. The odds of me ever being able to teach
about Jesus or pray with my students in a public school are highly unlikely. I can pray for them
though in everything they do. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6, NIV)

References
What is a world-class teacher? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://iei.ncsu.edu/emergingissues/teachers-great-economic-debate/world-class-teacher/