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Service Learning Project: Equal Shmequal. EDMS 7060 – Fall 2011 Brittney Dressel & Shea Richardson. Project Overview.
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Service Learning Project: Equal Shmequal EDMS 7060 – Fall 2011 Brittney Dressel & Shea Richardson
Project Overview • We worked with low performing 8th grade math students at Prince Avenue Christian School (PACS) to provide a service of tutoring 4th grade math students at the same school. • The students focused on the mathematical concept of balancing and solving equations.
Community Context • 8th grade math students: • Not confident in math • Believe they aren’t smart • Do the bare minimum to get by • 4th grade math students: • Have a difficult time understanding equations and how to balance them
Community Context Things in common with both groups of math students: • Most have grown up together and will graduate together • Similar socioeconomic background • Similar cultural background • Most parents are extremely involved
Community Need • 4th grade students at PACS needed extra help learning how to solve and balance equations. • Other needs included helping students become more academically successful and helping to promote self-confidence.
Service Provided • Read the book, Equal Shmequal,by Virginia Kroll • Questions and vocabulary • 8th grade students split into pairs • Matching game
Project Participants: 8th grade students 4th grade students Brittney, Mrs. Smith & Shea
Project Participants Reading to 4th graders
Project Participants Playing game with 4th graders
Project Participants Playing matching game
Project Participants Girls playing matching game
Student Survey Do you ask for help in math class? Why or why not? ~ Most said “Yes” or “Sometimes” - “So I won’t fail” - “So I can learn something I may not have known - “Sometimes I’m embarrassed” - “Sometimes I wait to see if someone else has the same question” - “Yes because I have the IQ of the amount of money in my pocket, $0.”
Student Survey Tell if you agree or disagree with the following statement: “I often feel discouraged in math class.” Then explain. ~Agree because everyone else understands ~ Agree because math is hard for me to grasp a hold of ~ Disagree because I can ask for help ~ Disagree because I can get it and if not Miss Dressel will help ~ Disagree but I get frustrated because I don’t remember during homework and tests ~ Disagree because most of the time I get the lesson
Written Reflection What did you do yesterday that made you feel that you made a difference? Why? • “The kids will now understand equations because of my teaching” • “I felt I made a difference mainly because I got to teach those kids something they’ve never learned” • “We were teaching them basic algebra…they will need it when they get older. Even though we didn’t teach them very much, it still feels good knowing that they won’t be totally lost down the road.” • “I feel like I did my job of helping them understand algebra more because they look up to me. And they will listen to me a lot more than the teacher because they look up to me.” • “We helped them learn about being equal and fair.” • “We made learning fun.”
Written Reflection The personal strengths I brought to this project were… - “Being friendly…teaching them to understand the vocabulary.” - “Self confidence…patience.” - “I am not shy and not afraid to introduce myself to new people.” - “My talkativeness…I think I made them feel like they could have fun while doing math.” - “I love little kids and ever since I was little I have always wanted to be a teacher, so this was a lot of fun for me.” - “I’m good with kids…Also, I’m very very very (x30)…very tall so the kids look up to me, metaphorically and physically.” - “I think my leadership skills helped me explain more and I wasn’t afraid to jump right in.”
Written Reflection Describe and compare your experience the first time we went into Mrs. Smith’s room with the second and third time we went into Mrs. Smith’s room. • “I don’t think we were prepared the first time…excited the first time and calmer the other two times.” • “I was a little nervous because I was afraid that I would do something stupid or mess up or something…the second time we were used to it…the third time we are almost done so we knew what to do.” • “Nervous the first two times…totally confident the third time.” • “The first day we didn’t know what to expect…the second day we sort of knew…the final day was a breeze, we all knew our roles and it went superb.” • “On the first day I was nervous. I had never done that before and didn’t know what to expect. On the third day…I was actually a little disappointed it had to end. Teaching little kids is fun!”
Visual Reflection If you could change one thing about the project, what would it be and why? How did you feel about serving the 4th graders? What did you learn from helping with the 4th graders?
Participant Learning • Some academic learning • Personal growth • Rise in self-confidence • Overall sense of accomplishment & pride
Participant Learning Georgia Performance Standards Covered: M7A1. Students will represent and evaluate quantities using algebraic expressions. a. Translate verbal phrases to algebraic expressions. b. Simplify and evaluate algebraic expressions, using commutative, associative, and distributive properties as appropriate. M7A2. Students will understand and apply linear equations in one variable. b. Use the addition and multiplication properties of equality to solve one- and two-step linear equations. M7P3 Students will communicate mathematically. a. Organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through communication. b. Communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others. c. Analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies of others. d. Use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas precisely.
CELEBRATION: • next week • RECOGNITION: • Bulletin Board with visual reflections • Speaking with other classes about the project • PUBLICITY: • Quarterly PACS newsletter
Conclusion • Students: • Really do care - just need more help sometimes • Have more abilities than we originally thought • Now have more of a team mentality • Have higher confidence in math abilities • Have an understanding that learning is a process with many steps • Group Members: • One minor act of service can have a huge impact on students • Service Learning is effective and is not impossible!
