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The document discusses the importance of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) for teaching mathematics to seventh graders, highlighting strategies for enhancing PCK through understanding mathematical concepts and addressing student misconceptions. It emphasizes the need for teachers to deeply understand the subject matter and to anticipate common misunderstandings to improve student learning. Additionally, it provides an academic language list essential for seventh-grade math, explaining the significance of each term in relation to the curriculum.

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Elsa Trevino
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2 views

Copy of PCK Assignment

The document discusses the importance of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) for teaching mathematics to seventh graders, highlighting strategies for enhancing PCK through understanding mathematical concepts and addressing student misconceptions. It emphasizes the need for teachers to deeply understand the subject matter and to anticipate common misunderstandings to improve student learning. Additionally, it provides an academic language list essential for seventh-grade math, explaining the significance of each term in relation to the curriculum.

Uploaded by

Elsa Trevino
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Assignment on Pedagogical Content Knowledge

I'm working toward a license in mathematics for grades 4–8. Specifically, I want to teach math to
seventh graders.
I found Fish Tank Learning to be a useful resource for developing my PCK, particularly the
article "Pedagogical Content Knowledge" by Michelle Sirois. The link is as follows:
https://www.fishtanklearning.org/blog/pedagogical-content-knowledge/teacher-support

This article offers insightful information about Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and how
to enhance math education. A key component of PCK, according to Sirois, Director of
Mathematics at Fish Tank Learning, is "knowing the subject deeply, and knowing how to teach it
effectively." The article describes a focused strategy that blends pedagogical expertise and
content knowledge to help teachers improve their PCK. Regardless of the curriculum
framework, I believe that all students would benefit from these strategies. Teachers should
acquire "the knowledge, skills, and practices needed to support student learning," according to
Sirois, which includes being aware of common misconceptions and knowing how to correct
them. Based on her experience, successful PCK development consists of these essential
elements:

1. A thorough comprehension of mathematical concepts


2. An awareness of how students acquire mathematics
3. Knowledge of typical misunderstandings
4. Math-specific teaching techniques (Sirois)

"Studying the mathematical content deeply, analyzing student work, anticipating student
misconceptions, planning targeted questions, and refining instructional strategies based on
student learning" are some of the strategies for "developing PCK" that are discussed in the
article (Sirois).

Among the strategies Sirois offers in this article, identifying and correcting student
misconceptions is my favorite and the one I am most eager to use in my classroom. Deeper
student understanding results from "teachers planning instruction that directly confronts these
misconceptions by understanding the ways students might misinterpret mathematical concepts,"
according to Sirois. I believe that the concept of anticipating and proactively identifying student
misconceptions is revolutionary for the teaching of mathematics. A lesson on proportional
relationships would be one particular instance of how I would apply this in my seventh-grade
classroom:

"I would foresee the widespread misunderstanding that all linear relationships are
proportional when I was teaching proportional relationships. Many students find it
difficult to discern between linear but non-proportional relationships (y = mx + b,
where b ≠ 0) and proportional relationships (y = kx). In order to address this, I
would create a lesson that uses a variety of representations, including tables,
graphs, and equations, to clearly contrast these two kinds of relationships. I would
give students examples where they would have to check whether the origin is on
the line or whether the ratio between quantities is constant in order to determine
whether a relationship is proportional. Students can gain a better understanding of
what distinguishes a proportional relationship from a merely linear one by
confronting this misconception head-on.

These focused teaching strategies and my approach to clearing up misconceptions can be


organized to meet the lesson's learning goals. By giving me a strategy that foresees students'
thinking and learning difficulties, this technique and guidance enhance my PCK. This approach
helps students gain precise mathematical understanding throughout the learning process and
can be used for all topics in mathematics, not just proportional relationships.

The academic language list required in a seventh-grade math classroom is provided below,
along with an explanation of the significance of each vocabulary word or phrase to the subject
matter.

Academic Language List

Academic Language Vocabulary Why is this academic language important?

1. Proportional Relationship A fundamental idea in seventh-grade


mathematics is proportional relationships.
Students must comprehend that a constant
ratio between two quantities is a defining
characteristic of proportional relationships.
This idea is crucial for resolving proportional,
percentage, and scale factor problems in the
real world.

2. Rational Number Students in the seventh grade do a lot of work


with rational numbers, such as integers,
fractions, and decimals. For operations
involving rational numbers and algebraic
reasoning, it is essential to comprehend that
these numbers can be expressed as the
quotient of two integers.

3. Unit Rate In order to comprehend proportional


relationships, unit rates are essential. Pupils
must understand that a unit rate, like miles
per hour or cost per item, expresses a rate
with a denominator of 1. Comparing rates and
resolving proportional reasoning problems
require an understanding of this idea.

4. Constant of Proportionality In seventh grade, the constant of


proportionality (k) in the equation y = kx is a
crucial idea. For students to completely
comprehend proportional connections, they
must recognize and interpret this constant in
tables, graphs, equations, and real-world
scenarios.

5. Scale Factor When dealing with scale drawings and related


figures, scale factors are utilized. In order to
solve problems involving enlargements and
reductions, students must comprehend how
scale variables impact measures. This idea
relates geometric notions to proportional
thinking.

6. Expression Pupils must comprehend that an algebraic


expression uses variables, numbers, and
operations to represent a mathematical term.
In the seventh grade and later, algebraic
thinking relies heavily on the ability to
construct, understand, and work with
expressions.

7. Linear Equation As students start to solve one- and two-step


equations, it is essential that they
comprehend linear equations. Pupils must
understand that solving equations entails
determining the values that make the
equation true and that equations reflect
connections when two expressions are equal.

8. Surface Area Students determine the surface area of three-


dimensional shapes in geometry class. For
practical uses involving materials, coverings,
or coatings, it is crucial to comprehend that
surface area is the total of the areas of all
faces (or surfaces) of a three-dimensional
figure.

9. Volume The concept of volume as a measurement of


three-dimensional space must be understood
by students. Students in the seventh grade
relate algebraic formulae to geometric ideas
by using formulas for the volume of prisms,
pyramids, and other solids.
10. Statistical Inference Students must comprehend that statistical
inference is drawing inferences about a
population from a sample as they work with
statistics. This idea is essential to data
interpretation and to comprehending how
random sampling produces representative
data.

Works Cited

Sirois, Michelle. "Pedagogical Content Knowledge." Fish Tank Learning, 2023,


https://www.fishtanklearning.org/teacher-support/blog/pedagogical-content-knowledge/.

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