Exit Interview

Content:

1) What is your essential question and answers?  What is your best answer and why?

     My essential question is "What is the best way for a middle school math teacher to maximize a female student's score on the California State Test?". My first answer is building strong relationshiops by learning about their culture. My second answer is creating personalized curricula that meets the student's needs. My final answer is incorporating real world applications to the lessons to keep them interested in the subject. My best answer is using real world applications in lessons because I found various articles and studies, such as the Keeping Science and Math Alive in Middle School article, that supports this claim.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

      I tried to compare which one of my answers had the most valid research that could support my argument. I looked at some author's opinions and research conducted by educational organizations and found that most agree that real world applications are vital when learning math. I also saw that this technique was widely used at my mentorship. 

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

     Some of the problems that I faced where that recently my mentor Mr. Rainville and the other 6th grade teachers decided to switch the subjects they taught because they were about to begin testing and they needed to review many things with their students. When I would go to his classroom he would be reviewing Language Arts instead of Math. Fortunately, the other teacher who helped me complete my component, Ms. De la Peña, helped me. Whenever she would be teaching math I would have to walk around helping students who were falling behind. I also helped her design a STEM project where te students will apply what they have learned. 

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

    One of my most significant sources was my mentor, Mr. Rainville, who during my 4th interview reassured me that the answers I had thought about were right. He explained the importance of each and how he applies them in his classroom. Another importan source was a study done by Microsoft Corporation. This research study helped me decide what my first answer was going to be.