General Characteristics: I have 22 students enrolled in my 6th grade Honors Mathematics course. Of the 22 students, 13 are male and 9 are female. The ethnicity makeup of my class is 3 African Americans, 4 Mixed (African American and Caucasian), 2 Latino, and 13 Caucasians. Their age ranges from 11 -13 years old. Three students have been identified as G/T (Gifted and Talented) through the CogAT test. Looking at data from the previous school year, 15 students scored Exceeds Expectations, 7 scored meets expectations on the SCREADY Mathematics State test at the end of their 5th grade year. Through observation I have seen that my students are easily motivated with extrinsic benefits. Overall, this is a great group of students. All are eager to learn and tend to pick up on concepts quickly.
Specific Entry Competencies: Students who have a steady history of high-test scores in the classroom, through MAP testing, SC READY testing, and percentile rank are placed in Honors Mathematics. This is a fast-paced course that not only covers 6th grade curriculum, but also a great deal of 7th grade curriculum as well. It is important for me to analyze all student data to get a true picture of their specific entry competencies.
I must examine my students prior SC READY and MAP scores. This will give me a starting point to see where my students stand. The data also allows me to better differentiate my instruction to meet the needs of every child. My districts pacing guide requires my 6th grade students to master 7th grade content, therefore analyzing my student’s specific entry competencies is a must.
Learning Styles: It is vital to know as an educator how your students learn best. Through a multiple intelligence test, I was able to see where my students fall learning style wise:
Kinesthetic- 14 students
Visual: 6 students
Auditory-Musical: 2 students
With this information it makes it easier for me to differentiate my instruction to meet the needs of everyone of my students. Also, I must keep in mind that I have two identified G/T students and a host of possible candidates. Therefore, through my instruction I must challenge them.
Chad Hamilton 