Think Aloud Reflection

I enjoyed presenting my think aloud to the class. I was slightly more caffeinated than I should have been, and that may have caused me to rush through some of my explanations. I was also worried about taking up too much time, even though I had decided to only work through the first two problems on the worksheet. The worksheet itself is a useful tool and in finding it I found an extensive collection of similar tools. The Georgia Standards of Excellence website has problems, exercises, and worksheets for all math levels broken down into units and topics. Math problems can be difficult to create, especially ones that cover multiple topics effectively, and having so many in one spot will be incredibly helpful as a first time teacher.

I was excited to hear that so many people enjoyed my think aloud, especially parts that came naturally to me. Like I mentioned in class, I consciously make a point to read the instructions before I step into a problem. I have also gotten into the habit of simplifying math terms in order to make sure I understand the question, and hearing that my “students” enjoyed that was reassuring.

I believe that a think aloud would be useful to do with students when new types of problems are introduced. As a review, many students have experienced some word problems before and would not benefit as much from the think aloud. This could be a way to introduce a type of problem at the beginning of a new unit. Overall, having a math problem and chart broken down could help students understand a concept and how to solve that concept better.

Suzy's Company Worksheet

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