WHEN: November 7 (3 hours) – Mastery Algebra CP & 10th grade

WHAT: I taught my lesson today to both classes of Mastery Algebra CP.  I thought it went very well and I was very proud of myself.  I was, however, a little disappointed with one part of my lesson.  One of my students couldn’t quite understand why we would use point-slope form, as opposed to slope-intercept form in a certain situation.  I explained to the student that if he is given the point (0,1) and the slope m=3 that it is the same as saying the slope is 3 and the y-intercept is 1.  He did not quite understand this.  I then made a chart for him.  I asked him what the point was that we were given.  He answered “(0,1)”.  I put this on the chart for him.  I asked him what we know when we look at a chart and we see a zero in the x place.  He said that we knew it was a y-intercept.  He then said he understood what I was saying.

SO WHAT: It really bothered me that he did not see the relationship between the point (0,1) and the y-intercept being 1.  I should not have to make a chart to have him see this. The truth of the matter is that these students have memorized the y-intercept as just a number they identify in a chart.  They can’t define the y-intercept any other way.  This is a problem with their conceptual understanding of the y-intercept.

I look back on the lesson and I am mad at myself for not making a graph and actually showing him the point (0,1).  This would should him how the point is intercepting the y-axis.  This would have given him an alternate way to looking at things.  In both classes, we have learned to show students numerous definitions of a concept, along with numerous examples and variations also.  In addition, we learned to have back-up alternate demonstrations to show students who do not understand it the way we are teaching it.  I am upset with myself for not remembering this while I was actually teaching.