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Developing a Keen Eye

Video Analysis Lesson Task

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1. Introduce

The developing a keen eye video library provides teachers and coaches with a rich set of resources to support the analysis of teaching with a goal of having productive and transformative discussions about ways to promote more ambitious teaching and learning in their mathematics classrooms. The introduction to each cycle includes background information about the lesson, the teacher, and the context for the classroom video recording.

2. Goal

Establishing clear and meaningful learning goals is an essential aspect of planning for effective mathematics instruction. Teachers need focused opportunities to articulate the intended math goals of their lessons as well as the key connections students need to make in order to achieve the intended learning goal. Math learning goals should be situated within a progression of coherent teaching that promotes and deepens student understanding over time.

3. Analyze

Research shows that analysis of teaching is one of the most effective levers for improving instruction and student achievement (Roth et al., 2019). The use of short classroom video clips and keen eye protocols focus teachers' attention on ways to promote students' engagement in mathematically productive practices and key moments when students' opportunities to make progress toward the intended learning goal occur during the lesson.

4. Reflect

Reflection is an essential part of improving planning and instructional practices. No lesson is perfect and whether teachers are new to teaching or have been teaching for many years, learning and growth results from an ongoing focus on teaching from a learning stance. The final elements the keen eye video analysis reflection cycle includes opportunities to delve deeper (optional prompts to explore) and hear final reflections from the teacher in the video.

BACKGROUND & CONTEXT

INTRODUCE

True or False: Exploring Chunking the Divisor

Students engage in a true false routine related to an equation that makes students to grapple with whether or not you can chunk the divisor in a division problem.

In this video analysis cycle, the teacher (Lynn Simpson) is asking students to explore a True or False statement related to the division of whole numbers. During the previous lesson, she engaged the students in an exploration regarding chunking the dividend in a division problem. For example, students made sense of why a problem like 312 divided 4 could be solved using partial quotients such as (100 ÷ 4) + (100 ÷ 4) + (100 ÷ 4) + (12 ÷ 4). In this next fourth grade lesson, Lynn presents a true or false problem to the students to support them in reasoning about whether you can chunk the divisor in a division problem

NARRATIVE & GOAL

True or False: Exploring Chunking the Divisor

Students engage in a true false routine related to an equation that makes students to grapple with whether or not you can chunk the divisor in a division problem.

In this keen eye video analysis cycle, students are trying to make sense of whether the equation (shown) above is true or false. Before watching the video, take some time to discuss why this is a logical lesson to follow students' exploration of the use of partial quotients to solve division problems. Discuss how students might think about this problem, particularly if the goal were to solve the problem without actually doing the computation (relational thinking).

Classroom MATHEMATICS PracticES

ANALYZE

True or False: Exploring Chunking the Divisor

Video Analysis: Round One

Prior to watching the video clip, take a few moments to review the first page of the video analysis protocol. What do you notice? How are the descriptors organized? Use the descriptors to focus your attention on the ideas embedded in the following areas of interest. Use the given facilitation guide to help you structure a meaningful and productive conversation

Students engage in a true false routine related to an equation that makes students to grapple with whether or not you can chunk the divisor in a division problem.

MATH Learning opportunities

ANALYZE

True or False: Exploring Chunking the Divisor

Video Analysis: Round Two

Students engage in a true false routine related to an equation that makes students to grapple with whether or not you can chunk the divisor in a division problem.

EXTENDING OUR LEARNING

REFLECT

True or False: Exploring Chunking the Divisor

Questions to Explore:

Next Steps

Play Video

In this last part of the lesson, the teacher introduces the use of a visual model to help students connect the skittles context to what is going on with the mathematics. Discuss how the way the representation was used impacted students’ learning opportunities.