math reflection essay grade 11

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Reflecting on My Own Math Experiences

Hi thank you so much for being here..

Welcome! I am so glad you have come across this post! My name is Julia Park and I am a senior at Millersville University! I am an Early Childhood Education major and I have learned so much so far! If you have a moment, feel free to check out my previous blog posts!

In my last post, I shared information about learning centers in math class! In this post, I will be reflecting on my mathematical journey. My experiences in math have really shaped the way I teach my students.

My Early Math Memories

I believe that early math experiences can really shape a child’s mindset towards mathematics. It has definitely shaped mine. Unfortunately, it has been a long journey of growing my interest in math, and I am still working on it! 

When I was in elementary school, even up until my time at Millersville, math has been a huge struggle for me. I have grown up with the incredibly damaging misconception that you have to be a “math person” to excel in math.  A lot of my peers had the same mindset, which made it even harder to let go of those limiting thoughts. 

I discussed this in my growth mindset blog post , but “math people” do not exist! I have my own reasons as to why I thought there were math people, but children’s experiences often vary. I think my fixed mindset was formed from experiences with not-so-nice teachers, the pressure of time limits and the need for accuracy in class, and a lack of hands-on learning. Those are just a few ideas of why I think I have had a tough time with math and I will be discussing more ideas later in this post!

Although it was hard to get through math class sometimes, I am really grateful that I have had these experiences because I can learn from them and relate to my own students. I want my students to feel comfortable with asking for help and to know that it is possible to learn and grow in many ways!

What I Have Learned From Past Teachers

Through my time as a student in math class, I have had many different experiences with a variety of teachers. I want to share the good and the bad of what I have gone through because I think it is beneficial for teachers to reflect on all experiences related to learning. We can take what we learn to inform our own teaching practices. 

Positive approaches I have learned from teachers:

• Providing assistance outside of class
• Using a hands-on learning approach
• Giving time to practice skills in class
• Utilizing interactive math games
• Facilitating class discussions 
• Being kind and encouraging when a student is struggling 

Approaches of teachers that were difficult for me: 

• Focusing on accuracy only and not effort
• Putting pressure on students to turn in extensive assignments with a limited amount of time
• Teaching new concepts too fast
• Using too many lectures and PowerPoint presentations
• Not having time to reflect on concepts in class
• Being intimidating when a student is struggling 

Every student learns differently. These experiences are unique to me and not everyone will be able to relate to what I have taken from my past math classes. However, I think it is important to recognize that although one strategy might work for one student, it might not work for another student.  This notion emphasizes the need for differentiation. I will be discussing differentiation more in the next section. 

Strategies I Want to Use to Teach Math

As I finish this semester at Millersville University, I am leaving with so many new ways of teaching math that I was not even aware of previously. I have a new passion for making math class fun and interesting for my students. The following are some examples of strategies I would love to incorporate in my future math class: 

• My math instruction will be differentiated based on my students’ needs. I will monitor their progress through various assessments and observations to modify or individualize my instruction when needed.
• Hands-on learning will be included to increase the engagement and participation of my students. I want to make math fun and exciting!!
• Class discussions will be a huge part of my mathematics instruction. Discussions in math class promote a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts in children.  
• I would love to try to use interactive notebooks to organize my students’ learning and create engaging experiences. I had not heard of these notebooks until this year and I love them!
• Technology , manipulatives , and children’s literature are just a few tools I plan on using to enhance mathematics instruction for my students. 
• Parent involvement is very important for a child’s education and I will consistently keep in contact with families to increase this involvement. 
• I am very passionate about modeling a growth mindset for my students. I want my students to believe in themselves and in their ability to grow.
• I will strive to create a safe and welcoming environment for my students. I want them to be comfortable with sharing their ideas and to not fear making mistakes. To do this, I will value effort just as much as accuracy. 

Mistakes Are Learning Opportunities!

One of the biggest lessons I have learned throughout my time at Millersville is that making mistakes is okay. I used to put so much pressure on myself to be perfect and know everything, but that is not healthy. Teachers are not robots made to feed information to students. Instead, we have a purpose to learn alongside our students and to welcome mistakes as learning opportunities.

I am much more comfortable now being honest with my students in moments of uncertainty. I would rather figure something out with them than provide them with the wrong information. It’s really fun to explore ideas with students and work together toward a common goal. These experiences with students are valuable and strengthen the student-teacher relationship. When children trust their teachers, they are more engaged, motivated, and feel an increased amount of comfort when reaching out for help and sharing their thoughts with others. 

Check out my blog post about growth mindset to learn more about the importance of making mistakes and the value of having a positive mindset in math class!

Thank you so much for reading!

I had a blast sharing my mathematical experiences with you all! I have grown so much through the years and I can’t wait to keep growing as I gain more experience. I hope you learned about some ways you can teach mathematics in your own classroom! Thank you for reading. I sincerely appreciate it!

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Hi! I am Julia Park and I'm a junior at Millersville University. I am currently studying Early Childhood Education. I am so excited to share my journey through my new blog! View all posts by Julia Park

Hi! Welcome to my blog! I made this blog in order to help and share my work to all of you. Also, to save my works and to extend my opinion in some cases. Thank you guys. Hoping for your support. Always do the right thing, and everything will be alright. Alright? "PLEASE DO LEAVE A COMMENT GUYS, IF YOU HAVE"

Sunday, March 24, 2019

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2 Ways to Encourage Reflection on Math Concepts

Open-ended questions guide students to participate and to think mathematically, which cements their learning.

For many students, math is a subject where every question has one (and only one) correct answer. If a student is asked, “What is two plus two?” the only acceptable response is “Four.”

What if students were also asked, “Why does two plus two equal four?” Reflection questions like this, which are purposely open-ended, do not have a single correct answer. Instead, these questions remove the fear of being wrong and encourage mathematical thinking, participation, and growth.

“Reflection questions are important for students and help move the focus from performance to learning,” says Stanford professor Jo Boaler , who believes that “assessment plays a key role in the messages given to students about their potential, and many classrooms need to realign their assessment approach in order to encourage growth instead of fixed mindsets among students.”

In addition to performance-focused questions and assessments (“What is the total sum of the interior angles of a triangle?”), you can ask open-ended reflection questions that encourage mathematical thinking and participation (“Why do you think the total sum of the interior angles of a triangle always equals 180 degrees?”). The second question shifts the focus from performance toward thinking, learning, and engaging with mathematics without the fear of being wrong.

How can you incorporate reflection questions into your math lessons? Try these two useful strategies.

Which One Doesn’t Belong?

If you grew up watching Sesame Street , you probably remember the “One of These Things Is Not Like the Others” segment, where viewers had to identify one object out of a set of four that did not belong. This simple activity helps children to identify similarities and differences, and this type of thinking can be extended to learning math.

Which One Doesn’t Belong? (WODB) math activities present students with four different visual graphics that are all similar and different from each other in some way. This four-quadrant activity is my go-to for getting whole-class participation, as each option can be argued as the correct answer.

Observe the photo above of a WODB activity showing the numbers 22, 33, 44, and 50, and identify which choice does not belong and explain why. Since the graphics are purposely ambiguous and have overlapping similarities and differences, there is no single correct answer. One student might conclude that 50 doesn’t belong because it is the only number not divisible by 11. Another student may also believe that 50 doesn’t belong but for a different reason, namely that it is the only number with two different digits. A third student might conclude that 33 doesn’t belong because it is the only odd number. With this one graphic, you can easily spark a deep mathematical discussion where all students are eager to participate and share their thinking without any fear of being wrong.

WODB activities can be used for any math topic and can include images, numbers, charts, and graphs. They can also be used as formative assessments where students write their responses on sticky notes and stick them on the graphic that is projected at the front of the classroom.

Think-Notice-Wonder

Writing about math helps students organize their thoughts, use important vocabulary terms, and express their ideas in depth—which leads to deeper understanding.

Think-Notice-Wonder (TNW) activities are open-ended writing prompts where students are required to complete I think… , I notice… , I wonder… , based on a given graphic related to a math topic.

For example, students observe the soda and popcorn price graphic above and are prompted: What do you think? What do you notice? What do you wonder?

Encourage your students to think deeply for a minute or two before putting their thoughts into writing. They can share their ideas about the relationship between the price of a bag of popcorn and a soda based on size. They can verbalize how they perceive the proportional relationship to behave, wonder about which option provides the most value, and question how the prices were determined in the first place.

Since TNW writing activities are open-ended and do not have a correct answer, they encourage full group participation. Teachers often have students share their responses in a math journal notebook, but you can also use this free TNW student response template .

If you are looking for free images and graphics to use as TNW writing prompts, here are a few helpful resources:

• Find math-related graphics and images using Google Image Search and display them at the front of your classroom.
• Access and share teacher-created TNW activities on Twitter by searching the math education hashtags, including #ITeachMath, #MTBoS, and #NoticeWonder.
• Free stock photo websites such as Unsplash have an excellent collection of photos that relate to math topics, including estimation, three-dimensional figures, and mathematical patterns in nature.

When you add more reflection questions into your math lessons, students will have more opportunities to participate and engage in mathematical thinking without fear, which leads to a most-desired outcome—accessibility and growth.

• Aug 12, 2019

Math: Reflective Math Journaling Prompts

Updated: Aug 18, 2023

I am a HUGE groupie of Dr. Yeap Ban Har. If you have ever heard him discuss a lesson, he has a very specific structure that allows students to collaborate and evaluate. He begins by choosing a thoughtful problem that allows students to solve in multiple ways. The classroom lesson continues in this manner:

Exploration with Observation (10 minutes): Students work to solve the problem presented. They use manipulatives, paper and express their methods in their math journals as an investigative response, if needed. Dr. Ban Har encourages students to solve in more than 2 ways.

Structured Discussion with Sharing of Methods (10 minutes): Dr. Ban Har asks students to share out their methods. As students share, he records their methods using examples, words and pictures. He expresses no judgement on these methods and allows students to see if they are similar or that they work properly.

Reflection or Journaling with Interaction (10 minutes): Students then take a moment to process what has happened this point in the lesson. This can be by reading through part of the textbook and analyzing what the author did. They can also do this by writing in their interactive math journals. However, the prompts should vary based on the type of problem. Check out the graphic below to see the types of prompts he suggests.

Guided Practice (10 minutes): Guided Practice is an opportunity for students to try out the methods discussed with a partner. Students work to solve problems using the various methods. If they need help, they receive assistance from the teacher through questioning.

Independent Practice (10 minutes): Often lessons end without students having an opportunity to process the information on their own. Independent Practice allows students to use the various methods and make sense of problems. Due to the fact that students are working collaboratively throughout the lesson, this independent time is vital to help students finish the lesson.

Dr. Ban Har mentions that Reflection or Journaling can move after Guided Practice, if needed. That allows students to practice and reflect throughout the lesson. If you would like a copy of the lesson structure and the Journal Prompts, click below to access your own printable prompts. These would be great to cut out and glue in a student math journal to remind students how to journal. You can also find out more about how I set up math journals in this blog post here .

If you are interested in more from Dr. Ban Har, check out his blog at http://banhar.blogspot.com/

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What Do Your Students Think About Math?: Student Reflection as a Tool for Finding Out

by Marta Garcia and Annie Sussman | Jan 21, 2022 | 0 comments

“An equitable learning community requires first and foremost knowing who our students are and using that knowledge to situate math learning in the lived experiences of students, building on the knowledge and skills each student brings to school and acknowledging and welcoming students’ identities into the classroom.” ( Godfrey , 2021.)

Many teachers use formative assessment, exit tickets, journal writing and/or other strategies to gather information about how students think about specific math content. Using these types of tools (e.g. exit tickets, surveys) to collect information about how students are experiencing math class and how they view themselves as learners may feel less familiar. Gathering this type of data is an important part of establishing and maintaining an equitable learning community.

Part of the work of building an equitable learning community is establishing an atmosphere of trust. Trust is essential for our students to feel safe sharing openly about themselves and their experiences with us and with each other. We can create a community of trust by listening actively and generously to our students’ contributions, and by building caring relationships that are anchored in mutual respect.

When we set aside time for students to reflect and to offer feedback, we show them that we value their opinions and care about them as individuals. Whole group discussions, interviews, and student reflection tools are powerful ways to examine students’ dispositions, their expectations, and their reactions to math class. When we take time to listen and respond to the feedback students offer, we demonstrate our commitment to fostering a supportive learning community as well as our respect for our students’ contributions. If used regularly, such reflections can help us see how students’ thoughts about mathematics, and about themselves as learners, are changing over time (or not). This choice to pay attention to and respond to students’ needs and current dispositions is a critical step in developing an equitable learning environment.

Ms. Diaz, a fifth grade teacher, shares her experience: This past year I have been intentional about setting aside time for my students to reflect on how they see themselves as learners of math and as part of a class of math learners. It doesn’t take long to have them answer a question on an index card such as “Do you think your classmates value your ideas? Why or why not?” I learn so much about my students and how they see their status in the classroom. It helps me make adjustments that provide more equitable participation.

Students become invested in the learning community when they recognize that they can influence their own learning as well as the dynamics and culture of their classroom. When we invite our students to reflect on their participation and on how their ideas are valued and responded to, we highlight the role of the individual as well as that of the community. When we listen to and respond to their feedback we are empowering them to take an active role in their own learning and in the classroom community.

A student in Ms. Diaz’s class, who had been reluctant to share in whole group discussions during the first four weeks of school, wrote this reflection in response to the question: What has math class been like for you in school so far? 

This year in math class you give us time to write in our math journals about how we are feeling about math class. We also get to share ideas about how we could make math class better during discussions. I can tell you care about not just what I learn but how I learn. I like to be able to tell you how I feel.

After reading this student’s response, Ms. Diaz was able to understand that this student does value the sharing of ideas. She would like to further understand why this student is not yet sharing his ideas in the whole group. Her next step might be to explore whether this student thinks his ideas are valuable.

An important part of incorporating student reflection into our practice is thinking about what questions we should be asking and when we should be asking them. Once we have established goals related to learning about our students, we can select appropriate questions and prompts. 

• What do I want to know about my students at this point in time?
• What type of question would best support them in reflecting on a specific component of the math community? Of their math identity?
•  How can I encourage students to reflect on themselves as math learners?

For example, after the first few weeks of school, Ms. Diaz was interested in knowing how her students (particularly a small group that was reticent to share ideas both in small and whole group discussions) were thinking about math class. She hoped that the responses would allow her to better understand how her students were experiencing math class, particularly how they were seeing the value of listening to the ideas of others, and whether they felt their ideas were valued. She created a survey to gather that information, asking two questions: 

• Do you think others in our class (including your teacher) value your ideas? Why or why not? 
• Do you think it is important/useful to listen to the ideas of others? Why or why not?

We may choose to ask a question in the middle of a lesson if we notice that our students would benefit from reflecting on, say, the ways in which partner talk can help them understand the math ideas of a game. We may pose a question(s) at the end of a lesson to give us feedback on student engagement. We may note that a student’s identity or status is impacting their engagement, and so use a one-to-one interview to better understand their strengths and perspectives. It is important that our questions be focused and promote deep reflection. It is also important that we pose the same questions more than once, so we can see if students’ responses are changing/developing over time.  Below are a few examples of questions/prompts that invite student reflection:

• What has math class been like for you in school so far? 
• What have you liked/disliked about school math?
• Do you have a positive memory you’d be willing to share? A negative memory?
• Do your friends like math class? What do they say about math? 
• What would a great math teacher do and say? 
• I wish my teacher knew that during math class I _____________.
• I learn math best when________________.
• For primary students: 

Different insights into how students are experiencing math class emerge depending on the methods used for gathering this information. For example, talking to a student one-on-one can offer an awareness that might not come through in a written response to a question. 

In the following vignette we see how Mr. Ryder intentionally uses a variety of student reflection methods with his second grade students.

At first, I wasn’t sure that my second graders would have a lot to say about themselves as learners of mathematics. But I have started putting aside some time to discuss how they are feeling about their participation in our math discussions. I have used whole group talks and surveys with emoticons. But what has really impacted my understanding of some of my students who were not participating as fully as I would have liked, was taking three to five minutes to do short interviews. I found that some of my students were not feeling valued or invited, and that part of that was my own role in who I was calling on and how I was setting up discussions.

Mr. Ryder’s comments highlight the importance of reflecting on what we hear and learn from our students, and what it tells us about our own practice.

As our students learn to examine their own learning needs and how those needs are met in the classroom, their autonomy and self-efficacy is affected. As they reflect on how they impact and are impacted by others in their class, they are considering issues of status and equitable interactions. And, as they recognize that their teachers are listening to and responding to their reflections, they become aware of how authority is shared. This is a critical component of Aguirre et. al.’s equity-based practices, which stress the importance of distributing mathematics authority and presenting it as interconnected among students, teacher, and text (Aguirre et. al., 2013). Student reflection is a critical part of the learning process and impacts both our students and the ways in which we as teachers learn from and respond to them. 

References Aguirre, J., Mayfield-Ingram, K., & Martin, D. B. (2013). The impact of identity in K-8 mathematics. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Godfrey, Lynne. (2021). Establishing an Equitable Learning Community in the Investigations Classroom .

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• A Cycle of Reflection: Learning More about Our Students - September 19, 2023
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Engaging Maths

Dr catherine attard, promoting student reflection to improve mathematics learning.

• by cattard2017
• Posted on July 16, 2017

Critical reflection is a skill that doesn’t come naturally for many students, yet it is one of the most important elements of the learning process. As teachers, not only should we practice what we preach by engaging in critical reflection of our practice, we also need to be modelling critical reflection skills to our students so they know what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like (in fact, a Y chart is a great reflection tool).

How often do you provide opportunities for your students to engage in deep reflection of their learning? Consider Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindset. If we want to convince our students that our brains have the capability of growing from making mistakes and learning from those mistakes, then critical reflection must be part of the learning process and must be included in every mathematics lesson.

What does reflection look like within a mathematics lesson, and when should it happen?Reflection can take many forms, and is often dependent on the age and abilities of your students. For example, young students may not be able to write fluently, so verbal reflection is more appropriate and can save time. Verbal reflections, regardless of the age of the student, can be captured on video and used as evidence of learning. Video reflections can also be used to demonstrate learning during parent/teacher conferences. Another reflection strategy for young students could be through the use of drawings. Older students could keep a mathematics journal, which is a great way of promoting non-threatening, teacher and student dialogue. Reflection can also occur amongst pairs or small groups of students.

How do you promote quality reflection? The use of reflection prompts is important. This has two benefits: first, they focus students’ thinking and encourage depth of reflection; and second, they provide information about student misconceptions that can be used to determine the content of the following lessons. Sometimes teachers fall into the trap of having a set of generic reflection prompts. For example, prompts such as “What did you learn today?”, “What was challenging?” and “What did you do well?” do have some value, however if they are over-used, students will tend to provide generic responses. Consider asking prompts that relate directly to the task or mathematical content.

An example of powerful reflection prompts is the REAL Framework, from Munns and Woodward (2006). Although not specifically written for mathematics, these reflection prompts can be adapted. One great benefit of the prompts is that they fit into the three dimensions of engagement: operative, affective, and cognitive. The following table represents reflection prompts from one of four dimensions identified by Munns and Woodward: conceptual, relational, multidimensional and unidimensional.

Finally, student reflection can be used to promote and assess the proficiencies (Working Mathematically in NSW) from the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics as well as mathematical concepts. It can be an opportunity for students to communicate mathematically, use reasoning, and show evidence of understanding. It can also help students make generalisations and consider how the mathematics can be applied elsewhere.

How will you incorporate reflection into your mathematics lessons? Reflection can occur at any time throughout the lesson, and can occur more than once per lesson. For example, when students are involved in a task and you notice they are struggling or perhaps not providing appropriate responses, a short, sharp verbal reflection would provide opportunity to change direction and address misconceptions. Reflection at the conclusion of a lesson consolidates learning, and also assists students in recognising the learning that has occurred. They are more likely to remember their learning when they’ve had to articulate it either verbally or in writing.

And to conclude, some reflection prompts for teachers (adapted from the REAL Framework):

• How have you encouraged your students to think differently about their learning of mathematics?
• What changes to your pedagogy are you considering to enhance the way you teach mathematics?
• Explain how your thinking about mathematics teaching and learning is different today from yesterday, and from what it could be tomorrow?

Munns, G., & Woodward, H. (2006). Student engagement and student self-assessment: the REAL framework. Assessment in Education, 13 (2), 193-213.

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the complete ib extended essay guide: examples, topics, and ideas.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

IB students around the globe fear writing the Extended Essay, but it doesn't have to be a source of stress! In this article, I'll get you excited about writing your Extended Essay and provide you with the resources you need to get an A on it.

If you're reading this article, I'm going to assume you're an IB student getting ready to write your Extended Essay. If you're looking at this as a potential future IB student, I recommend reading our introductory IB articles first, including our guide to what the IB program is and our full coverage of the IB curriculum .

IB Extended Essay: Why Should You Trust My Advice?

I myself am a recipient of an IB Diploma, and I happened to receive an A on my IB Extended Essay. Don't believe me? The proof is in the IBO pudding:

If you're confused by what this report means, EE is short for Extended Essay , and English A1 is the subject that my Extended Essay topic coordinated with. In layman's terms, my IB Diploma was graded in May 2010, I wrote my Extended Essay in the English A1 category, and I received an A grade on it.

What Is the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Extended Essay, or EE , is a mini-thesis you write under the supervision of an IB advisor (an IB teacher at your school), which counts toward your IB Diploma (learn more about the major IB Diploma requirements in our guide) . I will explain exactly how the EE affects your Diploma later in this article.

For the Extended Essay, you will choose a research question as a topic, conduct the research independently, then write an essay on your findings . The essay itself is a long one—although there's a cap of 4,000 words, most successful essays get very close to this limit.

Keep in mind that the IB requires this essay to be a "formal piece of academic writing," meaning you'll have to do outside research and cite additional sources.

The IB Extended Essay must include the following:

• A title page
• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography

Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories , or IB subject groups, which are as follows:

• Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
• Group 2: Language Acquisition
• Group 3: Individuals and Societies
• Group 4: Sciences
• Group 5: Mathematics
• Group 6: The Arts

Once you figure out your category and have identified a potential research topic, it's time to pick your advisor, who is normally an IB teacher at your school (though you can also find one online ). This person will help direct your research, and they'll conduct the reflection sessions you'll have to do as part of your Extended Essay.

As of 2018, the IB requires a "reflection process" as part of your EE supervision process. To fulfill this requirement, you have to meet at least three times with your supervisor in what the IB calls "reflection sessions." These meetings are not only mandatory but are also part of the formal assessment of the EE and your research methods.

According to the IB, the purpose of these meetings is to "provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their engagement with the research process." Basically, these meetings give your supervisor the opportunity to offer feedback, push you to think differently, and encourage you to evaluate your research process.

The final reflection session is called the viva voce, and it's a short 10- to 15-minute interview between you and your advisor. This happens at the very end of the EE process, and it's designed to help your advisor write their report, which factors into your EE grade.

Here are the topics covered in your viva voce :

• A check on plagiarism and malpractice
• Your reflection on your project's successes and difficulties
• Your reflection on what you've learned during the EE process

Your completed Extended Essay, along with your supervisor's report, will then be sent to the IB to be graded. We'll cover the assessment criteria in just a moment.

We'll help you learn how to have those "lightbulb" moments...even on test day!  

What Should You Write About in Your IB Extended Essay?

You can technically write about anything, so long as it falls within one of the approved categories listed above.

It's best to choose a topic that matches one of the IB courses , (such as Theatre, Film, Spanish, French, Math, Biology, etc.), which shouldn't be difficult because there are so many class subjects.

Here is a range of sample topics with the attached extended essay:

• Biology: The Effect of Age and Gender on the Photoreceptor Cells in the Human Retina
• Chemistry: How Does Reflux Time Affect the Yield and Purity of Ethyl Aminobenzoate (Benzocaine), and How Effective is Recrystallisation as a Purification Technique for This Compound?
• English: An Exploration of Jane Austen's Use of the Outdoors in Emma
• Geography: The Effect of Location on the Educational Attainment of Indigenous Secondary Students in Queensland, Australia
• Math: Alhazen's Billiard Problem
• Visual Arts: Can Luc Tuymans Be Classified as a Political Painter?

You can see from how varied the topics are that you have a lot of freedom when it comes to picking a topic . So how do you pick when the options are limitless?

How to Write a Stellar IB Extended Essay: 6 Essential Tips

Below are six key tips to keep in mind as you work on your Extended Essay for the IB DP. Follow these and you're sure to get an A!

#1: Write About Something You Enjoy

You can't expect to write a compelling essay if you're not a fan of the topic on which you're writing. For example, I just love British theatre and ended up writing my Extended Essay on a revolution in post-WWII British theatre. (Yes, I'm definitely a #TheatreNerd.)

I really encourage anyone who pursues an IB Diploma to take the Extended Essay seriously. I was fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition merit scholarship to USC's School of Dramatic Arts program. In my interview for the scholarship, I spoke passionately about my Extended Essay; thus, I genuinely think my Extended Essay helped me get my scholarship.

But how do you find a topic you're passionate about? Start by thinking about which classes you enjoy the most and why . Do you like math classes because you like to solve problems? Or do you enjoy English because you like to analyze literary texts?

Keep in mind that there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing your Extended Essay topic. You're not more likely to get high marks because you're writing about science, just like you're not doomed to failure because you've chosen to tackle the social sciences. The quality of what you produce—not the field you choose to research within—will determine your grade.

Once you've figured out your category, you should brainstorm more specific topics by putting pen to paper . What was your favorite chapter you learned in that class? Was it astrophysics or mechanics? What did you like about that specific chapter? Is there something you want to learn more about? I recommend spending a few hours on this type of brainstorming.

One last note: if you're truly stumped on what to research, pick a topic that will help you in your future major or career . That way you can use your Extended Essay as a talking point in your college essays (and it will prepare you for your studies to come too!).

#2: Select a Topic That Is Neither Too Broad nor Too Narrow

There's a fine line between broad and narrow. You need to write about something specific, but not so specific that you can't write 4,000 words on it.

You can't write about WWII because that would be a book's worth of material. You also don't want to write about what type of soup prisoners of war received behind enemy lines, because you probably won’t be able to come up with 4,000 words of material about it. However, you could possibly write about how the conditions in German POW camps—and the rations provided—were directly affected by the Nazis' successes and failures on the front, including the use of captured factories and prison labor in Eastern Europe to increase production. WWII military history might be a little overdone, but you get my point.

If you're really stuck trying to pinpoint a not-too-broad-or-too-narrow topic, I suggest trying to brainstorm a topic that uses a comparison. Once you begin looking through the list of sample essays below, you'll notice that many use comparisons to formulate their main arguments.

I also used a comparison in my EE, contrasting Harold Pinter's Party Time with John Osborne's Look Back in Anger in order to show a transition in British theatre. Topics with comparisons of two to three plays, books, and so on tend to be the sweet spot. You can analyze each item and then compare them with one another after doing some in-depth analysis of each individually. The ways these items compare and contrast will end up forming the thesis of your essay!

When choosing a comparative topic, the key is that the comparison should be significant. I compared two plays to illustrate the transition in British theatre, but you could compare the ways different regional dialects affect people's job prospects or how different temperatures may or may not affect the mating patterns of lightning bugs. The point here is that comparisons not only help you limit your topic, but they also help you build your argument.

Comparisons are not the only way to get a grade-A EE, though. If after brainstorming, you pick a non-comparison-based topic and are still unsure whether your topic is too broad or narrow, spend about 30 minutes doing some basic research and see how much material is out there.

If there are more than 1,000 books, articles, or documentaries out there on that exact topic, it may be too broad. But if there are only two books that have any connection to your topic, it may be too narrow. If you're still unsure, ask your advisor—it's what they're there for! Speaking of advisors...

Don't get stuck with a narrow topic!

#3: Choose an Advisor Who Is Familiar With Your Topic

If you're not certain of who you would like to be your advisor, create a list of your top three choices. Next, write down the pros and cons of each possibility (I know this sounds tedious, but it really helps!).

For example, Mr. Green is my favorite teacher and we get along really well, but he teaches English. For my EE, I want to conduct an experiment that compares the efficiency of American electric cars with foreign electric cars.

I had Ms. White a year ago. She teaches physics and enjoyed having me in her class. Unlike Mr. Green, Ms. White could help me design my experiment.

Based on my topic and what I need from my advisor, Ms. White would be a better fit for me than would Mr. Green (even though I like him a lot).

The moral of my story is this: do not just ask your favorite teacher to be your advisor . They might be a hindrance to you if they teach another subject. For example, I would not recommend asking your biology teacher to guide you in writing an English literature-based EE.

There can, of course, be exceptions to this rule. If you have a teacher who's passionate and knowledgeable about your topic (as my English teacher was about my theatre topic), you could ask that instructor. Consider all your options before you do this. There was no theatre teacher at my high school, so I couldn't find a theatre-specific advisor, but I chose the next best thing.

Before you approach a teacher to serve as your advisor, check with your high school to see what requirements they have for this process. Some IB high schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form , for instance.

Make sure that you ask your IB coordinator whether there is any required paperwork to fill out. If your school needs a specific form signed, bring it with you when you ask your teacher to be your EE advisor.

#4: Pick an Advisor Who Will Push You to Be Your Best

Some teachers might just take on students because they have to and aren't very passionate about reading drafts, only giving you minimal feedback. Choose a teacher who will take the time to read several drafts of your essay and give you extensive notes. I would not have gotten my A without being pushed to make my Extended Essay draft better.

Ask a teacher that you have experience with through class or an extracurricular activity. Do not ask a teacher that you have absolutely no connection to. If a teacher already knows you, that means they already know your strengths and weaknesses, so they know what to look for, where you need to improve, and how to encourage your best work.

Also, don't forget that your supervisor's assessment is part of your overall EE score . If you're meeting with someone who pushes you to do better—and you actually take their advice—they'll have more impressive things to say about you than a supervisor who doesn't know you well and isn't heavily involved in your research process.

Be aware that the IB only allows advisors to make suggestions and give constructive criticism. Your teacher cannot actually help you write your EE. The IB recommends that the supervisor spends approximately two to three hours in total with the candidate discussing the EE.

#5: Make Sure Your Essay Has a Clear Structure and Flow

The IB likes structure. Your EE needs a clear introduction (which should be one to two double-spaced pages), research question/focus (i.e., what you're investigating), a body, and a conclusion (about one double-spaced page). An essay with unclear organization will be graded poorly.

The body of your EE should make up the bulk of the essay. It should be about eight to 18 pages long (again, depending on your topic). Your body can be split into multiple parts. For example, if you were doing a comparison, you might have one third of your body as Novel A Analysis, another third as Novel B Analysis, and the final third as your comparison of Novels A and B.

If you're conducting an experiment or analyzing data, such as in this EE , your EE body should have a clear structure that aligns with the scientific method ; you should state the research question, discuss your method, present the data, analyze the data, explain any uncertainties, and draw a conclusion and/or evaluate the success of the experiment.

#6: Start Writing Sooner Rather Than Later!

You will not be able to crank out a 4,000-word essay in just a week and get an A on it. You'll be reading many, many articles (and, depending on your topic, possibly books and plays as well!). As such, it's imperative that you start your research as soon as possible.

Each school has a slightly different deadline for the Extended Essay. Some schools want them as soon as November of your senior year; others will take them as late as February. Your school will tell you what your deadline is. If they haven't mentioned it by February of your junior year, ask your IB coordinator about it.

Some high schools will provide you with a timeline of when you need to come up with a topic, when you need to meet with your advisor, and when certain drafts are due. Not all schools do this. Ask your IB coordinator if you are unsure whether you are on a specific timeline.

Below is my recommended EE timeline. While it's earlier than most schools, it'll save you a ton of heartache (trust me, I remember how hard this process was!):

• January/February of Junior Year: Come up with your final research topic (or at least your top three options).
• February of Junior Year: Approach a teacher about being your EE advisor. If they decline, keep asking others until you find one. See my notes above on how to pick an EE advisor.
• April/May of Junior Year: Submit an outline of your EE and a bibliography of potential research sources (I recommend at least seven to 10) to your EE advisor. Meet with your EE advisor to discuss your outline.
• Summer Between Junior and Senior Year: Complete your first full draft over the summer between your junior and senior year. I know, I know—no one wants to work during the summer, but trust me—this will save you so much stress come fall when you are busy with college applications and other internal assessments for your IB classes. You will want to have this first full draft done because you will want to complete a couple of draft cycles as you likely won't be able to get everything you want to say into 4,000 articulate words on the first attempt. Try to get this first draft into the best possible shape so you don't have to work on too many revisions during the school year on top of your homework, college applications, and extracurriculars.
• August/September of Senior Year: Turn in your first draft of your EE to your advisor and receive feedback. Work on incorporating their feedback into your essay. If they have a lot of suggestions for improvement, ask if they will read one more draft before the final draft.
• September/October of Senior Year: Submit the second draft of your EE to your advisor (if necessary) and look at their feedback. Work on creating the best possible final draft.
• November-February of Senior Year: Schedule your viva voce. Submit two copies of your final draft to your school to be sent off to the IB. You likely will not get your grade until after you graduate.

Remember that in the middle of these milestones, you'll need to schedule two other reflection sessions with your advisor . (Your teachers will actually take notes on these sessions on a form like this one , which then gets submitted to the IB.)

I recommend doing them when you get feedback on your drafts, but these meetings will ultimately be up to your supervisor. Just don't forget to do them!

The early bird DOES get the worm!

How Is the IB Extended Essay Graded?

Extended Essays are graded by examiners appointed by the IB on a scale of 0 to 34 . You'll be graded on five criteria, each with its own set of points. You can learn more about how EE scoring works by reading the IB guide to extended essays .

• Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

How well you do on each of these criteria will determine the final letter grade you get for your EE. You must earn at least a D to be eligible to receive your IB Diploma.

Although each criterion has a point value, the IB explicitly states that graders are not converting point totals into grades; instead, they're using qualitative grade descriptors to determine the final grade of your Extended Essay . Grade descriptors are on pages 102-103 of this document .

Here's a rough estimate of how these different point values translate to letter grades based on previous scoring methods for the EE. This is just an estimate —you should read and understand the grade descriptors so you know exactly what the scorers are looking for.

Here is the breakdown of EE scores (from the May 2021 bulletin):

How Does the Extended Essay Grade Affect Your IB Diploma?

The Extended Essay grade is combined with your TOK (Theory of Knowledge) grade to determine how many points you get toward your IB Diploma.

To learn about Theory of Knowledge or how many points you need to receive an IB Diploma, read our complete guide to the IB program and our guide to the IB Diploma requirements .

This diagram shows how the two scores are combined to determine how many points you receive for your IB diploma (3 being the most, 0 being the least). In order to get your IB Diploma, you have to earn 24 points across both categories (the TOK and EE). The highest score anyone can earn is 45 points.

Let's say you get an A on your EE and a B on TOK. You will get 3 points toward your Diploma. As of 2014, a student who scores an E on either the extended essay or TOK essay will not be eligible to receive an IB Diploma .

Prior to the class of 2010, a Diploma candidate could receive a failing grade in either the Extended Essay or Theory of Knowledge and still be awarded a Diploma, but this is no longer true.

Figuring out how you're assessed can be a little tricky. Luckily, the IB breaks everything down here in this document . (The assessment information begins on page 219.)

40+ Sample Extended Essays for the IB Diploma Programme

In case you want a little more guidance on how to get an A on your EE, here are over 40 excellent (grade A) sample extended essays for your reading pleasure. Essays are grouped by IB subject.

• Business Management 1
• Chemistry 1
• Chemistry 2
• Chemistry 3
• Chemistry 4
• Chemistry 5
• Chemistry 6
• Chemistry 7
• Computer Science 1
• Economics 1
• Design Technology 1
• Design Technology 2
• Environmental Systems and Societies 1
• Geography 1
• Geography 2
• Geography 3
• Geography 4
• Geography 5
• Geography 6
• Literature and Performance 1
• Mathematics 1
• Mathematics 2
• Mathematics 3
• Mathematics 4
• Mathematics 5
• Philosophy 1
• Philosophy 2
• Philosophy 3
• Philosophy 4
• Philosophy 5
• Psychology 1
• Psychology 2
• Psychology 3
• Psychology 4
• Psychology 5
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 1
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 2
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 3
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 1
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 2
• Visual Arts 1
• Visual Arts 2
• Visual Arts 3
• Visual Arts 4
• Visual Arts 5
• World Religion 1
• World Religion 2
• World Religion 3

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Encouraging Student Self-Reflection

When I was a campus-based interventionist, we picked up and dropped off our students each day, giving me a few extra minutes with my students as I walked them back to class after our lesson. Knowing that every moment in the school day counts, I decided to use that time to promote student self-reflection. I started by asking each student individually what they thought they had done well during class. I quickly found that my students needed a little coaching on reflection. I got responses like, I was good, I behaved, I listened,  or I paid attention . All admirable behaviors, to be sure, but I wanted my students to dig a little deeper and provide a more detailed justification. So I changed my question and began asking,  What did you do to improve as a mathematician today? The question was better, but sadly the responses were about the same.

Coaching Students on Self-Reflection

To help the students frame their thinking, I created an anchor chart with specific behaviors—such as talking like a mathematician, learning from mistakes, noticing, etc.—and posted it by the door so they could refer to it on the way out. I found that, although their responses were getting better, I was still having to do quite a bit of prompting. I decided to create a new and improved anchor chart that included verbs (describe, tell, explain) and highlighted key components for mathematical growth. This was the missing element!

My students were finally truly practicing self-reflection every day. I was getting comments like this:

• I learned the word  product  today.  The  product  is the answer when you multiply.
• I didn’t look carefully at the place value positions, and I made a mistake. I learned I have to be more careful and read the numbers to myself.
• I learned that stacking my numbers and lining up the decimal point helps me compare numbers.
• I challenged myself by not giving up when I didn’t understand the problem.

And they only got better as the year went on! Can you guess which prompt turned out to be their favorite? Describing a mistake they had made !

Student Self-Reflection and Growth Mindset

The new self-reflection practice fit perfectly with my emphasis on growth mindset that year. As powerful as the idea of promoting a growth mindset is, there has been lots of chatter recently that it is being poorly implemented. For example, there seems to be the false belief that by simply praising effort or building a child’s self-esteem you are promoting a growth mindset. There’s actually more to it than that. Carol Dweck, who pioneered growth mindset research, recently revisited the idea and pointed out some common pitfalls in an article for Education Week. She directly addressed the effort myth:

A growth mindset isn’t just about effort.  Perhaps the most common misconception is simply equating the growth mindset with effort. Certainly, effort is key for students’ achievement, but it’s not the only thing. Students need to try new strategies and seek input from others when they’re stuck. They need this repertoire of approaches—not just sheer effort—to learn and improve. –Carol Dweck

Providing students with opportunities to self-reflect is a powerful way to help them understand that their effort must be focused, and it gives students specific tools they can work on to improve. That’s huge—for many, it can be the difference between feeling powerless or having hope. I gave a little math survey to my students at the beginning of the year and, not surprisingly, their attitudes about math were pretty awful. After all, I was working with students who hadn’t experienced success with math. When I gave the survey again at the end of the year, their attitudes had definitely improved! That’s the power of student self-reflection.

Sound off in the comments and share how you help your students reflect on their learning!

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16 Comments

I would love to help my second graders do more self reflection in math, and I love your anchor chart! Practically speaking, though, when do you fit this in your day? My math block is split into two blocks, and I already feel that I cannot fit in everything I want to do with my students in one day!

I walk my intervention students to and from class, so I speak to each of them individually as I walk them back. In a classroom, you could set up a conference schedule and speak briefly to 3-4 students each day. It really takes just a minute. I ask them what they did to grow as a mathematician today, and they respond. Of course, as I stated in the post, it takes coaching initially. Another alternative is to have the students write their self-reflection in their math journal.

Thank you for sharing this anchor chart. It couldn’t have come at a better time. My school works with Dr. Marzano’s research lab on the High Reliability School Framework and so our formative and summative conferences with our principals revolve around questions we choose and want to work on throughout the year. This school year I chose “deeper questioning” with my students because I am a special education teacher for math grades 4/5. I found myself at the end of our pull-out block asking generic questions like, “what did you learn today?” or “what was fun?” and I wanted to change that. I will be making your anchor chart and implementing it this week. As always, thanks for sharing your ideas!!

I’m glad the post was helpful and timely for you, Erica! I am definitely seeing my students’ ability to explain their learning improve. It’s so exciting. 🙂

Hi Donna! Do you have any resources that could help with our youngest students, especially those that are ESL (ELL or ENL depending on where you are)? I want to do more of this but sometimes struggle with our early 1st graders that have limited vocabulary.

Monica, I have ESL students in my groups, and I actually do this verbally with my students, so I can support their language. I think that’s one advantage of reflecting orally, versus in writing.

Hello! Thank you for sharing student self-reflection, especially the graphic from Carol Dweck. It helped me to reflect on what I presently do and say with my students. As an elementary mathematics specialist for 4th-6th grade students, I work with a range of student levels. However, all students need to reflect on their learning. This week, I began taking a new group of students for tier 2 intervention. I normally give a mathematics survey to my students at the start of a new session. This time, I gave my 6th-graders a self-evaluation placing the learning on them as we are half-way through the school year. The results were amazing in that they know what they need to succeed. They know how to attain it and they do yearn for it. As always, I am positive my present students will show success, no matter if it is through math talks or through understanding math with a new perspective. My goal is to have them reflect more frequently during this second trimester.

Is there anything else you might suggest for 6th-grade or other grades? Other than my own reflection, my goal is to have these students read their evaluations and reflect on their learning.

It sounds like you’ve already got a great system in place! I do think it’s important for students to verbalize what they are learning in a pull-out program that can benefit them in the classroom. That’s why I emphasize having my students discuss, on a daily basis, strategies they are learning and practicing that they can use in their classroom. For example, we’ve been working on comprehension of word problems this week and three strategies we’ve practiced are drawing models to represent the problem, jotting notes as we read, and focusing on what numbers represent, rather than just the numbers. Those are specific strategies they can use in their classroom.

I appreciate your input! I incorporate math talks during intervention times. However, a challenge I find, other than inquiring with the teacher and viewing summative assessments, is how to measure whether students utilize these strategies outside of intervention. They may use them for a time and gain a false sense of confidence as their grades improve, but using strategies is definitely a cyclical process as they need continuous reminders as to what works and what has worked for them in the past. Unfortunately, I do not necessarily meet with my students every day. Thank you for your insight!

Thank you for sharing your Math Anchor Chart! This will definitely help students reflect in a meaningful way. Do I have permission to to share this on social media teacher groups?

Yea, I would love it if you shared a link to the blog post, rather than just a link to the file. Thanks!

Really appreciating this insight, Donna! Seems a powerful tool for any subject.

Thank you for sharing. Generally Reflection is practiced by teachers to review the planning, execution, observation, feedback, weaknesses and orientation to re-plan and experiment to realize the teaching objectives with the learning outcomes. Your study throws light on learners doing Reflection on their learning. It is a good idea where the teacher and the learners work together as team, work in unison to realize the real and true potential of the learners that is rediscover the efficacy and real capabilities of the learner that is learners innate abilities and capabilities to be blatant. The true goal of education is achieve the real freedom to use and live the learning fullest, in a purposeful and meaningful way.

I love this anchor chart! Thank you for sharing it. I think I might adapt this to use with my third graders by making it a list to glue into the front of their math journals. I will have them complete a written self-reflection once a week or so to help them to express what they are learning and how they have grown as a mathematician. Thank you so much!

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Math Reflection Essay

Show More So many people have different interpretations of mathematics, in elementary school we learn that if you have 5 apples and your neighbor takes 3 away you are only left with 2. In middle school we were shown that there are 360 degrees in a circle and a numerous variety of rules and theorems that seemed only relevant for that section. We learned about sine, cosine, and tangent, which were chiseled in our brain. In high school we were introduced to things I didn’t know existed, such as derivatives, 4-step problems, linear regression lines. When I am asked the question what is math, I still seem to divert my attention to the elementary school response and explain that math is finite and always has an answer despite my knowledge that it doesn’t …show more content… Throughout that course I missed many lessons due to my knee surgery, however the teacher worked closely with me, and had an obscene amount of patience with me. I thoroughly enjoyed his grace and understanding with me, because I feared that I would get so far behind and would have to repeat the course. I learned tremendously more with the private teacher than I think I would have in a bigger setting. Although tutoring in the past for me hasn’t been proven to work, in this instance it was beneficial. I interpret the word learning as either acquiring new knowledge or adjusting the knowledge you already have. So I would have to conclude that learning mathematics can be defined as gaining a new understanding of “basic” theorems of math and dissecting them and breaking them down to the core, to get a raw and pure look at what it really means. Despite how I see math I know that my view isn’t the only view, rather my view is subjunctive to what I experience in each …show more content… I also believe that tolerance is key to mathematics too because if you aren’t understanding your peers suggestions and/or your teachers suggestions your knowledge will not grow. Time is key to and learning process as well. If you don’t invest your time wisely into what you are trying to learn you will not go far. It is very rare that a person can sit through an hour and fifteen minute class and retain and fully grasp the topic discussed. It takes additional on you own or tutoring help to get you to a place where you can properly understand a lesson. One could also advocate that patience is a vital aspect of learning especially in math. So often we as students are approached with a problem and get discouraged and frustrated at the fact that we don’t have an instant answer. I think that applies to certain events in life as well. I think alongside with having an open mind you need to have a logical perspective, rather than a literal

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K-5 Math Centers

K-5 math ideas, 3rd grade math, need help organizing your k-5 math block, reflect and reset: tips for becoming a better math teacher.

Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a teaching rut? Or pictured yourself spinning on that endless teaching hamster wheel? Then, you need time for some teacher reflection.

No matter how good your lesson is, there is always room for improvement.

One of the most effective ways to grow as a teacher is having the ability to self-reflect on your practice.

When you’re self-reflective you are able to stay current, develop reflective students, and create a strong foundation for continuously improving teaching and learning.

You may be thinking: “Hey! I’m a teacher, remember! I don’t have enough time to reflect. I’m just trying to make it through the day.”

I hear you! But I also want to remind you that although you are a teacher, you are not a robot.

Taking a few minutes here and there to jot down a couple of thoughts, or better yet, intentionally inserting time to reflect into your lessons can help immensely.

If you’re unsure of where to find teacher reflection time during school hours, here are some easy-to-implement ideas.

5 Ways to Insert Teacher Reflection Time Into Your Day:

• Talk to You Teacher Friends: During team meetings, make it a habit to take a couple of minutes and share how each other’s lessons went.
• Keep a Journal Nearby: At the end of the day, take 5 minutes to jot down any insights or A-HA moments.
• Create Your Own Quiet Time: When your kids are out of the room, close the door, dim the lights and find that corner where no one can see you through your door window. 
• Jot Down Your Thoughts While Your Students Reflect On Their Own: When your students are busy completing their own reflections, use that time to do the same.
• Record Audio of Your Phone: Instead of writing, tell your thoughts for the day. Some of us are more natural speakers than we are writers. This is a quick and easy way to reflect.

How you choose to reflect is up to you!

So now you may be wondering, what exactly should I be asking myself.

Use these teacher reflection questions as a guide to help you improve your instructional practices:

• Was today’s lesson successful? Why or why not?
• What was the most challenging? How will I respond next time?
• Were my students engaged? If not, how can I change that?
• Am I creating a positive environment for learning math? How?
• Do my assessments reflect conceptual learning, task completion or skill acquisition?

And most important:

• What have I done lately to relieve stress and focus on my own mental health to ensure I remain an effective teacher?

Although you’re a teacher, you’re still a human. And you can’t teach properly if you’re at the end of your rope.

Time is needed to think about what worked and what did not work so that you can become even better. Use any of the 5 strategies above to carve out the time you need. You deserve it!

If you are interested in more ways to reflect, check out these other posts to help think about your math instruction.

​ 8 Things to Consider When Planning Your Math Centers ​​

How to Choose Meaningful Math Centers: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself

If you found the ideas in this post helpful, please share them on Pinterest!

• Read more about: K-5 Math Ideas

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