Tanner is a first grade boy on a low math level. He worked slowly on his worksheets, counting on his finger often. He missed several problems on his worksheet.

Haylie is a first grade girl on a high level in math. She worked quietly and by herself when doing her worksheet. She did most of the problems in her head. She got all of the answers right on her worksheet except for the time problem. She finished quickly so the teacher assigned her extra problems that are on a second grade level and involve more problem solving skills.

Interview with Haylie
1. adding, subtracting, money, and inches
2. yes, likes doing $$ problems
4.  is important
5. counts the dogs and cats @ her house
6. money b/c she can count it
7. subtraction b/c it hard
8. adding
9. subtraction
10. ask friend of teacher
11. answers and words
12. is a girl, just b/c

Interview with Tanner
1. adding and subtraction
2. yes, likes to add
4.  yes it has
5.  no
6.  adding b/c is fun and easy
7. finding the most b/c its hard
8. adding
9. money problems
10.  ask teacher
11.  nothing
12. is a boy b/c girls don’t do that (he also said that he wouldn’t want to do that)

1. Kids just listed things that they do in math class.
2. Boys seem to not like math because takes too long and has too many directions. Girls seem to like math because it is fun.
4.  Math is important because you learn from it.
5. They consider most math outside of school as just homework, although            some counted and measured stuff.
6. Favorite of Kindergartners was sorting while first graders seem to like a little bit of everything.
7. Least favorite varied too a little bit of everything.
8. Easiest almost always was their favorite.
9. Hardiest almost always was their least favorite.
10. Most would ask teacher or someone sitting near them if they had a problem in school with math.
11. Answers varied from nothing to words and answers.
12.  All girls drew female mathematicians and all boys drew boy mathematicians.

 From my interviews and our group discussion I would say that the responses that we received do fit with what I have read in the developmental studies for Kindergarten and First Grade. The kindergartners displayed the following characteristics of their age: sorting objects by size with several of them saying that was their favorite activity, drawing pictures that represent people because all drew a picture of what they thought a mathematician looked like, and recognizing categories which would go along with sorting. The First Graders showed these characteristics of their age: ability to only focus on one problem at a time, reversing printed numbers(especially 3’s) and letters, and starting to understand time and days of week with a time problem on math worksheets and weeks during calendar time.
 One thing that I learned from this assessment is that children enjoy what they are good at and what is easy for them and dislike what is hard for them and what they do not see as fun. This furthered what we discussed in class when we did out Math Life projects. Even teens and adults like what they are good at and do not enjoy what they aren’t good at.
 The students did not seem to mind being asked the questions as long as the session was kept short. I told both kids that I needed help with my homework and they were very happy to help me by answering the questions. I did not let the students know that know that I was observing them doing their math worksheets.
 I knew before I interviewed Haylie and Tanner I knew which was on high and low level. I think that this may not have been the best idea because it could have biased me when I was observing and interviewing.
 I was intrigued that the girl thought that mathematicians had to be female and the boy thought that they had to be boys because girls don’t do that sort of thing. This rang true with the students that my group members interviewed too. Why is it that they see the mathematician as the same sex as they are?
 I am not sure how practical it would be for a teacher to interview all of her students using a specific set of questions to find out their attitudes about math. I can see how the knowledge about which parts of math students like the best and dislike the most would be helpful. Especially believing that what they dislike the most is what they have the hardest time with. Then you would know what areas you need to focus on with which kids.
 I enjoyed talking to a couple of the students and hearing what they had to say about Math and the other random stories they told in between answering my questions.