My Philosophy Of Teaching

Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others- it’s important for students to be able to explain and be able to discuss the process into which they believe a problem should be solved this demonstrates the students understanding on the concept. They should be able to clarify and answer any questions that arise about the problem once again displaying a deeper understanding then just being able to memorize formulas/steps and solving a problem.

Students will be encourage on using multiple ways to solve the math problems. Each student will have different preferred method so after trying solving them in different ways, each student will find out the most appropriate method for them, the one that they like most, take shorter time and more accuracy than other methods.

Recall Norman spent time finding games and tasks that would connect to students’ interest. Toni also used her classroom instructional practices to build a classroom culture of connecting to her students through utilizing the model of the teacher and students supporting each other. She shared, “I break off in small groups so that I can facilitate…I feel like I can really help the students who need my help and the ones who don't get to work independently”. Toni’s classroom practices of supporting students during instruction is resonated by Hand (2012). This research indicates that when students feel supported, they feel comfortable engaging in mathematical discourse with each other and the

In the article, Engaging All Students in Mathematical Discussion, it discusses four effective strategies in engaging children to think, discuss, and have a deeper understanding of mathematics. According to the article, the strategies are very important because there are moments where the student does not fully understand the lesson of the day or week because they are not fully engaged. The reason the students are not fully engaging is because the teacher teaching the lesson is not assigning a thinking level and/or listening role. The thinking level and listening roles are referred to as “taxonomies”, as in Bloom’s Taxonomy. In the taxonomies chart, it explains the purpose and how a teacher should be asking questions during the lesson or after.

The value from each homework assignment is what will motivate and push the student to work towards his/her full potential. The voice of every student has basket filled with ideas just waiting to be heard. As a teacher, it is our responsibility to allow students to express themselves in order to shape better writing in terms of critical thinking. Any connection that a student can make to the course material should be encouraged as the student is beginning to show an appreciation for learning. While being a student lab assistant for remedial algebra (MATH 020/090) and a tutor for advanced mathematics in the Math Resource Center (MRC), I try to explain the mathematical concept to the struggling student in a way that can relate to them. By making connections between diverse disciplines, the students are able to understand the concept more efficiently. The way in which words can be manipulated to convey the same idea is crucial to reach out and try to ensure that every student can

When introducing students to the strategies it is important to ask students why they believe it would be important for them to have mathematic discussions. Once students understand why math talk is important they need to know that when they are in a learning environment they should be active listeners and how to respond to one another. The next step is to teach students about sentence stems, which is a guide that may help students begin their math discussions. After students have the first three steps down it is important for them to understand the difference between an explication and giving justification. Instead of just listing the steps to a math problem, students must know that they need to tell why and how they solved the problem in a specific way. After going over the strategies and discussing why it is important to have meaningful math discussions, teachers need to model each

It is generally accepted that learning implies a multitude of factors meant to prepare the children for life and its challenges. Some of these factors are directly related to the level of knowledge of subject matter, but others are based on individual feelings, relationships, or capabilities of developing a sense of belonging and personal worth, confidence, or attitude toward a certain content area. All these elements together form the foundation of student’s future success. On many occasions, certain factors such as the teaching approaches, encouragement from family members and school personnel, or past experiences in learning mathematics are important in creating a positive view of mathematics. From basic arithmetic to the more advanced calculus courses in first years of college, students build

How to effectively evaluate student learning has been hot topic among educators, and will likely never cease to stop. When I first decided to become a teacher, I thought evaluating student learning was solely assigning grades. As I have gradually made the transition from student to teacher, I have generated a whole new understanding on what evaluating student learning should look like. I now know that there is a tremendous number of elements that should go into evaluating student learning, more than I would ever know. It’s not about the grade they received, it’s about how they got there. What they are good at, and what is giving them a little bit of trouble. Their thought process, home life, social groups and many, many more factors can play into how they learn, and how they need to be evaluated. Throughout this expectation I will show how I am striving to not just assign a student a grade to complete my “requirement” as a teacher, but to individually evaluate each student one-on-one to best stretch their mathematical knowledge and learning potential.

In early September, I observed two mathematics classes and will compare and contrast the difference and similarities in classroom management techniques, teaching strategies, and student responses to the teacher. I will also discuss classroom set-up and give my impressions to the effectiveness of the teaching style and perceived student response to the learning activity. Overall, I felt that both teachers were amazing in their own style and kept the students engaged and on learning task.

I emphasize the importance of class participation. I try to make classroom an atmosphere where all the students feel comfortable to ask a question, make a comment, or give a response. Overall, I try to maintain an open, lively and amiable atmosphere in the classroom in spite of all the mathematics. Students are often reticent in asking questions; perhaps they are afraid of

One of the difficulties that educators face is creating a learning environment that is not only receptive to students, but provides safety so that they can learn without added obstacles. In order to thrive in an educational setting, it is important that an individual believes that he/she is valued, needed, and that their input is appreciated. This is why I chose the article, “Building a Positive Mathematics Community” by authors, Hoyun Cho and Gary Lawrence. As a mathematics educator, it is my strong desire that all students tap into all of the mathematical potential they have and make discoveries that they never dreamed possible. I want each of my students to know that they do not only have an assigned desk in my classroom, but that I value what they have to offer to my class and that, even though they may often make mistakes, those mistakes can sometimes be more beneficial than if they were never made. It is the goal of this paper to explore characters and traits that were identified in the article that are elements that are “keys to their [students] success” (Cho & Lawrence, 2015, p. 499) including: perseverance, cooperative work skills, reflection, self-assessment, self-confidence, decision making, and risk taking.

This significance of the these issues are that in order for students to become more successful throughout their math curriculum, they need to work together in a more hands on way, exploring, discovering and solving problems together. This concept is more of an inquiry based learning style, where the teacher’s role is to initiate the student’s interests and ideas that will advance their critical thinking skills. Cooperative

Unfortunately, the biggest struggle I face in this class is overcoming the negative attitudes that the other students harbor for mathematics. Of these, some just do not care for the subject. For these students I try to activate their curiosity by explaining the real-world connections for these concepts. Other students, however, really seem to be more afraid of it than anything else. They often feel that they are inferior to other students in this subject, are afraid of being wrong, or do not know where to start. As a teacher, I try to use strategies to overcome such fixed mindsets by encouraging all questions and not chastising students for making mistakes. I also do think-aloud examples. In these examples I go through the process I use to solve difficult questions. These think-alouds can be very helpful because they show students that it is normal to not know immediately how to solve a problem. The students watch me go through a few different strategies, including some that fail. They witness my perseverance and the strategies I use to overcome obstacles, including ways to investigate where my errors are coming from.

My objective as a teacher is to make a difference in the lives of the student I teach. Similarly, through teaching I will provide students with the necessary tools to become critical thinkers. As critical thinkers, my students will be able to make reasoned judgements that are logical and well thought out. My students will not just passively accept arguments and conclusions; my students will be equipped to question arguments and conclusions. Additionally, as a critical thinker, my students will be able to understand the logical connection between ideas. Also, through teaching I’m equipping my students with the tools that will lead to greater chances of

In addition, I insist that students become describers of concepts and their thinking. Therefore, I implement an array of writing activities for students to explain the process they use to solve problems. According to Cuoco, Goldenberg, & Mark, (1996), students should be able to manipulate patterns and provide a sound explanation of the mathematical steps that they apply as they become independent learners. The practices presented above can help my students develop as rational thinkers.