Philosophy of Teaching Mathematics
"To all, the teacher is a mirror that shows not only the self but the path and its choices, the task and its demands--the difficulties, the joys. To all and from all, the teacher is a learner, a person--and a prism through which the ordinary reveals itself to be miraculous" (Grow, 1977).
Looking back on my childhood I remember playing school in my room, which had a chalkboard and whiteboard, a desk, teacher books, worksheets, a pointer stick, and a red pen. I use to play school to do my homework, go over homework, or study for tests. I loved practicing math problems. In school I had good experiences up until high school. In the elementary years I can remember using manipulatives, doing hands on activities, and reading fun math books. I never knew I would love to teach mathematics one day, but as I got to college my love for the subject grew. My love subject grew because I had great professors that were their when I needed help and I loved the feeling of getting good grades. I loved getting that "AHAH" moment. I felt it was something I was good at and I loved helping others who struggled.
Teaching mathematics should be done in a comfortable setting. A comfortable setting in a classroom should be where all the students are respectful and allow each other to make mistakes. Moreover, the classroom should be a friendly and judge free zone. The teacher should have a positive attitude about mathematics and encourage the students to want to learn about math. One should allow their class to explore numbers and manipulatives. Teachers should be using a collaborative approach when teaching this subject because it is important for students to talk about mathematics. The teacher should different strategies when teaching this subject because everyone learns differently. Using different approaches in the classroom will make the students successful at mathematics. Mathematics can be intimidating and freighting at first to children, but it is a teacher’s job to help them overcome those fears. Teaching mathematics to students is the most rewarding subject to teach. When teaching mathematics you can see the "light bulb" go off in the children or they say "oh I get it now". This tells the teacher that her students understand the material and are engaged in the process of finding the answer.
In my classroom, I want my students to want to jump into a math problem and have fun with numbers. I want them to feel comfortable and be brave when trying to solve a problems and knowing that it is okay to make mistakes. I want my class to know that making mistakes in math is a part of learning. I want them to know that the answer is not everything in math, but it is how we got the answer that matters. I want my students to feel comfortable with math and to not feel intimidated. My classroom will be filled with funny math jokes that the class came up with, and engaging mathematic posters.
A great teacher will see "each student as an individual with hopes, dreams, strengths, and vulnerabilities." A great teacher will also create a classroom where the students feel successful and feel they can reach their maximum potential. Also, a great teacher will make sure the environment in the classroom is respectful and allows "every student to see every other student in this light; which students feel safe enough to share their thoughts and feelings and making a mistake is seen as an opportunity to learn rather than an opportunity to feel like a failure"(Taylor & Lagos, 1988).
"To all, the teacher is a mirror that shows not only the self but the path and its choices, the task and its demands--the difficulties, the joys. To all and from all, the teacher is a learner, a person--and a prism through which the ordinary reveals itself to be miraculous" (Grow, 1977).
Looking back on my childhood I remember playing school in my room, which had a chalkboard and whiteboard, a desk, teacher books, worksheets, a pointer stick, and a red pen. I use to play school to do my homework, go over homework, or study for tests. I loved practicing math problems. In school I had good experiences up until high school. In the elementary years I can remember using manipulatives, doing hands on activities, and reading fun math books. I never knew I would love to teach mathematics one day, but as I got to college my love for the subject grew. My love subject grew because I had great professors that were their when I needed help and I loved the feeling of getting good grades. I loved getting that "AHAH" moment. I felt it was something I was good at and I loved helping others who struggled.
Teaching mathematics should be done in a comfortable setting. A comfortable setting in a classroom should be where all the students are respectful and allow each other to make mistakes. Moreover, the classroom should be a friendly and judge free zone. The teacher should have a positive attitude about mathematics and encourage the students to want to learn about math. One should allow their class to explore numbers and manipulatives. Teachers should be using a collaborative approach when teaching this subject because it is important for students to talk about mathematics. The teacher should different strategies when teaching this subject because everyone learns differently. Using different approaches in the classroom will make the students successful at mathematics. Mathematics can be intimidating and freighting at first to children, but it is a teacher’s job to help them overcome those fears. Teaching mathematics to students is the most rewarding subject to teach. When teaching mathematics you can see the "light bulb" go off in the children or they say "oh I get it now". This tells the teacher that her students understand the material and are engaged in the process of finding the answer.
In my classroom, I want my students to want to jump into a math problem and have fun with numbers. I want them to feel comfortable and be brave when trying to solve a problems and knowing that it is okay to make mistakes. I want my class to know that making mistakes in math is a part of learning. I want them to know that the answer is not everything in math, but it is how we got the answer that matters. I want my students to feel comfortable with math and to not feel intimidated. My classroom will be filled with funny math jokes that the class came up with, and engaging mathematic posters.
A great teacher will see "each student as an individual with hopes, dreams, strengths, and vulnerabilities." A great teacher will also create a classroom where the students feel successful and feel they can reach their maximum potential. Also, a great teacher will make sure the environment in the classroom is respectful and allows "every student to see every other student in this light; which students feel safe enough to share their thoughts and feelings and making a mistake is seen as an opportunity to learn rather than an opportunity to feel like a failure"(Taylor & Lagos, 1988).