My Philosophy of Teaching Mathematics
The word “mathematics” is a controversial word for many people. If presented with a math problem, most individuals either scowl in disgust or light up with joy. In my opinion, these reactions are not a result of something “math” itself has done to the individual, but rather their experiences within a math classroom and, more specifically, with a math teacher. Regardless of one’s love or distaste for mathematics, we all use it every day and are surrounded by the beauty of mathematical art. The curriculum passed down by the state outlines the concepts educators are required to teach throughout the year. Understandably, these tasks do not appear as “beautiful art,” or exciting on paper, however, educators are expected to teach the entire class a set of concepts and achieve mastery by the end of the school year. Without a guideline of how to complete this daunting task, teachers must use their resources and tap into their creative minds to be successful.
As someone who should enjoy and appreciate mathematics, the teacher must exert a positive energy to the class when teaching math, even if it means exaggerating when telling the students that they will have a ball doing fractions and word problems. Students will be receptive to these feelings and although they might not agree, they will naturally be intrigued as to why and how someone can love this subject. It is also essential for the teacher to appreciate his/her freedom within this subject, and its ability to be connected with other content areas. Although the curriculum is predetermined, no one put restrictions to the contexts of the questions or ways in which they are presented. We are not limited by a time in history, a genre of stories, or phenomenon’s in nature within our curriculum. For example, we may be required to teach Algebra skills, but it can be applied to any of our students’ interests. Whether it’s points in a football game, the amount of tickets for a concert, or the time necessary for a trip, the applications of the material is limitless. It’s the teacher’s responsibility to educate themselves on the students’ interests, and use those to build math skills. In addition, the teacher can make connections with history, for example, discuss the mathematical advancements made in the time period they are currently studying in history class, or use math to compute numbers in a science experiment. The flexibility allows the teacher to incorporate cooperative learning groups and differentiated instruction to ensure the learning needs of all the students.
Mathematics is a key structure of the foundation of the world we live in; it’s in everything from the waves of the ocean, to the sound of music in the room. As math educators, it is up to us to portray a positive attitude towards mathematics and be creative in our teaching methods. By educating ourselves on authentic, relatable aspects of our students’ lives, we can develop future generations of individuals who light up with joy when they hear the word “mathematics.”
As someone who should enjoy and appreciate mathematics, the teacher must exert a positive energy to the class when teaching math, even if it means exaggerating when telling the students that they will have a ball doing fractions and word problems. Students will be receptive to these feelings and although they might not agree, they will naturally be intrigued as to why and how someone can love this subject. It is also essential for the teacher to appreciate his/her freedom within this subject, and its ability to be connected with other content areas. Although the curriculum is predetermined, no one put restrictions to the contexts of the questions or ways in which they are presented. We are not limited by a time in history, a genre of stories, or phenomenon’s in nature within our curriculum. For example, we may be required to teach Algebra skills, but it can be applied to any of our students’ interests. Whether it’s points in a football game, the amount of tickets for a concert, or the time necessary for a trip, the applications of the material is limitless. It’s the teacher’s responsibility to educate themselves on the students’ interests, and use those to build math skills. In addition, the teacher can make connections with history, for example, discuss the mathematical advancements made in the time period they are currently studying in history class, or use math to compute numbers in a science experiment. The flexibility allows the teacher to incorporate cooperative learning groups and differentiated instruction to ensure the learning needs of all the students.
Mathematics is a key structure of the foundation of the world we live in; it’s in everything from the waves of the ocean, to the sound of music in the room. As math educators, it is up to us to portray a positive attitude towards mathematics and be creative in our teaching methods. By educating ourselves on authentic, relatable aspects of our students’ lives, we can develop future generations of individuals who light up with joy when they hear the word “mathematics.”