Philosophy of Teaching Mathematics |
Mathematics is a key aspect of our lives; without it, we could not understand how the world works. Math exists in science, grocery stores, libraries, nature; no matter where a person goes, they will be faced with mathematical concepts. Teaching mathematics provides students with the knowledge to understand the world that surrounds them. It is important to acknowledge that every student’s needs are different; thus, incorporating differentiated instruction is key to a productive classroom.
To provide differentiated instruction in my classroom, I will have various activities for students to participate in. The activities will be scaffolded for various levels of understanding, providing students who need extra guidance with the assistance they need while challenging the students who are excelling to engage in a higher order of critical thinking. By providing these opportunity for my students, I can ensure that each student is learning.
Along with differentiated instruction, other methods can increase the productivity of my classroom, such as cooperative learning, project-based learning, literary strategies, and teaching with technology. Cooperative learning allows for a transfer of knowledge between students and will help form a classroom community. Having a community in the classroom will allow the students to feel safe in participating in classroom discussion and provide them with the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. Project-based learning and literary strategies provide real-life applications of the content learned in the classroom, builds upon knowledge in other fields, and increases student appreciation of the content. In my classroom, project based learning will come in the form of Math Trails; students will choose a topic learned in class and construct a problem utilizing the environment that surrounds them. Teaching with technology not only aides learning the content efficiently, but also teaches the students how to use their endless supply of resources responsibly. I will use online resources such as desmos, geogebra and mathematica so students can visualize and experience the mathematics. These methods all increase student engagement thus resulting in a higher level of understanding. Additionally, by using these methods, I would be addressing the strands of mathematical proficiency: adaptive reasoning, strategic competence, conceptual understanding, productive disposition, and procedural fluency. By implementing these strands in lessons I will assess the students' retention of the material.
Assessment is often associated with testing but should occur continuously throughout the lesson. The two main types of assessment I will implement are formal and informal assessment. My formal assessment will consist of quizzes and tests that are summative, whereas the informal assessments I implement will consist of questioning and observation and are formative. I will use my informal assessment to guide review lessons to target student needs. I will only use formal assessment at the end of a topic. After the formal assessment is completed, I will use the data I collect to adjust my lessons for the following year.
By teaching mathematics, we are empowering the youth by giving them the knowledge needed to understand the world. It is the duty of educators to provide the students with the best educational experiences that we can construct. This can only be done by taking all factors of education into consideration.
To provide differentiated instruction in my classroom, I will have various activities for students to participate in. The activities will be scaffolded for various levels of understanding, providing students who need extra guidance with the assistance they need while challenging the students who are excelling to engage in a higher order of critical thinking. By providing these opportunity for my students, I can ensure that each student is learning.
Along with differentiated instruction, other methods can increase the productivity of my classroom, such as cooperative learning, project-based learning, literary strategies, and teaching with technology. Cooperative learning allows for a transfer of knowledge between students and will help form a classroom community. Having a community in the classroom will allow the students to feel safe in participating in classroom discussion and provide them with the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. Project-based learning and literary strategies provide real-life applications of the content learned in the classroom, builds upon knowledge in other fields, and increases student appreciation of the content. In my classroom, project based learning will come in the form of Math Trails; students will choose a topic learned in class and construct a problem utilizing the environment that surrounds them. Teaching with technology not only aides learning the content efficiently, but also teaches the students how to use their endless supply of resources responsibly. I will use online resources such as desmos, geogebra and mathematica so students can visualize and experience the mathematics. These methods all increase student engagement thus resulting in a higher level of understanding. Additionally, by using these methods, I would be addressing the strands of mathematical proficiency: adaptive reasoning, strategic competence, conceptual understanding, productive disposition, and procedural fluency. By implementing these strands in lessons I will assess the students' retention of the material.
Assessment is often associated with testing but should occur continuously throughout the lesson. The two main types of assessment I will implement are formal and informal assessment. My formal assessment will consist of quizzes and tests that are summative, whereas the informal assessments I implement will consist of questioning and observation and are formative. I will use my informal assessment to guide review lessons to target student needs. I will only use formal assessment at the end of a topic. After the formal assessment is completed, I will use the data I collect to adjust my lessons for the following year.
By teaching mathematics, we are empowering the youth by giving them the knowledge needed to understand the world. It is the duty of educators to provide the students with the best educational experiences that we can construct. This can only be done by taking all factors of education into consideration.