Philosophy of Teaching
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin
Through the implementation of the Common Core State Standards in the classroom, teachers are focusing on designing lessons that prepare students to succeed in college and their future careers. By differentiating instruction in the classroom, I make sure that all students are reaching their personal benchmarks in relation to the standards set by the Common Core. To do this, I take the needs of students into consideration when planning my lessons, incorporating various manipulatives and real world application problems into my daily classroom routine. For example, when teaching students about perimeter, I would have my students physically walk around designated shapes to measure them and then have them develop the formula on paper.
Students should also have mathematics connected to real world applications, which will help them relate to the world around them. For instance, when learning about pi, students can learn about the world’s largest pizza, and apply the circumference formula to see how big it actually is when given only the diameter or radius. Before assessing students, I want to ensure that they understand the mathematical concepts that I am teaching by providing them with multiple hands-on learning opportunities. Being a mathematics teacher requires knowing the “why” behind the numbers. Students need to know why C = Pi x d, and my job as the teacher is to assist in developing, while encouraging analytical thinking.
When teaching math, I believe that it is truly important for students to connect with what they are learning in some relevant way. By taking a mathematics concept and making it cross-curricular, students are able to see more purpose to the math. For example, when learning about Christopher Columbus' voyage during a history lesson, students can calculate the distance he traveled in miles, then convert the measurement to feet or to kilometers to incorporate mathematics.
As a math teacher, it is important to meet the needs of all learners in the classroom: visual, kinesthetic or auditory learners, and combinations of all three learning styles. To adapt to the needs and learning preferences of my students, I incorporate a visual component, an auditory component, and a kinesthetic component into most lessons. For example, when teaching students addition through twenty using ten-frames and number bonds, I would have my students first listen to a direct instruction “I do” lesson, then transition to a “we do” activity where students are able to come up to the Smart Board and physically move chips into ten frame cards to complete addition questions in an interactive game, then students would move to the “you do” part of the lesson where they would complete a problem set using their personal whiteboards.
I engage in multiple means of progress monitoring to constantly and consistently check to ensure that students are understanding the concepts that I am teaching. From exit tickets at the end of a lesson, to pre-, mid-, and post-assessments, I am aware of my students' comprehension of the material throughout the learning segment. This frequent monitoring allows me to differentiate my lessons to adapt to all student needs in my classroom by showing me what topics need to be retaught, which skills need more practice, and which are mastered. For those students who need extra assistance on a particular concept, I am able to break the class into small groups to work with identified students to build up the essential strategies they need.
As a mathematics teacher, it is important to include various manipulatives and real world applications into the curriculum, as well as an auditory, visual, and kinesthetic component, to ensure that all students are able to learn the concepts being taught. Knowing how your students learn best allows you to design specific lessons around the various needs and skills presented by your classroom population. To be a successful teacher, the first step is to get to know the students that you are teaching.
Students should also have mathematics connected to real world applications, which will help them relate to the world around them. For instance, when learning about pi, students can learn about the world’s largest pizza, and apply the circumference formula to see how big it actually is when given only the diameter or radius. Before assessing students, I want to ensure that they understand the mathematical concepts that I am teaching by providing them with multiple hands-on learning opportunities. Being a mathematics teacher requires knowing the “why” behind the numbers. Students need to know why C = Pi x d, and my job as the teacher is to assist in developing, while encouraging analytical thinking.
When teaching math, I believe that it is truly important for students to connect with what they are learning in some relevant way. By taking a mathematics concept and making it cross-curricular, students are able to see more purpose to the math. For example, when learning about Christopher Columbus' voyage during a history lesson, students can calculate the distance he traveled in miles, then convert the measurement to feet or to kilometers to incorporate mathematics.
As a math teacher, it is important to meet the needs of all learners in the classroom: visual, kinesthetic or auditory learners, and combinations of all three learning styles. To adapt to the needs and learning preferences of my students, I incorporate a visual component, an auditory component, and a kinesthetic component into most lessons. For example, when teaching students addition through twenty using ten-frames and number bonds, I would have my students first listen to a direct instruction “I do” lesson, then transition to a “we do” activity where students are able to come up to the Smart Board and physically move chips into ten frame cards to complete addition questions in an interactive game, then students would move to the “you do” part of the lesson where they would complete a problem set using their personal whiteboards.
I engage in multiple means of progress monitoring to constantly and consistently check to ensure that students are understanding the concepts that I am teaching. From exit tickets at the end of a lesson, to pre-, mid-, and post-assessments, I am aware of my students' comprehension of the material throughout the learning segment. This frequent monitoring allows me to differentiate my lessons to adapt to all student needs in my classroom by showing me what topics need to be retaught, which skills need more practice, and which are mastered. For those students who need extra assistance on a particular concept, I am able to break the class into small groups to work with identified students to build up the essential strategies they need.
As a mathematics teacher, it is important to include various manipulatives and real world applications into the curriculum, as well as an auditory, visual, and kinesthetic component, to ensure that all students are able to learn the concepts being taught. Knowing how your students learn best allows you to design specific lessons around the various needs and skills presented by your classroom population. To be a successful teacher, the first step is to get to know the students that you are teaching.