Statement of Teaching Philosophy

Teaching math has been an extremely rewarding experience for me. I put a lot of time into the students I teach. As a teacher, I create an environment of caring and respect. I believe an effective teacher knows their students, both in name and background. An effective teacher needs to keep the class interested and following the material.

Throughout the time I have been teaching mathematics I can not count the number of times students come into the classroom on the first day of class saying, “I hate math” or “I am not good at math”. These negative attitudes stem from frustration and years of self doubt. Many students walk in with a feeling of being overwhelmed. During the first class I review material they are expected to already know. Starting students out with this review allows them to feel a level of comfort and familiarity. Math students tend to enter the classroom with varying backgrounds. For example, when teaching the mathematics for elementary education majors at the University of Maryland I had a range of students, from those who have had basic algebra to those who completed calculus in high school. By explaining what they are expected to know, it allows the students to be aware of what areas they may need to review.

I believe that a successful learning environment starts with a prepared teacher. During the first class I lay out my expectations of the students and the course syllabus. I take the time to create lesson plans that thoroughly cover the material required for the students to learn. Taking the time to be prepared shows the students the respect you have for them. I also take the time to assign appropriate assignments. I can remember as a student, both undergraduate and graduate, the frustration I would feel when I could tell a teacher put little to no time into their lesson plan. Built into a good lesson plan must be flexibility. Rushing to squeeze material in adds to students feeling overwhelmed.

Keeping the class interested and involved is essential. I frequently ask questions to my class during lectures, such as, “Are there any questions?” or “Are you following?”. By engaging my students I am able to determine if the pace I am teaching at is too slow or too fast. It is important for me to create a learning environment where students feel at ease. I learn the names of my students, and by getting to know my students I am able to better judge whether they are following my lesson or not.

As a teacher I require a lot of my students. I think it is important to stress that I will work hard for them, but I ask that they reciprocate that hard work. I insist that students participate in the solution process. While teaching students I show them the thought process. I ask, “Where do we start?”, “What should we do next?”, and “Is the answer reasonable?”. Students who are simply taught formulas, but not shown the thought process, become lost when asked to solve problems on their own.

A teacher needs to adjust their lesson plans to the level and interest of their students. Of course there is a set amount of information that one must teach, but bringing in examples and projects that reflect the students’ backgrounds will increase interest in the course material. For example, for the elementary education mathematic courses, when teaching addition, subtraction, multiplication and division algorithms I located an exercise that dealt with student invented algorithms. There was a first grade class that was not taught any formal algorithms and asked to solve some problems. I asked my students to explain the child’s thought process and if the child’s thinking was correct; if not explain where the child went wrong. This exercise was far more interesting and informative than simply lecturing on various algorithms used by students. In my engineering calculus courses, when teaching about the mean value theorem, I love to use the example of how two cops sitting a mile apart on a highway are able to determine if someone was speeding. Using real world examples allows the students to see the application of what they are being taught and hence create more interest in the subject material.

I encourage students to work together and teach each other. I say often, “Do you own the material?” Someone does not own the material until they are able to teach it to someone else. While testing or quizzing my students I stress that answers with no explanation are worth nothing. Students are expected to clearly explain their work. As a teacher I act as the students’ role model and believe that I need to help students learn the material. Although a teacher should be prepared to answer questions, I believe that one can anticipate questions. In teaching course material I remember the places where I had difficulty and take the extra time to re-explain the common confusion areas.

Evaluations from my students are an essential learning tool for me. During each semester that I have taught, students have filled out evaluation forms. The questions that are most meaningful to me are the two questions that ask to rank the clarity of my explanations of course material and the respect toward individual students. Besides the standard evaluation forms, I also encourage constant feed back from my students. It is important not only to ask, but to be accepting of both positive and negative feedback. Each time I teach a course I have tried to improve on the experience I had before. Student input is essential to improving my role as an excellent teacher. Although I appreciate all compliments about my teaching, my favorite ones come from the students who were struggling through my course. I had a student who failed my course, but approached me the next semester for help, telling me that I was a great teacher and they just didn’t put in the effort needed to pass. To continue to be an effective teacher, I need to continuously evaluate and update my teaching techniques as students’ needs change.

I do believe that anyone can learn math. It is critical to do away with the notion that some students are just not cut out for math. As a teacher I enjoy teaching all levels. I love watching a student who felt they “were just no good” in math realize that they do understand. Both positive and negative experiences with math stem from teachers. It is important for teachers to accept their role in shaping the attitude students have towards math. As a student, I have had so many great math teachers who have created an environment of learning, respect, comfort and caring. I have used all positive and negative examples set before me to become a great teacher.