TEACHING MATH PHILOSOPHY TAYLOR NICHOLAS

BEFORE TAKING THIS CLASS.. I have enjoyed math my entire life. My father is a math teacher so I have always been constantly supported by my dad and he has been a wonderful resource throughout my schooling. Every time we go out into public, we run into an old student of his and they always tell him what an amazing teacher he was. As a future teacher, I hope for something like that to happen to me. My dad always stresses on the importance of making math relatable to every day life. This has been a constant goal for me when planning math lessons and I hope it becomes easier for me to input this in my teaching every day.

MAKE MATH RELEVANT One of the most difficult challenges to overcome is the attitude of the student toward the subject. “When will I ever need to know this?” It is very important to stress that math is every where and we use math ALL the time. Have your students keep a journal of how they interact with math from the time they wake up until the time they go to sleep. When planning to teach a concept, think about the applications of the work. Spend less time with repetitive problems and more time on problems with real scenarios.

LEARNING MATHEMATICS IS A PROCESS THAT REQUIRES ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT As teachers, we must provide opportunities for students to become engaged in the learning process. Mathematics is best learned through activities that allow students to explore and understand the mathematics on their own. Ex. Games, simulations, research projects Students must be comfortable with their conceptions of mathematics, and they must be able to take ownership of them.

MATHEMATICS MUST BE INTERESTING… In order for a student to succeed in a subject, that subject must engage him or her. Mathematics is too often taught with an endless list of formulas and seemingly no connection between topics. It is very important to use energy and enthusiasm to teach ideas. Make math a game and integrate math into fun activities and make math a fun competition.

MAKE MATH POSSIBLE Even I had to admit that math is not always easy, but when presented in the right way…it is not the scary monster it is often made out to be. By learning theorems well and providing many examples, students will be able to tackle any problem. It is important to remind students that while a problem may be long, they have all the tool they need to solve it!

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM Today, technology and computers are an important part of a mathematics curriculum. Computers are an excellent visualization tool. Students can actually SEE, things such as shapes and 3D sets, that are nearly impossible to show with pen and paper. Computers have students not only look at them, but manipulate them. It makes it easier for students to understand the concepts. Computers are also a motivation for students because they are exciting to them. Many students love getting on the computer and having fun with the game-type atmosphere. As for teaching, technology and computers provide a number of resources to vary your students’ learning. However, when applying technology into the classroom, it is very important for teachers to be clear and about their learning goals.

DON’T FORGET…. MATH IS FUN!!!!!