An interview with Caroline Butler

2nd Grade Teacher Mable Baron School

The Unfulfilled Dream
Question 1: This is the first year teaching since you have completed the MIAA
certification. Do you notice a positive impact in classroom instruction as a result of
taking the MIAA 350 course last fall?
Caroline: I think that my questioning techniques are better in discussions and
instructional time. I felt that many of my teaching methods were validated by what I
learned in MIAA 350.
Question 2: What do you do if an Engage New York lesson doesnt work well? Do
you enhance the quality of the lesson with things learned from the MIAA 350 course
to make the content less complicated?
Caroline: I feel like the things that are stopping the Engage New York lessons from
going well have little to do with the materials themselves. They have more to do with me
not being familiar with the materials or terminology that is being used in a particular
lesson. Sometimes they dont go well because I havent had time to think through and
anticipate things that may come up with that lesson because it is so new. When things
dont go well, I do what I do when any lesson goes sideways: intelligent improvisation! I
take what I know about that concept and my previous experience working with primary
kids on that idea and I try to make it make sense to the kids. If it is a total loss, I tell the
kids we will try again tomorrow or later that day (when possible). I have the advantage
of being in a primary grade so the kids understand that we have to try again often. I
think that the things I learned in MIAA 350 do help me fill in the gaps in understanding
when a lesson becomes difficult.
Question 3: Given the higher expectations and new curriculum materials in place
this years in Lincoln Unified School District, is it helpful for you to know a variety
of appropriate methods of mathematical representation learned in the MIAA 350
course to use to benefit the students understanding of mathematical concepts?
Caroline: Yes. Regardless of the district expectations, it is just better teaching that
lays a more conceptual foundation and has better potential for connecting effectively with
a wider range of learning styles.
Question 4: What kind of math student were you back in grammar school?
Caroline: I struggled with the four basic operations in math. I understood time, money,
geometry, and calendar concepts well. I never liked or felt good about math in school. I
went through to calculus with analytical geometry in college dislike math almost the
whole time.

Question 5: Do you remember your elementary school teachers trying a variety of

mathematical methods to help struggling students?
Caroline: No. There was none. Memorize flash cards. Do timed drills on facts. That
was the instruction. If you did not understand how they did this one, they would do
another one just like it by the same method.
Question 6: How do you think your students fell about math in general?
Caroline: Almost all of them like it. Primary students are very open minded and
willing to try things as long as they know you understand they are still learning and dont
expect them to be perfect. Many get frustrated with the Engage New York math pages
because the reading level is too high for them to read independently. There is not enough
room to work out the problems and draw pictures, and the problems are often multi-step,
which really raised the level of difficulty for independent practice. At the end of a year of
those frustrations, well see if they still like math.
Question 7: Now as an adult, how has your view about math changed from the
early years as a mathematician?
Caroline: I have learned so many things I wish someone had shown me as a child. My
path in life would have been dramatically different. I have always thought that I am a
better math than reading teacher even though my bachelors degree is in English. I
relate to their struggles personally. Now I think math can be fun! I think of it as a
challenging brain-teaser, not a death sentence. Id say thats a pretty good turn around.
However, the fact that is took 20 years and the loss of my dream before the turn around
happened informs me as to the seriousness of my responsibility as a teacher.