Mathematics Teaching Philosophy

Because mathematics is often such a feared subject, it has become my opinion that
students should be taught in a way that relates the subject matter to the students’ prior
knowledge and understanding. By helping the students to gain a footing in a mathematical
environment, I hope to help them to gain confidence to move forward. While it is not
always possible to use an everyday situation to teach an abstract mathematical concept, it
is possible to create anchor activities that are relevant to the students life and experiences
that provide students with something concrete to refer back to when they begin to lose
their way. I think it is important to be able to talk about the concepts you are working on,
and so it is my goal to incorporate proper vocabulary into classroom discussions and
assignments. This vocabulary will help create context for the ideas we are talking about
and will relate it to the prior knowledge of the student. Other activities that will be used in
my class include:

 Partner work
 Small group discussions
 Student instruction
 Lessons involving technology
 Jigsaw Activities
 Student Centered Lessons
 Exploratory opportunities