MISS GUNZENHAUSER'S MATH PAGE

               The key principle of my teaching philosophy involves active student engagement in the classroom. Learning happens through participation and peaked interest in a topic. I believe it is the responsibility of both the teacher and the student to maximize learning in a classroom. Teachers have just as much to learn as the students and by working together, the goal of a productive classroom can be reached. Effective teaching and learning are both derived from an active learning environment, high expectations for the student as well as the teacher, and strong, supportive relationships between the teacher, students, parents, and the community.

 

               I believe that an effective learning environment is dynamic and interactive. As a teacher, my classroom will be a safe learning environment in which students can trust and respect each other. I want to challenge my students and in return, be challenged by them. Learning is not a passive activity, thus my classroom will be filled with productive noise: students asking questions, respectfully challenging each other, making valid arguments, and debating ideas until they discover an answer or a way to go about finding an answer. I will conduct hands-on activities that promote guided learning, and can provide a visual representation of the material. I will also ensure that these activities are not so challenging that the students gives up or too elementary that students lose interest.

 

              The classroom should have a combination of direct instruction, activity-based learning, and cooperative learning. Changing the style of teaching and learning regularly will help peak interest and prevent the classroom from becoming too static. I will strategically move from one teaching style to the other in order to promote learning, attentiveness, and interest in the lesson. While a dynamic classroom is ideal, having a set routine every day is imperative. Less time will be spent in transition and more time will be devoted to engaged learning. Such a routine will include putting any problematic homework questions on the board as soon as students walk in, and a warm up projected on the board that will connect a previous mathematical concept to the one being taught that day.

 

            In my classroom, I want to make mathematics meaningful and purposeful. I want students to know why they are learning the material presented and how it will affect their own lives. In order to do so, I will create and provide several application problems, which will bring context to my lessons. These problems will be geared toward my students and the surrounding community. I will also provide some history surrounding the given mathematical topics for my students such as mathematicians and from where certain topics are derived. This will help my students make connections between different topics and concepts. Providing context will increase the rate of retention, as well as interest in the classroom.

 

            What I expect out of my students provides an image of what I expect of myself as a teacher in the classroom: to continuously grow as a person, a learner, and an educator. The term “educator” is not limited to myself or other teachers with a formal certification. I want my students to be able to understand a topic to a point that they feel confident to teach that information to someone else. I expect for us, as a class, to be able to work off of one another’s ideas in order to maximize learning. We should be able to work as a team to create an understanding of the material being presented and mathematics as a whole. My students will encourage me to further my education of mathematics and methods of mathematical instruction that are most effective in the classroom. It is vital that I remain a learner throughout my career - through my students, colleagues, and professional development courses.

 

           Relationships are of utmost importance in my classroom. Supportive partnerships between teachers, students, and parents will consistently be created and maintained. It is vital to build and preserve a relationship with my students on a basis of mutual respect. I will also maintain close relationships with the students’ parents to increase academic performance as well as improve overall behavior in the classroom. It is just as important to communicate to parents when a student is performing well, or improving, as well as if their student is performing negatively. Building these relationships with students and parents will dramatically increase performance in my classroom and will provide an environment of respect and trust, which is what I strive for in my teaching career.

 

           Ultimately, I want to guide my students to reach their fullest potential. I want them to develop an appreciation for mathematics and for themselves as active learners. This can be accomplished through partner/group work, individual work, class discussions, and one-on-one conversations between the student and I. I am eager to pursue a career in teaching, as I am a strong individual with a love of learning who wishes to see my students succeed in mathematics, as well as their own life.