Vous êtes sur la page 1sur 1

Philosophy of Mathematics Instruction

Natalie Weston
Students often view math as too difficult and something that they will not be able to excel
in. As a teacher, I want to teach my students to view math as an exciting challenge and not as an
intimidating dead end. When teachers exhibit a positive attitude about what they are teaching, the
students often show the same excitement and interest. I believe that approaching math teaching
and learning as a fun challenge helps students approach math in a way that is more accessible
and less intimidating.
While I do believe in constantly modeling and doing guided practice during mathematics
instruction, I also believe that students need the opportunity to be actively involved in their
learning through the use of hands-on activities and manipulatives. Giving students the
opportunity to explore and attempt to learn things on their own is extremely crucial in helping
students be intrigued about math. Active student participation helps students develop their
problem solving skills, helps them collaborate with their peers, and also helps them see math
concepts portrayed in a variety of representations. Giving students tasks and projects that are
challenging but within their reach also helps students view math as something that is an exciting
challenge but also as something that they can be successful in. Introducing math concepts to
students in an approachable way that they feel comfortable with and slowly increasing the
cognitive demand and transitioning into more challenging tasks and concepts also helps to build
student confidence, skills, and abilities.
All students understand and approach math in different ways. I believe that it is my job as
an educator to understand all of the different ways that students like to learn mathematics so that
I am able to incorporate as many learning styles into my lessons and activities as possible. I
realize that one representation that works for one student may not be at all helpful for other
students. I understand the importance of teaching math using a variety of representations so that
all students are able to understand the concept in a way that makes sense to them. Representing
math concepts and solutions using drawings, number sentences, manipulatives, and tools such as
number grids or charts helps to deepen student understanding of the topic at hand. While
teaching math and doing guided practice with students, I am honest with students that sometimes
I also mistakes and need to slow down and take another look at the problem. Emphasizing to
students that it is okay to make mistakes while doing math helps students feel like they can try
any math problem and that it is also okay if they do not succeed right away. I want to always
emphasize that anyone can be a mathematician and continue to establish students’ confidence
when it comes to math learning.
Finding ways to make math learning fun, engaging, and interactive helps students feel
involved in the process of math learning. Incorporating movement, technology, using student
names in math problems and providing opportunities for group tasks where students are able to
collaborate all encourage student enthusiasm and engagement when it comes to mathematics
learning. I also believe in the importance of emphasizing practicality when it comes to math
learning and using real world examples and contexts that students are able to understand and feel
connected to. Making math interesting, possible, and relevant are my main goals when it comes
to teaching mathematics in the classroom.

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi