My main goal in teaching Mathematics is to inspire my students with my interest and knowledge of the subject and to keep it FUN. We use math everyday and I feel that with hands-on experiences and experiments I can motivate students to learn, understand and appreciate Mathematics in a way they never have. Mathematics is more than just getting right or wrong answers it is a way of thinking and understanding concepts of everyday life. By using models and manipulatives I will encourage exploration and an appreciation of Mathematics.
Secondly, I see myself as a model for reading. Reading is also something we use daily and it is an important part of Mathematics. Without reading, how can we function in day-to-day life? Not only word problems, but instructions, directions, and explanations are all in word form. There are great authors, like Greg Tang, who write books that incorporate math into the story line; I will have these books and read these type books on a regular basis as a way to integrate reading into my classroom. Though my students will be in a Mathematics classroom, they will have the resources that also encourage and support reading as an important area in their lives.
With such an emphasis an standardized testing today, Mathematics and Reading are the two main areas of investigation. I will do all I can as an educator and a mentor to entwine these two subjects with enthusiasm and excitement to help children succeed in their journeys through the education system. It is my goal that every child has continued success beyond my classroom.
