Me, Math Teacher? Part 3

You may be wondering, "Why is this guy telling us his life's story?  I thought this was a weight-loss blog."

Hopefully I can bring it back full-circle for you by the end of these Me, Math Teacher? segments.

That first year, teaching four curriculums, had a big learning curve.  I was excited to have a L.A./S.S. block class.  Having the same kids for two hours allowed me to create lessons where the kids got to get up out of their seat, act out scenes from books we were reading, recreate events from history, and truly engage in their learning.  The math classes are where I felt like my lessons may lack the flair I had grown accustom to using.  Much like Madonna's half-time show at the Super Bowl.

I referred back to my files from Linfield College where I had taken Math for Teachers and Math Methodologies, per the graduation requirements for my major.  I scoured my papers, books, notes and high-lighted passages to identify the strategies best suited for me and my students.  I have always classified myself as what educators call a Constructivist Teacher.  I believe in students constructing their knowledge through experiencing, investigating, collaborating and working through concepts.  Opposed to me telling, showing, or demonstrating concepts.  I found a high-lighted passage in one book that stated this idea clearly.  "A high-quality teacher facilitates learning."

Luckily the Northshore School District had a math curriculum that matched this style quite well.   Students worked in groups on large, real-life problems, and were asked to discuss the best way to solve the problems.  I walked around the room and guided them in the right direction, corrected misconceptions and cleaned up the procedures groups agreed upon.  A true facilitator.  I learned a lot about how kids think, and when to allow the students to struggle through the work, and when it was time to step in and steer them back on course.

My students found success by constructing their own understanding, instead of me delivering the concepts to them like FedEx.  I didn't speak math jargon at them because I was not a "math guy."  This allowed for more students to feel like they could access the numbers because they were not being bogged down by vocabulary.  Once the students understood the concepts, we would go back and attach the math vocabulary, now that they had the knowledge to attach it to.

Once the Administration finds out that a teacher has a knack for teaching math, that person will be a math teacher, indefinitely.  I am in my 9th year of teaching math, and for the first 6 years of teaching math, I did not consider myself a "math guy."  That all changed when...

Me, Math Teacher? Part 4 coming soon.

We are almost to the halfway point in this six-month fundraiser, and I could not be happier with the progress.  I owe so much to all of you for making feel like I was not doing this on my own.  Thank you.

I am down 8 more pounds.  For a total of 47 pounds.  My original goal of 50 pounds in six months seems a bit like Justin Timberlake saying, "I wish I could date at least one hot girl in my lifetime."   I now am like the GPS in your car after you make a wrong turn. "Recalculating" my goal.