My Teaching Philosophy
Sarah Weber
My Teaching Philosophy
Math is a discipline that finds its way into every crevice of life. A person needs numbers on a daily if not minute by minute basis. It is vital that people have a firm grasp and understanding of numbers and operations. An understanding of mathematical concepts and number sense is a great advantage in any career as well as all aspects of problem solving and decision making.
It is very important for math to be taught and understood in the school systems today through a K12 education. Math is a subject that builds on its foundations every step of the way, and it is a subject that has a great significance and impact on our lives. As teachers, we must actively prepare our students for the next level and ensure that they are ready and able to be successful at each step of the way. Our students use math everyday whether they realize it or not. Number sense is a concept that presents itself in every aspect of their day. They must understand numbers from the time they wake up to go about the day to the minute where they fall asleep at night.
I think the most important mathematical concepts that every student needs to have a deep understanding are ratios, proportions and fractions. Ratios, proportions and fractions are used in cooking, medicines, cost calculations, and countless other actions that people undertake every single day. In some cases, understanding fractions can be the difference in an emergency. For example, medical doses are generally given in proportion to a patient’s weight. This is a very specific concept that, if calculated incorrectly, can have devastating results. These are mathematical decisions that must be made in an instant, without finger counting or running for a calculator. Students need to truly understand and have a strong number sense with fractions so they can feel more confident in their decision making.
When teaching mathematics, one has to be ready for anything. In a single classroom you will have all different types of learners. The most common learners I have seen in my classroom are visual, auditory, and tactile learners. This should not surprise most because today’s classroom focuses a lot on multiple representations to help students understand mathematics in several different ways. It is very important that we give our students several different types of opportunities to learn mathematics in different ways. Our students will benefit from seeing math, hearing math, touching math, and creating scenarios to express math. When our students leave our classrooms, they will not encounter math in only one way. They will see math expressed through their work, in their homes, at the grocery store, paying their bills, with their children, and many other places. This means they must have the opportunity to meet with and exceed in mathematics by speaking a math language, creating a representation, and presenting a problem solving technique.
I think to learn and understand mathematics go hand in hand. To learn mathematics is to understand mathematics. To understand mathematics is to have an experience with mathematics. This means that we have to know our students and we have to create learning experiences in our classrooms that will be meaningful to our students. For example, if a classroom full of varsity basketball players is learning probability, then there is a great opportunity to make a math connection through the popular sport. Have the students shoot ten free-throws in the gym and figure out each student’s probability of making a free throw shot. Then, have the students use that data to find dependent probabilities. The students can really grasp the concept of probability because they can link it to something they are truly interested in. This is the essence of learning. If your students walk out of your classroom and can go home and tell their parents about their day in math class with accuracy, you have created a learning experience with your students that they will not forget.
Education has evolved in way that puts the students at the center of their own learning. It is no longer acceptable or effective for a teacher to sit or stand at the front of the room and lecture for an hour. Now, the students have to captain their own learning. As a teacher, we need to ensure that our students are taking an active role in the activities we assign in class. They need to be engaged in the problem solving process, and they need to be their own discoverers. It is becoming increasingly important for students to be able to explain their thinking processes as well as their answers. A great understanding comes from a student who can look at a problem and correctly explain to you how to find the right answer.
When I was in high school, I remember being in my more advanced classes sitting in the front row of the classroom diligently taking notes from my teacher who sat on a stool in the front of the room and wrote notes and examples on an overhead projector with a rollable transparency. Every day the routine was the same, and we strictly focused on example after example after example. We did not ask why we needed to learn something or where this concept mattered, we just did it because that is what we were supposed to do. College was much the same. We solved the problems to get the degree. We did not ask why we needed to do it, we just assumed it would one day become evident or we truly didn’t care. Students today are not like that, they need to see the importance of the concepts they are learning. Why do they need to know that 7% of $2 is $.14? When are they ever going to need to interpret the graph of a quadratic? My experience as a student has influenced me to bring these experiences into my classroom so the students do not have to ask why. My students will readily see the importance of mathematics in their lives far outside the classroom.
One thing I love to do in my classroom is have the students write a story about their math. They must use the problems in a way that creates an outside experience for them. For example, when my students were studying average rate of change, we documented how much music they listened to in a typical week. The students graphed their data, and then they wrote an ad pitch for a new album to the local radio shows. From their given data, they had to recommend the best two days to air the ad and the worst two days to air the ad and explain themselves. They saw the material in a graph, a table, and a story told by themselves. From that point, they could relate the rate of change back to their music.
My ultimate goal for my classroom is not to create brilliant mathematicians. That may be a shock, but I was once told that math is an elite club and only a few are interested in membership. I know the majority of my students will not go on to pursue math, but the problem solving skill set they nurture while learning upper level math concepts is a skill that is the most valuable in the world. My goal for my students is to walk out of my classroom with the critical thinking skills and problem solving confidence that can help them meet new or difficult concepts with ease.
My Teaching Philosophy
Math is a discipline that finds its way into every crevice of life. A person needs numbers on a daily if not minute by minute basis. It is vital that people have a firm grasp and understanding of numbers and operations. An understanding of mathematical concepts and number sense is a great advantage in any career as well as all aspects of problem solving and decision making.
It is very important for math to be taught and understood in the school systems today through a K12 education. Math is a subject that builds on its foundations every step of the way, and it is a subject that has a great significance and impact on our lives. As teachers, we must actively prepare our students for the next level and ensure that they are ready and able to be successful at each step of the way. Our students use math everyday whether they realize it or not. Number sense is a concept that presents itself in every aspect of their day. They must understand numbers from the time they wake up to go about the day to the minute where they fall asleep at night.
I think the most important mathematical concepts that every student needs to have a deep understanding are ratios, proportions and fractions. Ratios, proportions and fractions are used in cooking, medicines, cost calculations, and countless other actions that people undertake every single day. In some cases, understanding fractions can be the difference in an emergency. For example, medical doses are generally given in proportion to a patient’s weight. This is a very specific concept that, if calculated incorrectly, can have devastating results. These are mathematical decisions that must be made in an instant, without finger counting or running for a calculator. Students need to truly understand and have a strong number sense with fractions so they can feel more confident in their decision making.
When teaching mathematics, one has to be ready for anything. In a single classroom you will have all different types of learners. The most common learners I have seen in my classroom are visual, auditory, and tactile learners. This should not surprise most because today’s classroom focuses a lot on multiple representations to help students understand mathematics in several different ways. It is very important that we give our students several different types of opportunities to learn mathematics in different ways. Our students will benefit from seeing math, hearing math, touching math, and creating scenarios to express math. When our students leave our classrooms, they will not encounter math in only one way. They will see math expressed through their work, in their homes, at the grocery store, paying their bills, with their children, and many other places. This means they must have the opportunity to meet with and exceed in mathematics by speaking a math language, creating a representation, and presenting a problem solving technique.
I think to learn and understand mathematics go hand in hand. To learn mathematics is to understand mathematics. To understand mathematics is to have an experience with mathematics. This means that we have to know our students and we have to create learning experiences in our classrooms that will be meaningful to our students. For example, if a classroom full of varsity basketball players is learning probability, then there is a great opportunity to make a math connection through the popular sport. Have the students shoot ten free-throws in the gym and figure out each student’s probability of making a free throw shot. Then, have the students use that data to find dependent probabilities. The students can really grasp the concept of probability because they can link it to something they are truly interested in. This is the essence of learning. If your students walk out of your classroom and can go home and tell their parents about their day in math class with accuracy, you have created a learning experience with your students that they will not forget.
Education has evolved in way that puts the students at the center of their own learning. It is no longer acceptable or effective for a teacher to sit or stand at the front of the room and lecture for an hour. Now, the students have to captain their own learning. As a teacher, we need to ensure that our students are taking an active role in the activities we assign in class. They need to be engaged in the problem solving process, and they need to be their own discoverers. It is becoming increasingly important for students to be able to explain their thinking processes as well as their answers. A great understanding comes from a student who can look at a problem and correctly explain to you how to find the right answer.
When I was in high school, I remember being in my more advanced classes sitting in the front row of the classroom diligently taking notes from my teacher who sat on a stool in the front of the room and wrote notes and examples on an overhead projector with a rollable transparency. Every day the routine was the same, and we strictly focused on example after example after example. We did not ask why we needed to learn something or where this concept mattered, we just did it because that is what we were supposed to do. College was much the same. We solved the problems to get the degree. We did not ask why we needed to do it, we just assumed it would one day become evident or we truly didn’t care. Students today are not like that, they need to see the importance of the concepts they are learning. Why do they need to know that 7% of $2 is $.14? When are they ever going to need to interpret the graph of a quadratic? My experience as a student has influenced me to bring these experiences into my classroom so the students do not have to ask why. My students will readily see the importance of mathematics in their lives far outside the classroom.
One thing I love to do in my classroom is have the students write a story about their math. They must use the problems in a way that creates an outside experience for them. For example, when my students were studying average rate of change, we documented how much music they listened to in a typical week. The students graphed their data, and then they wrote an ad pitch for a new album to the local radio shows. From their given data, they had to recommend the best two days to air the ad and the worst two days to air the ad and explain themselves. They saw the material in a graph, a table, and a story told by themselves. From that point, they could relate the rate of change back to their music.
My ultimate goal for my classroom is not to create brilliant mathematicians. That may be a shock, but I was once told that math is an elite club and only a few are interested in membership. I know the majority of my students will not go on to pursue math, but the problem solving skill set they nurture while learning upper level math concepts is a skill that is the most valuable in the world. My goal for my students is to walk out of my classroom with the critical thinking skills and problem solving confidence that can help them meet new or difficult concepts with ease.
Grading Procedures
Dear parents and students,
This year is going to be a great one for mathematics at Central High School! Your student will learn math in a fun, disciplined environment that, with hard work and determination, will prepare them for success in their higher education. My pledge to you as their learning facilitator is that I promise to do everything in my power to ensure their success at every pivot point in the class. This will be done by a series of assessments to gauge their readiness to move on to new content. That way, we as educators can feel confident in continuing the course in a way that will enable each student to be successful in algebra. Outlined below is an explanation of the assessment procedures that will be implemented in both the Geometry course.
1. Strand Assessments: these will be cumulative tests at the end of every unit in the course. There are six units total, so there will be six unit tests. The data for these exams will assess the students’ retention of the unit data and their readiness to begin a new unit. A score of 60 or above is passing on this exam. (tests/ quizzes/ projects are 75% of the entire grade)
3. Weekly Strand Quizzes: Every week your student will be given a quiz covering all of the standard components that are taught that week. This generally includes two or three concepts of a single standard. The standards pertain to the present unit, and the data from these quizzes will be used to determine if any concept needs to be revisited before moving on to build more understanding. A score of 60 or above is passing for these quizzes (tests/ quizzes/ projects are 75% of the entire grade)
4. Class work: This will include all Do Now activities, participation grades, lesson activities, and ticket out the door assignments. All of these assignments are given and completed within the class period. These assignments are used to show the teacher how well the students grasped the material that day. This data is assessed daily to determine whether the class is ready to build on the day’s topic. There will be roughly 30-40 class work assignments over the course of the nine weeks. A score of 60 on these assignments is a passing score. (15% of the entire grade)
5. Homework: These assignments will provide extra practice to the students to help them in deepen their understanding of the material and ensure better retention of the skills. This data will be assessed to determine retention and comfort with the skill set. There will be assigned homework no less than every other day, and 10 of those assignments will be randomly collected and graded for effort and completion. On a scale of 10, a 6 will be a passing score for these assignments. (10% of the entire grade)
Your student will receive state progress reports every four and a half weeks, and a report card every nine weeks to keep you updated on your student’s progression. You can always log on to STI's PARENT PORTAL to check your child's grades at any time! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me! With your help and involvement, this will be a very successful year for CHS!! Thank you!
This year is going to be a great one for mathematics at Central High School! Your student will learn math in a fun, disciplined environment that, with hard work and determination, will prepare them for success in their higher education. My pledge to you as their learning facilitator is that I promise to do everything in my power to ensure their success at every pivot point in the class. This will be done by a series of assessments to gauge their readiness to move on to new content. That way, we as educators can feel confident in continuing the course in a way that will enable each student to be successful in algebra. Outlined below is an explanation of the assessment procedures that will be implemented in both the Geometry course.
1. Strand Assessments: these will be cumulative tests at the end of every unit in the course. There are six units total, so there will be six unit tests. The data for these exams will assess the students’ retention of the unit data and their readiness to begin a new unit. A score of 60 or above is passing on this exam. (tests/ quizzes/ projects are 75% of the entire grade)
3. Weekly Strand Quizzes: Every week your student will be given a quiz covering all of the standard components that are taught that week. This generally includes two or three concepts of a single standard. The standards pertain to the present unit, and the data from these quizzes will be used to determine if any concept needs to be revisited before moving on to build more understanding. A score of 60 or above is passing for these quizzes (tests/ quizzes/ projects are 75% of the entire grade)
4. Class work: This will include all Do Now activities, participation grades, lesson activities, and ticket out the door assignments. All of these assignments are given and completed within the class period. These assignments are used to show the teacher how well the students grasped the material that day. This data is assessed daily to determine whether the class is ready to build on the day’s topic. There will be roughly 30-40 class work assignments over the course of the nine weeks. A score of 60 on these assignments is a passing score. (15% of the entire grade)
5. Homework: These assignments will provide extra practice to the students to help them in deepen their understanding of the material and ensure better retention of the skills. This data will be assessed to determine retention and comfort with the skill set. There will be assigned homework no less than every other day, and 10 of those assignments will be randomly collected and graded for effort and completion. On a scale of 10, a 6 will be a passing score for these assignments. (10% of the entire grade)
Your student will receive state progress reports every four and a half weeks, and a report card every nine weeks to keep you updated on your student’s progression. You can always log on to STI's PARENT PORTAL to check your child's grades at any time! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me! With your help and involvement, this will be a very successful year for CHS!! Thank you!
Behavior Policy
Dear parents,
Welcome to the 2015- 2016 school year!! I am looking forward to teaching your student in an effective and engaging classroom where he or she can facilitate his or her own learning in a way that will prepare your student for higher levels of thinking and promotion to the next grade level. I know we will have a fun and productive year in mathematics. We expect there to be minimal issues with behavior, however, if there is an issue with a student following the rules listed below, the behavior protocol will be followed.
Rules and Regulations
Behavior Protocol
In the event there is a misconduct issue in the classroom, the following protocol will be followed to correct the behavior and ensure an effective and engaging learning environment for all students.
1. Verbal Warning
· Student will be warned by teacher to cease the undesired behavior. Student will have one chance to cease behavior before next course of action will be taken.
2. Removal of classroom privilege including:
· Student placed on seating chart
· Removal of bathroom privileges
· Removal of group or project privileges
3. Teacher phone call home to speak with parents
· If parent cannot be reached, a message will be left and another attempt will be made the following day. If the behavior continues or if attempts to contact parent are unsuccessful, the next course of action will be taken.
4. Teacher detention conference with student (30 minutes)
· Student will discuss repeat behavior and copy a behavior contract during an after school detention in the teacher classroom.
5. Teacher conference with parents and students
· A conference will be scheduled with parents after school to discuss the behavior issue the student is creating in class. If parents are unavailable after three attempts to contact for a conference, the next course of action will be taken.
6. Guidance Office conference with parents, student, and all teachers
· All teachers that teach the student will meet with the parents along with a guidance counselor to discuss the severity of continued disruption in the classroom.
7. Referral to the discipline office
· Student is referred to the discipline office to confer with the assistant principle of disciple for school level punishment. All other infractions of the same kind will result in a further referral to the discipline office.
This will serve as our promise to each other that we will do everything we can to help your child succeed. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to teach your child!! I look forward to a great year!!
Welcome to the 2015- 2016 school year!! I am looking forward to teaching your student in an effective and engaging classroom where he or she can facilitate his or her own learning in a way that will prepare your student for higher levels of thinking and promotion to the next grade level. I know we will have a fun and productive year in mathematics. We expect there to be minimal issues with behavior, however, if there is an issue with a student following the rules listed below, the behavior protocol will be followed.
Rules and Regulations
- You are to be in your seat working when the tardy bell rings.
- Bring your materials to class daily.
- Be respectful to your instructors and your classmates.
- Have a positive attitude and try your best every day.
- Do not leave your seat during class without teacher permission.
Behavior Protocol
In the event there is a misconduct issue in the classroom, the following protocol will be followed to correct the behavior and ensure an effective and engaging learning environment for all students.
1. Verbal Warning
· Student will be warned by teacher to cease the undesired behavior. Student will have one chance to cease behavior before next course of action will be taken.
2. Removal of classroom privilege including:
· Student placed on seating chart
· Removal of bathroom privileges
· Removal of group or project privileges
3. Teacher phone call home to speak with parents
· If parent cannot be reached, a message will be left and another attempt will be made the following day. If the behavior continues or if attempts to contact parent are unsuccessful, the next course of action will be taken.
4. Teacher detention conference with student (30 minutes)
· Student will discuss repeat behavior and copy a behavior contract during an after school detention in the teacher classroom.
5. Teacher conference with parents and students
· A conference will be scheduled with parents after school to discuss the behavior issue the student is creating in class. If parents are unavailable after three attempts to contact for a conference, the next course of action will be taken.
6. Guidance Office conference with parents, student, and all teachers
· All teachers that teach the student will meet with the parents along with a guidance counselor to discuss the severity of continued disruption in the classroom.
7. Referral to the discipline office
· Student is referred to the discipline office to confer with the assistant principle of disciple for school level punishment. All other infractions of the same kind will result in a further referral to the discipline office.
This will serve as our promise to each other that we will do everything we can to help your child succeed. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to teach your child!! I look forward to a great year!!