Megan K

My Philosophy of Education
Mathematics is my passion; it has long been my favorite subject. I always knew that I
would be using math in my career. As an undergraduate, I studied Civil Engineering, with a
specialization in Structural Engineering, and a minor in mathematics. Through my studies, I
explored mathematics through multiple viewpoints. My education gives me a unique
understanding and larger perspective about the scope of math, and its importance. Through this
education, I grew to appreciate both the beauty and elegance of pure mathematical proofs and the
utility of mathematics in authentic applications of engineering and design. I chose to teach in
order to inspire young people to see how great mathematics is. Teaching gives me the
opportunity to work with students and make a positive difference, as well as work with my
favorite subject. I want to help students gain confidence in doing math as well as an appreciation
for mathematics, including its applications with many STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics) careers.
Particular moments in the classroom inspire me and motivate me. Reviewing student
work, seeing how the students were able to solve complex problems, helping them think in new
ways, and listening to them articulate their thinking is so rewarding. Seeing the individual
progress and how far each student has come since the beginning of the unit or school year is so
exciting. Another favorite moment is the excited a-ha moments when the students realize how
all of the work we have been doing finally comes together to help us discover something new.
Those moments are how I measure my success as an educator- by the success and engagement of
my students. I want each and every student that walks into the classroom to have an opportunity
to learn. I believe in making the content accessible to students who may have specific learning
needs, and differentiating instruction so that every student has the opportunity to find success. I
aim to help students cultivate both their abilities to use the mathematics on their own, and their
interest through the process of learning it.
Watching me teach, it is apparent how much I love the content I teach. I teach with a
purpose- to facilitate understanding first. I want students to see how coherent and consistent of a
system that math truly is, and I teach this through supporting the students to make connections to
previous and future concepts. I lead my lessons with a conceptual and intuitive focus, and then
refining to the specific details of definitions and procedures as the work progresses. Aligned with
the Common Core Standards, I find that student discussion and writing about their thinking is
incredibly valuable. It helps the students create their meaning and understanding of the content
together, as well as giving evidence of their thinking. I teach by providing and facilitating
learning tasks and discussions for students to discover and understand mathematical concepts in
context. By understanding how the different pieces of mathematics works together, and how
mathematical concepts can be used to model real-life situations, students will gain mathematical
knowledge that is truly useful to them. I also believe in the power of students working with one
another. When students work collaboratively, they have opportunities to voice their opinions in a
smaller setting, as well as try different ideas or approaches to a problem. Students can also hear
what one another has to say, which can help them better understand the concepts. Moving
beyond conceptual understandings, I also understand the importance of being able to perform
operations on numbers and work through mathematical procedures accurately and in a timely
fashion, which is why I also teach the procedural elements of each big idea. For me, teaching is
about putting the students first, and helping them discover concepts and build their knowledge.