My Math Philosophy

Rachel Nail
July 19, 2015
Math 442
My Math Philosophy

There are many philosophies for teaching math and as an educator it is important to be

familiar with the teaching philosophies as an educator. I will attempt to address my philosophy of
teaching math in a way that is easy to understand. Throughout my college career, I learned
different principles that can be used in teaching math. They have become part of my philosophy
as future teacher. I will outline several principles that I intend to include as part of my
philosophy.

One principle that I will use in my philosophy is of asking effective questions.

(Gudmundson, 2008) in an article called Questions, the Heart of Learning and Teaching stated,
Using carefully worded questions, you can guide your students through a discovery experience,
which will have far greater effect than a lecture experience, in which a teacher dumps
information on students. When students are directed to their own experiences, they learn a lot
more information than a teacher simply lecturing. For example, the learning model at Brigham
Young University Idaho there are three steps to learning. Students learn by coming to class
prepared to learn, then teaching one another, through class discussion and asking questions. The
third step is by pondering the things they have learned and proving it through assessment of
material and application to everyday life. This way of learning is powerful because the teacher is
simply a facilitator of greater instruction and the students are learning through each other and
learning continues beyond leaving school and graduating. Having the desire to be a special
education preschool teacher, there will be a lot of opportunities to teach to individual needs, and
care about the individual needs of the child. I will be the teacher where students know they are
cared for, instruction is individualized to accommodate needs as well as helping students to

My Math Philosophy

understand their potential. Using manipulatives to illustrate a specific math problem is powerful
for a teacher to use. Teaching through using differentiated instruction is key to help students
learn individual principles and develop new and fun ways to get there. Learning doesnt have to
be boring. Students can learn and have fun at the same time.
Another principle that I will use in my philosophy is that of an engaging learning
environment. My aim is to teach in a special education preschool classroom. There are many
ways to help these children learn math. Differentiated instruction is defined by Tomlinson
(August, 2000), as tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Whether teachers differentiate
content, process, products, or the learning environment, the use of ongoing assessment and
flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction. The focus I want to have is
how the learning environment functions. Tomlinson (August, 2000), says part of the learning
environment is, making sure there are places in the room to work quietly and without
distraction, as well as places that invite student collaboration. Students need a place where they
feel they can ask questions and be respected. In my future classroom, I can create a learning
environment where children can learn how to count using manipulatives and where they can
learn to the best extent possible. Best Practices (2005) talks about how we can use real world
experiences to help students to learn. Miss Tolliver used this in her classroom as shown in the
video when students went outside to find math in the real world. This is a principle of Sheltered
Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) as the teacher is building background for the students.
Zemelman said, All my students, regardless of their level, had a revelation at some point.
Although all of the students were on a different level, they still had the ability to learn from the

My Math Philosophy
problem. As we create a different learning environment that students can relate to, they learn
more and are better able to solve problems in the future. In creating a formal lesson plan as an
example, I found that as I planned for individual students and their abilities, I could better see
what needed to be taught and include it to help students to master the content.
My math philosophy includes many principles including asking effective questions as
well creating a positive learning environment. Something that teachers do is taking the time to
report when students are doing well and to report their progress. I intend to do that in my future
classroom, and to include it as part of my math philosophy. to be on the same level with parents
and to work to create a team to help students to succeed. It may involve adapting to the
individual needs of students and their learning style. Tucker (2006), says, Each student has a
learning style, which, according to Sternburg (1998), is a preferred way of using his or her
abilities. Learning how students work is an important practice for using in the classroom as well
as taking note of it to report it to parents. As I have been a student and seen effective teachers in
effect, these are some of the notes that I have taken into consideration.

I am very excited for the opportunity to apply these principles of my math philosophy

to my future classroom. I love learning about the different approaches of different teachers. I
have learned a lot about being genuine with students. They know when you care about them.
When they know the teacher cares about them, they are more likely to do better because they will
push themselves harder to please the teacher and to prove to themselves that they know how to
do it. It is important as well to remember not to lecture students. Hanford, (2015), said,
Research shows it's impossible for students to take in and remember all the information
presented during a typical lecture and yet this is the way a lot of college students are taught,

My Math Philosophy
especially in their introductory courses. Children typically dont learn this way either. I like to
think about the way I like to learn and teach children the way I learn! If I can teach in a way that
I understand, children can understand it and I can better understand their needs. I am excited for
the opportunity to apply my philosophies into this teaching field. Thank you for taking the time
to consider these philosophies and my skills as a teacher.

My Math Philosophy
Gudmundson, Brian (January 2008). Questions, the Heart of Learning and Teaching.
Ensign.Retrieved from http://lds.org/ensign/2008/01/questions-the-heart-of-learning-andteaching? lang=eng

Hanford, Emily (2015) Dont Lecture Me. American Radioworks. Excerpted fromhttp://

americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/tomorrows-college/lectures/transcript.html

Excerpted from: Tomlinson, C. A. (August, 2000). Differentiation of Instruction in the

Elementary Grades. ERIC Digest. ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early
Childhood Education. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/263)
Tucker, Benny F. (2006, 2002) Teaching mathematics to all children: designing and
adapting instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners/ Benny F. Tucker, Ann H.
Singleton, Terry L. Weaver- 2nd ed.
Zemelman, S., Daniels, D. , & Hyde, A. (2005). Best Practice. Today's Standards for

Teaching & Learning in America's Schools. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Retrived from
http://www.heinemann.com/shared/onlineresources/e00744/sample.pdf