TEACHING PHILOsOPHY

Introduction;

Teaching is defined as an activity that involve imparting knowledge, skills, atitudes, values

from a more knowledgeable person to a less knowledgeable person to effect a behavioural

change (Addo,2018). A modern-day teaching is the process of guiding and facilitating

learners to interact with the environment (teaching and learning materials) in order to

construct knowledge, skills, attitudes, values to effect a behavioural change

Farrant (1980) observes that teaching and learning are the opposite side of the same coin,

hence in order to say one has taught, some observable change should have been taken place.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Teaching philosophy is the reflection of one's personal teaching beliefs and values. It is also

seen as a statement of what one believes about teaching and learning, why one holds these

beliefs and how one puts into practice these beliefs and values in the classroom or it is what

one perceives teaching to be and how he or she feels learning occurs (ITECPD, 2018). It is

believed that these beliefs and guidelines will help the teacher to go about his or her teaching

in order to achieve the set objectives.

 STATEMENT OF MY PHILOSOPHY

I believe that, involving students in learning activities and putting them in groups with varied

methods of teaching is the key factor in order to foster the understanding of mathematical

concepts.

I hold the believe of involving students in learning activities and in groups because

Involving students in learning activities and in groups motivates them to interact with the

teaching and learning materials to discover mathematical concepts on their own. It again

helps teachers to identify the intelligence a student may possess so as to adjust learning styles

and career pathway for learners. Furtherance to the above, putting students in groups will also

create co -operative and opportunity for the teacher to know the individual differences in their

intelligence and offer remedial solution to that. Whiles students are in varied ability groups,

teachers and the high achievers among students serve as scaffold to assist their peers to reach

their Zone of Proximal Development.

VALIDITY OF MY PHILOSOPHY

My philosophy is based on the theory of Multiple Intelligence by developmental psychologist

Howard Gardner in 1983.The idea behind the theory is that students learn in variety of

ways.so Teacher must vary their methods of teaching to address the needs of all students.

(students' needs). Nable,2016. States "that mathematics is everyday activity subject and no

single individual or group can master mathematical concept without continuous practising

using his or her senses" That is when students actively participate in lessons, they become

more aware of their abilities, and more enthusiastic about learning in a way that transforms

the lesson into learner-centred classrooms that enables the teacher to reach more students.

In addition, my philosophy is also supported by the theory of Zone of Proximal Development

(ZPD) by Vygotsky 1987. Vygotsky's term ZPD is for range oftasks that are too difficult for
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children to master alone but that can be done by the guidance of adult and more skilled

children. students are put into varied ability groups and motivated, they interact ireely with

their peers and learn from cach other. when working in groups due to the differing ZPD of

each student, they may have different views therefore, through interaction with peers they can

achieve shared understanding of mathematical concepts. This in turn makes concepts clearer.

APPLICATION OF MY PHILOSOPHIY

Whenever I am teaching, I make sure I offer opportunity to my students to practice by

themselves in order to grasp the concept better. This is because understanding comes from

personal experiences and it helps to develop student's interest for the subject. I also put

students in to groups to interact, share ideas and help one another.

Teacher nced: Teachers as educators need to apply my philosophy in their teaching to

ensure their professional development, teaching is a continual learning and growth.

Students need: my philosophy addresses the needs ofall learners. Every student possessesa

learning ability and the variation of my teaching methods in a lesson will cater for all learners

with varied ability.

Country necd: Ghana education service, curriculum and research and developm ent division

should revise the school curriculum to include varied methods and activities to help learners

discover their ability. Since the country need to develop its human resource to suit the

changes in the world of work.

 EFFECTIVENESS OF MY PHILOSOPHY
This belief makes
teaching and learning more meaningful and enhances a better
understanding of learning. It makes students play active role during learning. This belief also

makes lesson objectives to be achieved more

easily. I am convinced that my philosophy is

efective as my students answered questions and always actively participated in my lessons.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I view
teaching as a process of helping people to understand themselves, what
they do and assisting them to build their
potentials. again, see the teacher in the teaching
and learning process as a facilitator and not a receptacle of knowledge

REFERENCES

ITECPD, (2018). Students Internship Handbook, Institution for Educational Development

and Extension. University of Education Printing Press, Winneba, Ghana

Nabie, J.M., (2016). Fundamentals of the psychology of learning Mathematics (Pp. 167).
3t Ed. KAB Impression, Winneba, Ghana.
 REFLECTIVE PRACTICE

Kchlective practice in teaching is a way of looking at your day- day teaching experiences

with an open minded (ITECPD,2018). Reflective practice is a way of studying your own

experiences to improve the way you work. In teaching, this can be achieved through

continuous and systematic pondering over the whole lesson taught to make some amendsin

order to improve the quality of your teaching. Reflection is a process in which tcachers

become aware, or are supported to become aware of the theory and motives behind their own

teaching. to reflect on this and to take some deliberate step to develop. Since good is not good

when better is expected, I reflected on most lessons that I had during my internship program.

One of those lessons had the

following features

cOVERAGE

On the 1 March 2021, I taught an clective mathematics topic binomial theorem in form two

science one for 120 minutes with students' enrolment of28.This happens to be my 10th

lesson during the internship programme.

REFFERENCES

Ministry of Education (2010), Teaching syllabus for Elective mathematics SHS Page 6

Akrong C, (2011), Akrong series Elective Mathematics for SHS Page 183-190o. (7hEdition)

Akrong publications, Accera -Ghana.

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 INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVEs.

By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to;

1.7.1 write down the binomial expansion for a positive integral index of 0<n 8 with the

aid of the pascal triangle.

RELEVANT PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE.

Students can solve problems on algebraic expansion.

TEACHING AND LEARNING MATERIALS

Pascal triangle ona cardboard.

Maker board, notebooks, pens calculator

ADVANCE PREPARATION

Teacher prepares by reading about the topic from relevant sources and also prepare the

Teaching aids for the lesson.

LESSON PRESENTATION

Introduction

After exchanging of pleasantries with the class, I revise the students' previous knowledge on

algebraic expansion through questions. A student was randomly asked to solve an example;

expand the algebraic expression (x+y) expected answer x+2xy+y.

I expose learners to the objectives of the lesson, adding the benefits for studying the topic.

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 DEVELOPMENT

Deniion; Binomial theorem it is an expression which contains two terms and are connected

with plus and minus. Examples are (2x-3), (x+4)',(p+9

Activity ()

inding the coefticient of binomial expansion using the pascal

triangie
u l a e learners through demonstration and with the aid of the pascal triangle to identify the

coefficient of a binomial
expansion to an exponent or degree. Example

(x+y =15 10 10 51

(x+y)° =16 15 20 15 6 1

Activity (I)
The degree or power of the binomial expansion;

Guide student through illustration to identified the pattern of the degree or power on binomial

expansion;

(r+y=x +5x'y +10xr'y +10x°y' +5xy+'

That is when the degree of the first term decreases, the degree of the second term increases
and the sum of the degrees of the first and the second terms also sum up to the degree of the
binomial.

APPLICATION

Ask learners to write down the binomial expansion of

I. (p+
II. (2x-3y)Y
SOLUTIONS

(p+g= p'+4p'q+6p'g +4pq' +g

. (2x-3y) =

8x -36x'y+54xy-27
Closure

The main points on the lesson were summarized and students were given an assignment.

STRENGTH

Good and audible voice

Mastery of subject matter.

Clearly stated instructional objectives

Important of studying the topic

Good class control

Inviting students to come to the board to work an example.

created a relaxed environment that helped the students to feel at home. The content

was systematically presented.

I went round to check on students work in other to know their strengths and weakness

CHALLENGING

Despite the above strengths enumerated, there was challenges I faced as a teacher in the

course ofmy lesson delivery. In attempt to move round and supervise the students work,it

was detected that some of the students were finding it difficult to expand the algebraic

expression. This is an indication that the students lack understanding of the concept of

algebraic expansion which was used as their relevant previous knowledge for the new topic

Binomial theorem. This has also reflected on the sample of assignment given at the end of the
SSon. So much of time was spend in the introduction because the relevant vio

knowledge was not well explained initially.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTION

1o ensure that all my students benefit and

understand the lesson in different scopes in our

next
meeting, I gave them series of
questions to solve as an assignment I put the students into
groups of five with varied ability. Each group had five different questions. I re-teach the

concept of algebraic expansion which now serve as strong relevant Knowledge to a new

lesson. I engage student who

grasped the concept very fast to help their colleagues to ensure
that all my students benefited from the class.
my students understood the concept of algebraic
expansion very well I then introduce them to the
topic Binomial theorem. My students were
fully involved in the process which made the lesson
very interesting and learner centered.

INSIGHT GAINED

T have learnt that students

are
naturally self-motivated and acquired lifelong learning skills

and concepts when their previous knowledge is well revised and linked to the new lesson.
Students understand mathematical
concepts better when lessons are taught using appropriate
teaching and learning materials and are link to real life situations. Students also learn better
when they interact with teaching aids in groups with their peers. students having freedom to
express their views is essential tools for student's
participation and making them to work in
groups enhance their understanding of mathematical concepts Too many instructional

objectives should not be taught in a lesson.

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Life is not worth
cONCLUSION
living when
unexamined.
Reflective practice
hat teaching can never be is a ecipe for good teaching in
recipe
pertect so there is the
need to assess
nerfection. I urge tencners theretore to one's ef+ort towards
devote time to
revise the relevant
f learners into detailed betore previous knowledge
introducing them to a new topic since teaching is
done from known to unknown and also supposed to
prepare adequate
for their lessons. teaching and learning materials

REFERENCES
MOE (2010) Teaching Syllabus for Senior
High School (Core
mathematics), page; 6
Akror C, (2011) Elective Mathematics for Senior
High School.(7h Edition) Akrong
publications Accra Ghana page; 17-18S

ITECPD, (2018). Students Internship Handbook, Institution for

Educational Development
and Extension. University of Education Printing Press,
Winneba-Ghana.