Margo Carlin

Professor Son

EDUC 7520

19 September 2023

Teaching Philosophy

Mathematics was always a struggle for me growing up. As a student, I felt lost, confused,

and sometimes ashamed and embarrassed. It wasn't until years later that I realized it was okay to

feel those things. Mathematics is a very challenging subject. However, I never had a teacher

growing up that made me feel better about how I was feeling. So, that is one of the biggest

reasons I desire to teach mathematics in my future classroom. I want to make my students feel

challenged, but also feel good about themselves while learning. I believe that every child has the

potential to be successful in mathematics and not just the students that are “math students.”

To make sure I embody this philosophy in my future classroom, I would set values and

goals for myself as a teacher. For example, I would make sure to provide an inclusive classroom

environment. That way, every student will feel valued and respected even if mathematics is a

subject that is challenging for them. I would also instill the value of resilience in my classroom.

As mathematics is a challenging subject, it is important that students understand that it takes

effort to succeed. With that, I would make sure students know that math is not just a subject we

teach in school for no reason. Mathematics is a part of everyday life. For example, measuring

ingredients in cooking or baking. Lastly, I would encourage students to know that mistakes are

used as opportunities to learn and get better. Emphasizing that mistakes are natural and gives us

room for growth.

 In my future classroom, I desire to implement a lot of hands-on learning activities.

Especially with mathematics, I would always find it difficult or daunting to always look at paper

or a textbook of equations and problems. I think hands-on learning activities like games and

social activities will make math more interesting and engaging for students. Especially those who

have more difficulty with math. Hands-on learning can also provide a sense of discipline for

students as those types of activities are more relatable to students. I will also always make sure

that I am giving positive feedback to make sure my students continue to feel motivated and

confident while learning mathematics.

Most importantly, in my future classroom I would like to provide my psychological

perspective while teaching mathematics. As a teacher of young children, this creates a supportive

classroom and engaging learning environment. By understanding psychological factors such as;

cognitive development, learning styles, social interaction, and so much more, I would be able to

alter my teaching methods to better fit the needs of my students for their best learning

experiences and to reach their full potential.