Teaching

Mathematics
EDU 4145 Anchor Assignment
Effective Mathematics
Pedagogy
My Overall Teaching Philosophy
Education is a valuable resource that should be made equally available to all. Thus, greater efforts
need to be made to improve the quality of education for every student. This begins with educators
creating connections on a personal level with every student to better understand their diverse
needs. By establishing positive relationships, students are more likely to feel safe which helps to
foster a more effective learning environment. Thus, doing whatever it takes as an educator to
ensure students are confident in themselves and their academic abilities is crucial to teaching
them to never be afraid of thinking on their own and taking risks. Every student deserves an
educator that will never give up on them and sees to it that they are
all equipped with the ability to achieve
success in the classroom
and far beyond.
My Mathematical Philosophy
Mathematics is fascinating however, it can be a daunting subject for some students. Thus, I
believe that having the right teacher that aims to educate students of all backgrounds and
learning styles can make a world of a difference. Demonstrating acceptance of students’ divergent
ideas and projecting a positive attitude about mathematics are equally of major importance. By
making the subject approachable and engaging, I believe that students are more inclined to build
an interest in mathematics. Moreover, stimulating students’ mathematical confidence is essential.
Through confidence, students are better able to comes to terms with the fact that mistakes are
going to happen. As a teacher, I expect them and will celebrate
them because that is where the real learning takes place.
Effective Math Instruction
● I will teach math in a patient manner and include
a lot of positive reinforcement. I will take the time to
educate myself on the subject prior to every lesson, in order to become extremely
knowledgeable of the concepts being taught. During math time, I will make sure to use
multiple teaching approaches for all learning styles as well as incorporate differentiated
instruction and reflective thought into every lesson. I understand that students will struggle
and therefore, I am always looking for new ways to engage students in the learning process.
● In order for students to construct their own learning, I will teach math using a lot of
encouragement. It is important for students to be inquisitive and thus, I will not always
provide them with the answers. By allowing them to independently and critically think on
their own students become build up their confidence in mathematics. I will also teach them
that mistakes are a key component to the learning process. Therefore, I will emphasize the
importance of persevering and working through mistakes because they are not the end-all.
A Peek Inside Math Time in My Future Classroom
● For math, my classroom will be set up with multiple manipulatives
for students to use, learning objectives clearly written on the board, and
lots of modeling taking place throughout every lesson. My classroom will be set up with the
intention for students to succeed and as a space for them to feel safe to share.
● During math time, I will be inspiring students to look beyond the pages of the textbook. I will
encourage them to become confident problem solvers and critical thinkers by posing
questions that not only stimulate students’ innate curiosity, but also encourages them to
investigate further. Everyday I will ensure that my students have the mathematical
knowledge and skills that will help them succeed not just in the classroom but far beyond.
● During math time, my students are expected to comply with behavioral expectations and
display values of compassion, cooperation, and respect for each other. Furthermore, the
students are to help their peers, actively participate throughout, and engage in deep
mathematical reasoning to the best of their abilities.
Standards for Mathematical
Practice in Use
Mathematical Practice Standards
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
4. Model with mathematics
5. Use appropriate tools strategically
6. Attend to precision
7. Look for and make use of structure
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

Learn more about the standards for mathematical practice by clicking the link!
http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/
Incorporating the MPS
● I will design and deliver instruction that engages students in the
MPS by beginning every lesson with a hook (for example, a question or a problem I need help
solving, or a mysterious and curious phenomenon waiting to be explained). Beginning every
lesson with an engaging group oriented discussion where I am directing the students to take
leadership of their own learning is something I find to be of major importance.
● I will deliver instruction that models and teaches the MPS by implementing I DO, WE DO,
YOU DO (MP6) as well as teaching students to understand there are multiple ways to break
apart math problems in order to find the solution (MP2).
● My students will understand and practice the MPS by taking their time and applying their
knowledge to what they are doing (MP6). Moreover, every student will be allowed to share
their answer! It is okay to be WRONG. :)
A Look at Math Time
During math time in my classroom, students will be actively involved in doing mathematics and I,
the teacher, will be working skillfully and intentionally to support them. I will especially focus on
integrating various manipulatives and other tools for students to use in a meaningful way.

● Here is a list of mathematical manipulatives that will be in my classroom:

○ counting bears, links, dice, balance scales, trapezoids, square tiles, counting chips,
marbles, dominos, pattern blocks, tangrams, number lines, hundreds chart, unifix
cubes, base ten block sets, colored cubes, etc.
Teach and Reach All Students
Meeting the Students’ Needs
● I will design math time to meet all students’ academic and
social needs by teaching students to learn cooperation,
assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self control (social and emotional competencies)
as well as develop an academic mindset, perseverance, and learning strategies that work for
all (academic competencies). I will especially hone in on emphasizing the capacity to use
mistakes to motivate.
● I will differentiate by tailoring instruction to meet all individual needs. Strategies that I will
specifically incorporate to increase the chances that I am meeting all students' needs on a
daily basis include: collaborating with colleagues, cultivating consistency, developing a
student-centered mindset, setting aside time to focus on study skills and extra support,
using multiple forms of assessment, drawing on other professionals’ expertise, and
partnering with families. By doing such I believe it will benefit myself as a teacher to better
understand individual students’ strengths and needs in mathematics.
Ensuring All Students are Actively Engaged
● Student engagement can’t be forced but it sure can be fostered.
I will work to engage all of my students through flexibility and
creativity. I will always make the effort to learn the individual needs and interests of all of
my students to help them grow and thrive. Specifically, I will work to ensure active
engagement of English learners along with students with special needs by implementing the
following strategies:
○ removing unnecessary boundaries (incorporate accessible material that students are able to
understand)
○ giving students ample opportunities to share their thoughts, ideas, and opinions on whatever
topic they are learning about
○ having elements of choice to increase ownership over the content
○ engaging first then connecting to content (HOOK THEM!)
○ creating many opportunities for hands-on learning
○ prompting students to ask questions (establish a safe learning environment)
○ turning lesson instructions and key information into songs
Ensuring Mathematical Comprehension
I will ensure English learners understand the content by supporting the development of students’
language in mathematics. I will specifically encourage them to communicate and share ideas to
improve their understanding, model activities in front of the class before having ELs engage in an
activity, and provide students with enough time to formulate a response. I will also purposefully
partner English learners with strong English speakers (bilingual students) because collaboration
can help to break communication barriers and create an inclusive, empowering environment.