About
1. My background in math education:
I grew up with rigorous training in International Math Olympiads from elementary school to middle school. My belief in education and my need for helping others led me to two Master's degrees in Development Economics and Special Education. These experiences gave me opportunities to not only learn about advanced math and pedagogy for students with various needs, but also better understand cultures, individuality, childhood development, macro-development, in general, humanity. I currently teach 4th and 5th grade math, science, social studies, and Chinese. I love the interaction with the students, and only wish I could give them more with the time I have.
2. My observation in the classroom:
Shortly after I started my teaching career, I noticed that all students would learn better when they got more direct attention from me during lessons. They participate more when they sit close to me, and they get distracted more easily when sitting farther away, even the well-behaved students. I wish I could challenge my high achieving students more with systematic enrichment learning. I wish I could have just 10 minutes 1:1 time a day with students who struggle. However, the reality of a classroom can be frustrating to teachers who want to see everyone have their needs met and thrive.
3. My belief in math education, and education in general:
After 9 years as a teacher, I firmly believe that all students can learn more effectively, regardless of their socioeconomic and cultural background, ability levels, or performance levels, as long as they have the access to an education that is suitable for them. To many of these students, one-on-one or small group tutoring is the optimal setting, because I've seen how much high achieving students crave for more and how much kids with needs can improve just with some extra attention everyday.
I also believe that teaching and learning should be a holistic experience. It is about developing a trusting relationship between the teacher and students. To me, good teachers not only teach academics, but also teach technology, communication, social emotional skills, and problem solving skills in the real world. I often connect math with science and social studies. I teach students to see how math is not just a school subject or some boring numbers, it is really integrated everywhere in our daily life. I also teach testing skills, especially in computer based assessments, because it is proved from my experience that students do benefit from learning and practicing these skills, which will be even more important in middle school and high school.