Through narrative we can articulate the experience of choice in the face of challenge, sharing the values that enable us to manage the anxiety of agency, as well as its exhilaration. It is the discursive process through which individuals, communities, and nations make choices, construct identity, and inspire action. Because we use narrative to engage “head” and “heart,” it can both instruct and inspire – teaching us not only how we ought to act, but motivating us to act – and thus engaging the “hands” as well.
~ Marshall Ganz
Socio-emotional, sociocultural and critical theories influence my overall teaching philosophy. However, these approaches that I use in my teaching are first grounded in an ethic of care that is essential to any productive relationship. Teaching is relational; a relationship between teacher and student founded on respect and trust. A respect that values each other’s knowledge and abilities; and a trust that each person will fulfill the expectations required for a successful teaching and learning experience. This relationship should be cultivated and modeled by the teacher. Marshall Ganz (2008) suggests we share our personal experiences as learners with our students by using “narrative to engage ‘head’ and ‘heart’” to “instruct and inspire.” Sharing our mathematical experiences – good and bad – with our students establishes a relationship between teacher and learner. It builds trust and, as such, lays a foundation of mutual respect that encourages a student to thrive in the environment created. Real learning is cultivated when teachers not only show interest and passion in the content in which they are teaching, but in the needs and interests of their students that connect them with the content.
As a teacher at Westlake High School, my goal each year is to dispel the fears many have about mathematics. A good teacher should know their subject and be able to communicate effectively, manage the learning environment, and have the ability to motivate continuously. Mathematics is one of the most difficult subjects to teach and many students construct barriers due to past learning experiences. Sociocultural learning posits that people construct knowledge and make sense of the world based on their background knowledge, previous experiences, and familial and cultural values. Getting to know my students and respect them within these contexts are very important to me. Regardless of age, race, gender, or ethnicity, students come into the classroom with knowledge that can contribute to the learning process. Students are encouraged to share their experiences as they make sense of mathematical concepts. I make a point to be sensitive to the experiences and knowledge of my students so I can better understand the contexts of their questions and comments and better support their purposes for learning. In order to do this successfully, I must forgo assumptions and hasten myself to become knowledgeable about the students in order to provide for them an appropriate learning platform.
The beauty of mathematics is that there are many techniques and applications used to solve problems. I enjoy meeting students on each individual level and being able to ascertain what the students need to be successful. Often times I have found that students who mathematics intimidates are more open to working in groups with peers. This method allows the student to relax and ask questions without feeling isolated or singled out. Some students prefer one on one attention and have a need to ask several questions to understand and master a concept before feeling comfortable enough to tackle subsequent concepts. The ability to provide a meaningful experience for each student is very important to me.
Through various assignments, I assess my students’ understandings and abilities as well as my own teaching techniques. I believe that it is important for teachers to continuously reflect and make adaptions as needed in order to meet students’ academic needs. Just as I provide feedback to students on assignments to push them to higher levels of thinking, understanding and critical analysis, I welcome feedback from my students. I often give my students a mid-semester evaluation to assess my instruction during the semester, as opposed to them only completing evaluations at the end of the semester. This allows me to adjust my instructional practices so that I can better serve my students while they are in my class.
In conclusion, my greatest reward is in what I refer to as the “lightbulb” moment. It is in this moment when the student really understands the concepts and makes a lasting connection to the material. I truly believe students, all students, are capable of “doing” math and experiencing their own “lightbulb” moments. Our teaching practices must adapt to reflect my belief; rather, teaching is not stagnant, but ever evolving. I learn as much or more from my students as they do from me. Often, if we, as educators, only listen, the students will teach us how to teach them. Thus, as Ganz so eloquently stated, “teaching us [teachers] not only how we ought to act [teach], but motivating us to act [teach] – and thus engaging the ‘hands’ as well.”
References
Ganz, M. (2008). What is a public narrative? The Episcopal Church.