I am an environmental educator at Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center, Co-op Director at Peak Academy for Community Learning, Certified Google Educator and longtime Homeschool Parent.
Why am I teaching Math? Well, there are several reasons. I had a fantastic teacher for Math my Freshman year of High School. I loved Math, and I was ready to consider it as a potential college major. Then I had my sophomore year, and a teacher who couldn't even be bothered to make ONE assignment, but just photocopied them all from a Test Prep book. Rote memorization, zero engagement and if we had questions beyond her knowledge she would get frustrated and accuse students of undermining her. When I did well on my first exam, she accused me of cheating, despite my 100 average the year prior. My love affair with Math was over.
Honestly, it took teaching my own kids for me to find my way back to Mathematics. I taught a math games class at my neighborhood clubhouse, and then later we joined a homeschool Co-op and I began teaching it there. I loved finding ways to engage the students and get them excited for Math, and I always had parents asking me to come to their house to teach their kids. My educational philosophy has always been, why learn something by work, when you can learn it by play? Now, of course, play gets more challenging, and looks a little different as students get older, but it is not impossible.
The world's greatest Mathematicians play with Math, they create with Math, they make meaningful connections, observe, question and discover. They are explorers and artists and guess what? Many of them are "slow" with Math, because they take the time to think deeply. Although some games have timers in my class, you won't find a timed test! I want kids to be thoughtful, to make mistakes and rework and try again. That is how the brain grows.
This year we will discover joy in mathematics, and the beauty in it. We will create, play, inquire investigate and we will learn.
That is what I want to bring to your student; a love of Math might be a tall order, but they will at least love my class, and as a parent you will too!
Have any questions? Email divideconquermathematics@gmail.com