2013-14 Mathematics Graduate Course Work Scholarships for Grades 9–12 Teachers Recipient

More than Just an Answer

My goal as a mathematics educator is not just to introduce mathematics topics and get students to produce right answers. I want to encourage students to look deeper and further for more understanding. Getting to a correct answer is important on state tests, but really understanding the problem is what's important. When a student is working through a problem, I want them to ask more questions. I want them to investigate a problem, and as they are producing an answer, ask themselves, "What if this changed? How would the problem and answer change?" I also want there to be strong discourse within my classroom. I do not want to be a teacher at the board writing formula after formula and the students memorize every one. I want students to work together, learn together, and pose new questions for each other. I want an active classroom.