EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY I believe that all teachers become educators because of their love of students and children.

In addition, secondary school teachers have an intense passion for their subject. I chose to become a Mathematics teacher for this very reason; I love mathematics and I want to share this passion with others. Math is like a puzzle or a mystery; you are given a problem, you must decipher what you need to find out, figure out your unknowns, and come up with a strategy for solving for the unknown. Once you complete the puzzle, you feel accomplished. If there is one thing I would love to pass on to my students, is the feeling and sense of accomplishment. I believe in the Common Core Standards Initiative. It is our job as teachers to help prepare students for the real world, whether that means helping students gain basic mathematics skills, or helping them prepare for college. The Common Core aims to better students problem solving skills, which is needed in every individuals life time. I believe in constructivism in the teaching of mathematics. If a student builds their own knowledge, they are more likely to retain that material. Students will also find this type of classroom more rewarding. They work hard to attain their goals with the help of a mentor and expert. I believe in writing and communication to learn in a mathematics classroom. The use of journals helps the students to organize their thoughts, as well as gives a teacher insight into the brain of a student. I also believe in setting up a non-threatening classroom environment. While maintaining classroom management, students must feel comfortable asking questions and proposing ideas. Students retain and master knowledge if they teach it to their peers. Through discussion and social learning, students can tutor each other, benefitting both parties involved. I love teaching because of the relationships that one develops with students. I firmly believe that my job is to be there for my students, whether they need additional help with a unit, or even if they need an ear to talk to. When these students succeed and accomplish their goals, the relationships you build make the progress all the more rewarding. Part of these relationships is also learning from your students. By listening to their needs, teachers can reflect on their teaching styles and lesson plans and adjust to the needs of his or her students. I believe it is our job as teachers to create the next generation of learners. One of the beauties of mathematics is that it does not own any biases. While diversity and individuality of students should be celebrated, opinions, races, religions, or genders are irrelevant to solving a mathematics problem. Whether or not you think that math is exciting and exhilarating because it is a universal subject that can bring all students together, math certainly gives you an I did it! feeling once you receive an answer. Every student deserves to be proud of finishing a problem and deserves to feel accomplished. Every student has the tools to work through an issue- in math, science, social studies, and English. Mathematics is just the most concise subject to quickly solve a problem and feel great that you got an answer.