Wonder Woman Wednesday:Interview With A Math Teacher!

 "A lot of students struggle in math and the problem is math tends to build on itself."
 - Phebe Valani

How long have you been a teacher?

 "I’ve been a math teacher since 2008. I went to school in Manitoba, and I’ve been teaching from the moment I graduated. I love what I do, I would not have wanted to do anything else. It’s exhausting at times and it’s hard towards the end of the year, but it’s

rewarding to see the kids grow. I get to explain more than school lessons to them which I enjoy. Sometimes they ask me life questions, and they know how to get me off track for a few minutes but I don’t mind."

What did you want to do when you got older?

 I wanted to be a paediatrician, but in my first year of university I was studying the sciences to do my MCATS, and my mom needed to have minor surgery. I was with her for a day or so in the hospital and after that experience I don’t even like looking at my own blood!

 Did you always like Math?

 Yes, I did. When I switched programs, I was doing a chemistry/biology major but at the end I didn’t like the chemistry as much, but I knew I loved math! So, I majored in math and I got a degree in Mathematics and cience. Because I switched majors it took me seven years to complete my degree.

 Who were your biggest role models when you were younger?

 My mom would be my biggest role model. She used to be a Math teacher as well, and I liked how involved she was. She would come home early and help us with our homework. My dad got me interested in Biology and Medicine because he was a pharmacist. Pharmacists know so much about diseases and about how the body works. My parents didn’t push any profession on us, they didn’t care what we did in university as long as we got an education.

 How have things changed in the classroom since you were younger?

 Hmm, well the classroom has definitely changed. It is now focused on inquiry based learning. It always has to be an interactive lesson because the kids seem to have shorter attention spans. I can’t teach for a long time. It has to be 20 minute lessons and the rest of the time is spent on engaging in activities. The class is now filled with smart boards and iPads so you have to try hard and involve the students. I have to start my class with an activity or a story, I can’t just come out and say: Which is great because the kids remember it better.

 What tools do you use to keep the kids engaged?

 I make up the tools I use. I do the homework before I give it to them, and I base my lesson plan on what they need to learn. Teachers get to teach the curriculum in their own way and that allows us to use different tools.

 Keeping it short and sweet is your best bet, but it also depends on the subject matter. Different chapters require different strategies. Some concepts require a lot of practice. Like algebra for example. For algebra, I give them a model question and then practice and I keep repeating the process until they all get it.

 They often come up with their own conclusion about the lesson.Once their warm up question consisted of two tables that showed circumference and diameter. They observed on their own that every time you divide circumference by diameter you get 3.14!

 I also try to stress things like estimation because it will help them use their mental math which you tend to need a bit more in real life. When it comes to homework, I try and do most of it in school because I am there.

 In math class, have you found a lack of engagement from younger girls? Or a difference in performances?

 That’s a hard one to answer because it changes, which makes it hard to generalize. I would have to say there are more boys that are into math on average. There is often a group of boys that are very competitive and want to do better than each other so they do very well. But then I have girls who always get 101% on tests because they are perfectionists. At this age, its not that the girls don’t like math. Some of them are already involved in drama so they don’t care about school as much…but they still do well.

 What have you found makes math fun?

 The kids get the most excited when they get it. A lot of students struggle in math and the problem is math tends to build on itself. So many students who struggle from the beginning of the term will continue to struggle as the year goes on. Some of them come to me during lunch time and ask for one on one help and that makes a huge difference. Because when a student gets lost early, nothing else in the subsequent lessons will make sense. So I find the most fun for them is understanding the concepts eventually! Playing games helps a bunch too! I create these games with chips or cards and they enjoy the competition. We played jeopardy and they had a lot of fun with it.

 What would you say to the young kids that are preparing for the future?

 I keep telling my kids to choose a career they love. It’s not about the prestige or the money. It’s about doing what you love to do. A lot of them choose things randomly and they may not know what they like. School doesn’t teach you everything you need to know but it gives you the freedom of choice to know what you DO and DON’T like. You can find out what you enjoy and pursue it. You won’t be good at everything, but you will find something you enjoy.