Teaching

Philosophy and Approach

Authentic Problem Solving:

Reasoning – promote sense-making and metacognition, a continuous monitoring of understanding;

Flexibility – emphasize the problem-solving process, ask for and appreciate multiple solution pathways to the same problem so that students can adapt their learning to new problems and diverse contexts.

Connections – remove the idea of mathematics as a collection of isolated topics and methods to commit to memory; mathematics is a deeply connected subject, make these connections explicit.

Inquiry – ask open-ended questions that set students off to answer them in their own way integrating prior knowledge or motivating the need for new knowledge or methods; also provide opportunities for students to formulate their own questions, possibly reformulating to make them answerable.

Pure and applied – mathematics is interesting in its own right but also as a tool for making sense of the world, raising awareness about issues in society, and supporting or challenging claims.

Experiential Learning:

Projects and presentations – rethink traditional assessment to allow for more meaningful, personally relevant activities to showcase learning and gain professional experiences.
Collaboration – facilitate more than just cooperation but group-worthy activity that builds on the collective effort, knowledge, and skills of its members.

Equity Oriented Pedagogy:

Don't try to fix the student, fix the teaching - if not all students are speaking up in class discussion, find alternative ways for them to contribute.
Community – build a classroom culture of openness to ask questions, share ideas, present rough drafts and revise; foster a sense of belonging in which all contributions and achievements are recognized and valued.
Growth mindset – replace “I’m not a math person” or “I’m bad at math” with “math is hard, but anyone can succeed through challenge and effort”.

Highlighted Courses

Undergraduate

Graduate

Page updated

Report abuse