Teaching

Philosophy and Approach

Authentic Problem Solving:

  • Reasoning – mathematics is more a way of thinking than a body of knowledge; 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

  • Problem Solving and Mathematical Reasoning for Teachers II

  • Senior Seminar for Future Mathematics Educators

  • Introduction to Mathematics and Science Pedagogy

  • Preparation for Calculus A

  • Statistical Discovery for Everyone

Graduate

  • Probability and Statistics for Teachers

  • Teaching Practicum

Independent Study

  • Teaching Mathematics through Mathematical Modeling

  • Rough Draft Math

Grades 9-12

  • AP Calculus AB

  • Common Core Algebra