From my teaching experience, I have had the opportunity to interact with students of different caliber both in classroom and one to one interaction. This has helped me a lot to be the teacher that I am today. Generally, students feel that maths is difficult. Therefore, my teaching philosophy is to make maths easy to students. In order for a student to succeed in a subject, the main thing is that he/she should feel it is easy. Mathematics is often taught with a list of formulas, theorems and lots of problems which make the students lose interest in the subject. I try to make maths easy by connecting problems to their applications so that the students can understand well. I have to admit that maths is not always easy but when presented in the right way, maths is not difficult as it is always assumed to be. By learning theorems , solving problems and studying difficult cases that need special attention, students can tackle any problem. I remind my students that while a problem may look difficult but if they know the method of solving then they are ready for any such problems. Often, I have been asked by the students, “When will I ever need this?”. To respond, I stress that mathematics does have a great impact on our daily lives, more importantly, mathematics is beautiful. A well-constructed proof, a simple trick to solve a problem, this is the beauty of mathematics.
My goal in my classroom is to have a lively and educational environment. On the first day of class, I emphasize class participation. Students are often hesitant in asking questions, perhaps afraid that their teacher or their peers, will view them as stupid. I stress that questions are an important part of the learning process which help me know when the students are not understanding, so that I can try explaining the topic once again in a different way. I remind my students that it is okay to be wrong sometimes. Being wrong is a natural part of learning provided the mistakes are not repeated. Many times the best way to learn the right answer is by saying the wrong one. Class participation is only possible if the teacher is approachable. It is my job to be inviting, ensuring that the student knows I am available to help with any problem he/she may have. Finally, I think the best way for students to learn maths is to do maths. This means assigning homework that is relevant, showing problem solving techniques in class, making mistakes, getting stuck, and trying different methods. This combination of the theoretical and the practical way makes mathematics simple and easy.