Hello, students. Look at your teacher. Now back to me. Now back at your teacher. Now back to me. Sadly, he isn't me, but if he stopped using tired, boring lectures and switched to innovation, he could act like he's me. Look down, back up, where are you? You're in a classroom with the man your teacher could teach like. What's in your hand? Back at me. I have it, it's a math book with equations that confuse and upset you. Look again, the equations are now understandable! Anything is possible when your teacher is creative and not boring. I'm on a fractal.
A high school math teacher. Mixing one of the most under-appreciated jobs in America (teaching) with one of the most hated subjects (mathematics). Why the heck am I becoming one? ::shrugs:: Probably because...
1. I was always good at math 2. I was always able to help others 3. I like the objectivity behind mathematics 4. I like the ability to prove things using logic and reasoning 5. While I won't be making a huge salary, the long-term benefits aren't terrible and I like the job security 6. I like being able to make a difference in hundreds of kids' lives 7. The laws and teachings of mathematics are ubiquitously found in our universe and in our lives
But anyway, I just graduated Rutgers University in May with a bachelor's in mathematics... I'm now at Rutgers's Graduate School of Education as a grad student, and I'll be getting my master's degree in mathematics education at the end of this school year.
Right now I'm student teaching (algebra and geometry), and I'm already exhausted after each school day ends. I come home from the high school at around 3:30, and can barely make it to the Day[9] Daily (assuming I've finished grading papers and preparing my lesson plans for the next day). I'm asleep by around 11:30 every night, because I need to be up by 6 AM every morning. I pretty much have no time to play SC2, except for weekends. Clearly, this is a problem. But alas, this is the future I have chosen; I just need to get my teaching stuff done faster so that I can have more time to rest and play SC2!
The most important thing is that my students love me, they're learning, and that they're eager to learn
EDIT: I totally just got the Dragoon icon <3 Yay TL!
I know that most curriculums require it... but when you teach geometry, if at all possible don't do it with two column proofs! They're generally acknowledged by top math educators to be the bane of high school geometry and they just make the class boring when geometry is one of the more interesting areas of math.
^ I would recommend the khan academy videos on yt about calculus. The guy does a pretty good job.. on topic that sounds awesome. I've played with the idea of becoming a math teacher for pretty much the reasons you listed. Best of luck to you, my work study is as a gse tutor ^.^; I'm looking forward to it Edit: Thesevidoes
On September 23 2010 05:53 PhuxPro wrote: Would you happen to know Calculus? If you do, would you be interested in making it understandable for me?
I think if he has a degree in math he knows calculus rofl
What math classes are you teaching at your student teaching experience? How is your mentor teacher? Are they having you take seminars during your student teaching after school? If so, what are they focusing on?
I think I look up to high school teachers more then any other profession. dealing with those brats, trying to make them learn, having to work crazy hours and the low pay I dont know how people do it. Im all for engaging math and science teachers and I hope you do really well wherever you end up teaching.
Pretty interesting. I only got the parts that I have gone over already. The video's basically a review&refresh of what you already know. I had no idea what he was talking about 6 minutes in because I haven't done those yet.
Pretty interesting. I only got the parts that I have gone over already. The video's basically a review&refresh of what you already know. I had no idea what he was talking about 6 minutes in because I haven't done those yet.
Yeah, I was watching that and I'm pretty sure that video is not useful for most people trying to learn the material but perhaps it's a nice way to do a quick refresher.
On September 23 2010 05:53 PhuxPro wrote: Would you happen to know Calculus? If you do, would you be interested in making it understandable for me?
I do indeed know calculus While some videos, books, or maybe even Wikipedia might help, general interaction with a real person is always the best solution to education, since an actual tutor or teacher can answer specific questions, whereas inanimate objects cannot. Are you taking high school calculus? Or are you in college... are you taking basic calculus? Multivariable? Differential equations? What kind specifically? *The one with limits and derivatives and integrals and stuff*?
On September 23 2010 05:56 dig wrote: I know that most curriculums require it... but when you teach geometry, if at all possible don't do it with two column proofs! They're generally acknowledged by top math educators to be the bane of high school geometry and they just make the class boring when geometry is one of the more interesting areas of math.
Interesting, dig. I do know from tutoring that students have trouble understanding proofs, but they still seem rather necessary. Perhaps they just aren't taught in a meaningful or innovative way? A necessary evil, if you will? They are, after all, proofs. Think of a logical proof. It's not exactly... colorful. Form follows function; they prove things. In contrast to the pretty geometric pictures, they do seem rather drab, I agree. I'll have to cross that bridge when I get there!
On September 23 2010 06:12 DarkPlasmaBall wrote: I do indeed know calculus While some videos, books, or maybe even Wikipedia might help, general interaction with a real person is always the best solution to education, since an actual tutor or teacher can answer specific questions, whereas inanimate objects cannot. Are you taking high school calculus? Or are you in college... are you taking basic calculus? Multivariable? Differential equations? What kind specifically? *The one with limits and derivatives and integrals and stuff*?
I'm taking Calculus of a Single Variable in Senior year of high school, and it would be awesome if I can hit you up whenever I need help with my homework.
On September 23 2010 06:12 DarkPlasmaBall wrote: I do indeed know calculus While some videos, books, or maybe even Wikipedia might help, general interaction with a real person is always the best solution to education, since an actual tutor or teacher can answer specific questions, whereas inanimate objects cannot. Are you taking high school calculus? Or are you in college... are you taking basic calculus? Multivariable? Differential equations? What kind specifically? *The one with limits and derivatives and integrals and stuff*?
I'm taking Calculus of a Single Variable in Senior year of high school, and it would be awesome if I can hit you up whenever I need help with my homework.
Sure I've never checked my TL Inbox before (I just checked for the first time right now, and realized I have 8 old messages x.x) so PMing me might not be the best way to reach me if you need immediate help. Feel free to Facebook friend me: Chris Mango, Rutgers Network. If you do, just send me a Facebook PM so I know it's you
The day someone pressures me into making a FaceBook, haha. Man, oh, man, I don't want to go through all this again with social networking sites. How about a simple MSN?
EDIT: You know what, I'll make the Facebook account. I'm the one asking for help, so I'll take up on your terms.
I'm not sure why you responded to other people and not me... but here's a bit of advice:
Make your facebook and other online profiles you have private. You do not want students/parents to be able to look up stuff about you. Just from your name I got:
Relationship Status: In a Relationship with Andrea Soriano
Activities: Starcaft 2
Friends 1,384 friendsSee All
You don't want students/parents/administrators to see who you are in relationship with (honestly I would keep that type of stuff completely private unless you are like married or getting married). You don't want students/parents/administrators seeing your hobbies/quotes/private_photos because they can judge you unnecessarily. You especially don't want a list of 1384 college buddies available for review because if even one of them has something inappropriate in their public profile it reflects badly on you.
This probably sounds like bullshit but it is really important. Many teachers in recent years have gotten into a lot of trouble even though they've done nothing really wrong. It's even possible for students to create fake fb accounts of teachers with inappropriate teachers... and the way the media blows things out of proportion the teacher can find themselves out of a job before there is any conclusive proof (untenured, mainly). You don't want to HAVE to get a lawyer to get your job back and you can never undo drama like that.
The most important tip that new teachers are being given nowadays is to keep their online life private (if you are very lucky then your school community might be very accepting of all the bullshit that can be pinned to you, but I doubt it). I've only scratched the surface in my attempts to explain why.
edit
After 1 more minute of searching:
"R.U. RAH RAH OHHH SHIT!!!"
Yeah you definitely don't want a parent finding that and yes... parents google you and look you up on facebook and crap.
[QUOTE]On September 23 2010 06:30 micronesia wrote: I'm not sure why you responded to other people and not me... but here's a bit of advice:
Make your facebook and other online profiles you have private. You do not want students/parents to be able to look up stuff about you.[QUOTE]
1. Sorry, I completely missed your post Responding to it below 2. Yeah, Facebook revamped some of its security and I hadn't updated mine. Good call, thanks
[QUOTE]On September 23 2010 05:58 micronesia wrote: What math classes are you teaching at your student teaching experience? How is your mentor teacher? Are they having you take seminars during your student teaching after school? If so, what are they focusing on?[/QUOTE]
I'm teaching ninth grade algebra and tenth grade geometry I have two cooperating teachers actually (one teaches the algebra, and one teaches the geometry), but they're both extremely helpful. I really like have two cooperating teachers; it lets me compare and contrast their teaching styles and get the best of both worlds. I'm also taking two graduate seminars at Rutgers while I student teach, which is kind of a pain in the neck. One is the Teaching Seminar that goes along with student teaching (I meet up with my other math student teacher friends and we talk about... everything!), while the other is some Classroom Management course that's pretty much a useless formality. In the former, we collaborate and talk about difficult situations we have in the classroom. In the latter, we're supposed to focus on how to set up a classroom and create a good learning environment, but we don't really go over anything that isn't common sense already.
On September 23 2010 06:12 DarkPlasmaBall wrote: I do indeed know calculus While some videos, books, or maybe even Wikipedia might help, general interaction with a real person is always the best solution to education, since an actual tutor or teacher can answer specific questions, whereas inanimate objects cannot. Are you taking high school calculus? Or are you in college... are you taking basic calculus? Multivariable? Differential equations? What kind specifically? *The one with limits and derivatives and integrals and stuff*?
I'm taking Calculus of a Single Variable in Senior year of high school, and it would be awesome if I can hit you up whenever I need help with my homework.
Man, am i glad i dont have that book any more. BC Calculus was ridiculous on the schedule i had. on the bright side, i passed the test. GL PhuxPro.
On September 23 2010 06:12 DarkPlasmaBall wrote: I do indeed know calculus While some videos, books, or maybe even Wikipedia might help, general interaction with a real person is always the best solution to education, since an actual tutor or teacher can answer specific questions, whereas inanimate objects cannot. Are you taking high school calculus? Or are you in college... are you taking basic calculus? Multivariable? Differential equations? What kind specifically? *The one with limits and derivatives and integrals and stuff*?
I'm taking Calculus of a Single Variable in Senior year of high school, and it would be awesome if I can hit you up whenever I need help with my homework.
Sure I've never checked my TL Inbox before (I just checked for the first time right now, and realized I have 8 old messages x.x) so PMing me might not be the best way to reach me if you need immediate help. Feel free to Facebook friend me: Chris Mango, Rutgers Network. If you do, just send me a Facebook PM so I know it's you
The day someone pressures me into making a FaceBook, haha. Man, oh, man, I don't want to go through all this again with social networking sites. How about a simple MSN?
EDIT: You know what, I'll make the Facebook account. I'm the one asking for help, so I'll take up on your terms.
Haha well I don't have an MSN screen name. I used to use AIM, but I don't really go on that often either. No pressure on the social networking, but it's your call.
Props to this guy for being able to talk so fast. And I'm sure he knows what he's talking about; I could probably do the same thing. However, this is a terrible video if the point was to actually teach calculus. Giving one or two sentences about every topic in rapid-fire succession doesn't teach calculus. Listing terms isn't teaching calculus.
EPT
Responding to it below
