Exit Slip Sept 5

Take Away Thoughts and Reflection

The six controversial statements about math education were statements are topics I would have thought to be true while taking math in Secondary. I was frustrated at problems and always thought finding my own solutions would be a waste of time. I believed that asking others for their solutions and remembering their reasoning was the fastest way to learn, but when coming to exams and not knowing how to approach problems I have never attempted always left me confused and upset with my grades. Why take the extra time to struggle through problems and waste all of the time when a internet search could just provide a answer and a method? I always felt as if my teachers, my family, and my friends only looked at the result. If the result was right then the approach shouldn't matter. Society bases a persons success through the grade which does not sound too bad, or at least I would now only agree with to an extent.

After tutoring and teaching smaller groups, fostering a students work ethic was more important than helping them finish their homework. Not just to fulfill the academic side of the student, but to provide other opportunities for learning as an educator. The realization that I would have agreed with this in my past and how strongly I disagree with it now was largely helpful and I believe it can help me empathize better with struggling students.

Frank McCourt, Teacher Man

"You cant get away with it. If you have a bunch of kids every day, they know when you're putting on an act. They don't like it. We all do it, its alright, we brag and so on. When you go out with a girl for the first time you put on a bit of an act until it doesn't work on anymore and then you have to take off the mask and sooner or later you have to take off the teacher mask" (9:22)

Honesty plays an important role in the student(s) teacher relationship. During the interview Frank presents himself like an open book and is unafraid to share his struggle. He admittedly stole to get the fare to move to America, which is seen to be something a teacher should not share with their students. However, this was his reality and he lived in constant struggle. Frank is not ashamed to share where he came from or the problems he endured. I believe students learn better with teachers they trust and will work more willingly with teachers that want them to succeed. Trust and honesty helps bridge the comfort zone in a relationship like it does with friends and family. Likewise, students that struggle look for people that share similar experiences just to have that comfort. In my experiences, honesty is what helped me see eye to eye with my students. I struggled with the same questions, the same tests, the same school experiences, and the overloading responsibilities while growing up. Practice with patience is so important to remember.