Steve: Homewood tutor

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Effective teaching requires the perfect combination of knowledge, patience, commitment, collaboration, and technology. Balancing those key characteristics will allow students to achieve high academic standards within rigorous mathematics courses.

Teachers must continue to be lifelong learners. By pursuing higher degrees in mathematics, a teachers content knowledge will strengthen and evolve. As a teacher gains a stronger depth of knowledge within their field, their ability to explain, illustrate, and communicate mathematics to students will flourish. This strong knowledge background allows for enriched curriculum development to take place and, in turn, students gain a more in-depth exposure to the content.

Despite a teachers passion for the subject, students dont always share the same passion and appreciation for mathematics. Consequently, an effective teacher must have the patience to support and encourage students through topics in which they may struggle. An effective teacher must also possess a commitment to their students so that those students may trust that their teacher will not waiver even when they struggle.

By collaborating with colleagues, an effective teacher is able to continually gain methods for explaining topics to students. This is extremely helpful when students are finding a concept to be difficult and creates the possibility for differentiation within the classroom. Curriculum development is also more successful when it is created collaboratively with other colleagues. Technology can further enrich the curriculum by providing visual representations of the mathematical concepts being taught. Often times, the use of technology can make the difference between a student truly understanding something and a student merely working toward a passing grade. In todays schools, students are highly motivated to use technology.

As a mathematics instructor, you will observe my knowledge, patience, commitment, collaboration, and use of technology on a regular basis. Students will be prompted to realize the beauty of mathematics that is all around us on a daily basis within my classroom as a student.