Thomas

The effect, I hope, is contagious; I feel my students can sense my enthusiasm and, because of that, become more interested in mathematics themselves. My mathematics teaching style features a variety of methods of instruction that depends on: 1) the subject matter of the lesson and 2) my understanding with how the individual student best learns mathematics. I believe that students learn mathematics best by doing mathematics and then working to communicate about mathematics. Communication is the key to success. Most students want to get the right answer and then go about their business, when in reality the beauty of Mathematics is the clear communication of the thought that derives a solution. By teaching how to communicate mathematics, the student learns to be confident in mathematics; confidence, in turn, breeds success in mathematics. To support this goal, I frequently use the Socratic Method to elicit mathematical thought and foster engagement with mathematical concepts. I have found that using multiple representations of mathematical ideas (e.g., algebraic, graphical, and numerical) is beneficial for two reasons. First of all, different students learn in different ways, and one representation may be easier for a student to understand than another. Secondly, knowing multiple representations and methods of solution makes for better problem solving; if students know several ways of attacking a problem, then there is a better chance of them being able to solve it. I insist on the use of technology in my instruction, especially the use of calculators and the use of the internet as a resource. I strive to improve each and every time that I engage a student. Through my teaching style and methods described here, it is my hope that my students leave each session confident with their newly acquired understanding of their subject.

I have two young girls and spend most of my time learning how to be a kid again. Otherwise, I love to golf, cook, read voraciously and learn as much as I can. I also enjoy cooking, reading and exercising to keep my mind and body performing at their best.