Final Thoughts...

After all of the experiences that this semester brought, I can't believe that my attitude at the start of this course was a little like this:

But I'm happy to say that now it is more like this:

I now view math as a way to teach children to express themselves. It is amazing to see how through a single open-ended problem you can learn so much about how students think. It really gives you a glimpse into their way of thinking.

I feel like I am now finally able to be enthusiastic about teaching math! I honestly thought that would be the last thing I would want to teach, but after all of the information and skills we have acquired in this course, I find myself excited to just get out there and try to teach some math!

I think I am most excited to teach math because I understand the "fear" that some students have about math, because I have gone through those same feelings (and feel a HUGE step closer to conquering that fear once and for all!).

Too Dramatic?

I feel capable (and obligated) to create a safe and motivating environment for learning math. I want math to be integrated in many other subjects so that instead of feeling like a chore, it will feel like one piece of a bigger puzzle. I am a huge advocate for a student centered classroom where students learn by experimenting and exploring! I would love to have a classroom that is focused around collaboration and creativity which works toward making a very positive and authentic learning environment.

Math shouldn't be something that students HAVE to do, it should be something that students look forward to doing.

SMART Boards

On Tuesday we had a guest from the Eastern School District stop by to give us some tips for using SMART Boards in mathematics classrooms. It's always so exciting to hear about new resources to spice up a math lesson!

Here are some great sites to make note of for using a SMART Board in a mathematics classroom:

http://smarttech.com/
SMART Board program

http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html
The NLVM website for mathematics manipulatives on a SMART Board -- Also great for parents to use with students at home for some fun extra practice!