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.