School was hard for me growing up. I worked hard to get to where I am today with my skills. From that experience, I know first-hand that you can learn anything if you work hard at it. This is what I try to instill in my students – perseverance and a growth mindset.
I started working at VTSU as a part-time math tutor. My approach with students in my role as a tutor was that we were going to struggle through this problem together and everything was going to be OK. Students were drawn to working with me because of this approach. It gave them the sense that we were in this together, you are not alone. When I started teaching students, I realized how intimidating it is to struggle and how important it is in the learning process to experience that struggle. I was hooked and I wanted to continue working at VTC in student support services at VTC as the Math/Science Skills Specialist and learned how to support the student as a whole – how to build study skills and how to address their basic needs first before they can start learning. I know that a first-generation college student might not be aware of what a drop date is, a student who qualifies for low income might not have the finances to afford a book or calculator, and a student with a learning disability might not know that there are accommodations available to them. I use all these skills now as a full-time VTSU math professor to guide students in their learning journey.
My educational philosophy is student centered. I center my teaching on how to best support students in their learning. It is my philosophy that all students need support in their learning and that is what I am there for. The level of support may vary between students so on a case-by-case basis I make it a habit to reach out to those who are struggling individually to try to assess how I can help them best. I aspire to be organized and offer lots of support for students like posting class notes online, posting lecture videos online, and keeping a regular assessment schedule/ classroom flow. I have adopted this organizational style in my online course as well, so students know what to expect from me and what is expected of them. I offer support online by creating a classroom culture where students are comfortable collaborating with each other and with me by an introduction discussion forum at the beginning of the semester, weekly discussion forums with the requirement that they must post two replies, and through feedback on assessments. Making sure the students get to know each other, feel comfortable around each other, and have a relationship with me is an important part of their success in my class.
I agree with teaching philosopher, J.J. Rousseau. He believes in staying out of the way of the student’s path to learning. In my in-person classes, I give students the steering wheel as much as possible. When possible, I allow students to submit corrections so they can make changes from my feedback and have a chance to learn from their mistakes.
We all learn by making mistakes. If you are not making mistakes and questioning why they are wrong, you are not learning. My graduate program, Vermont Mathematics Initiative, shaped my approach to learning and making the student an active participant in their learning experience. This program trained me to challenge student thinking and deepen their mathematical understanding. With this training I am now able to find and close gaps in mathematical knowledge. I share common mistakes with all students and cultivate a classroom culture that embraces mistakes. I believe that we can create a culture of learning online in the discussion forums.
I value interpersonal skills in designing an educational experience for students. The ways that I communicate in online courses are prompt feedback in discussion forums, opportunities for corrections, grade book feedback, and announcements. In the discussion forums students also have an opportunity to practice communicating using math language and the vocabulary we cover.
