Beginning of Semester Self-Assessment

What are my strengths as a teacher? I think that I have several strengths as a teacher. I think that my greatest strength as a teacher is the ability to empathize with my students. As I was going through school, I really did not like mathematics. It was not until I was in college that I began to enjoy mathematics. It wasn’t that I was bored with mathematics, it just did not really make sense to me. Now when I’m teaching, I try to make it make sense for my students. I let them know when things are going to get rough and try and break it down so that they can understand it.

I think that another of my strengths as a teacher is the ability to improvise and be flexible. There are many times when I am teaching that I realize that students are not grasping what I am saying and I seem to have the ability to find things that I can use in the classroom to make my point. For example, one time in my calculus class we were discussing rates of change. We were talking about sand falling and making a conical pile. Several students in the class could not understand how the sand could fall and make a pile. Looking around the classroom, I spotted my pencil sharpener. I realized I could use the pencil shavings to represent sand falling and thus physically create a conical pile. (I never thought that students would not be able to think about sand falling and creating a conical pile. Therefor I did not have sand in the classroom.) My flexibility arises from being able to deviate from a lesson when students have relevant questions about the topic at hand.

As a teacher, I would like to improve my patience. There are many times I find myself wanting to say “How many times do I have to explain this to you?” After explaining a topic or a concept three or four times and in three or four different ways, I wish that I had more patience. I really have a difficult time teaching Algebra I for this reason. I realize that this is the first time that may students are studying Algebra I and it is new to them, but I sometimes feel that they do not care to learn the material.

In terms of my confidence with mathematics I am extremely confident with mathematics. When I was interviewed for my current position, Instructional Facilitator, I stated that I think one my largest assets for the position is my mathematical ability. As I explained to my interviewers, I feel that I could walk into any classroom at the high school level and teach on a moments notice. (This actually happened this year when one of our new teachers quit after the first day. I was asked to teach an Algebra II class immediately.)

I love teaching mathematics and am learning more and more every day how much I love teaching it. When I assumed my new position as Instructional Facilitator, I did not realize how much I would miss teaching students. I recently had a chance to go into a Pre-Calculus class to teach a lesson and it was probably one of the best days of my life. I enjoy seeing the light that comes on in students eyes when they finally “get it.”

In taking this course, I would like to learn to enjoy teaching Algebra I. I hope to learn some “tricks” and some ideas that make Algebra come alive to students. Perhaps with this knowledge, I can help other teachers make Algebra come alive to their students and hopefully their students will not only learn to appreciate the value of Algebra but will realize that Algebra is not as “hard” as they think it is.