Mrs.

Corsetti Pedagogical Teaching Philosophy

A mathematics classroom should always provide an environment where students feel safe
from harmoutside and within the classroom wallsand comfortablewith their classmates
and teacher. A teachers job is to ensure all students feel protected, at ease, and cared for.
Teachers must also provide a space where students can actively learn, both individually and
collaboratively. Even though every classroom has students with a wide range of academic
abilities, the teacher must make sure each child is being challenged and supported at the same
time. To accomplish these goals, a classroom must be a community where students are respectful
and courteous with each other and their teacher. If the classroom is a community where respect
and positive attitudes are the norms, students can successfully work together in cooperative
groups. Mathematics can be intimidating, but if students feel welcome and comfortable, they can
learn to love the subject itself.
Students learn in a variety of ways, including direct instruction, independent work time,
and group work. Direct instruction can be very informative, but working in cooperative groups
can provide rich experiences and opportunities to deepen understanding. I believe there should
be a mixture of both direct instruction and cooperative group work. When students work
together, they can explain concepts in easy to understand language and they can show each other
multiple ways of doing mathematics. Working in a group also teaches necessary skills that
students need to learn before starting a career. Most careers require at least some work to be done
in a group, or at least require communication with colleagues.
Knowledge of mathematics is important in many different types of jobs, as well as being
part of normal life experiences. Mathematics is simply everywhere in our world. It is necessary
for students to have a solid understanding of math in middle school because it is the foundation
for the math that is taught in high school. Middle school math also covers all the topics of math
that are most used by people in society. Fractions, decimals, percents, area, perimeter, linear
relationships, algebraic expressions, and so many more important topics are studied in 6th, 7th and
8th grade. I want students to have positive and successful experiences that will give them the
confidence and understanding of mathematical ideas that they need.
A large part of my math classroom is the technology that can support and enhance student
understanding. Calculators can help the students feel confident while they are solving a multistep problem. Calculators can also help students focus on the content of a word problem and on
how to solve it, instead of getting bogged down by calculations. Graphing calculators offer
opportunities to quickly graph new equations and discover patterns in the graphs. Graphing
calculators can be used to compare tables of different equations as well. Students can explore
equations of new functions and broaden their knowledge. I believe any use of technology boosts
student motivation and engagement, which is important for student understanding and love of
math.
I love mathematics and one of my goals is for students to love, or at least not hate, math. I
share stories of how I use math in my daily life so students can make connections between the
classroom and life outside of it. I make sure they experience new ways of learning math. I share
my personal experiences learning math from professional development workshops and from
attending classes. I model being a lifelong learner, especially in math. This is important for me to
share so students see how I value math and learning. My hope is that they see my excitement and
it inspires them a desire to learn and love math too.