Blog Post 1 - Ensayene

From a teaching point of view, the following situation is an ideal one: The students are given a problem and told to try and figure it out with the help of their group. They must then use their various thinking and problem solving skills to come to an answer on their own, without any direct help from their math teacher.

However from the students’ side, it is their worst nightmare. They actually have to think to get the answer, instead of having it handed to them by the teacher. They actually have to work for it. Heaven forbid.

The teacher described here is a very good teacher. He does not simply write out problems and equations and then expect his students to memorize and understand them. He makes his pupils search and push themselves to accomplish the goal. Instead of answering their questions outright, he nudges their thinking processes in the right direction so that they can answer their own questions. This method is much better than simple note-taking; the students are able to remember what they learned easier, and can work their way through tougher problems that they come across in the future. It teaches them to be more independent, as well as improves their problem solving skills.

Personally, would I want to be in a class run this way? Heck no. I’d rather have the answers handed to me, memorize them until I pass the test, and then sweep the knowledge under a figurative rug with everything else to be forgotten. But...I do think that if I were in a class like this, I would learn the information much easier, and afterwards have a greater sense of satisfaction over what I discovered. Even though I would moan and complain about it the entire time, a class like this would be exactly what I need.

G.I.Jo14---Blog Post #1

The teacher described above is unlike most teachers in the world today. The majority of teachers are similar in teaching methods: they enjoy talking, writing, and grading. In the classroom, teachers are usually the ones who do all of the explaining and lecturing, force the kids to simply copy or take notes, and then grade the exams and lessons with a keen eye and bright red pen. The Algebra II teacher I would say is a prime example of a good teacher.

Now there is no specific characteristic or trait that makes a teacher 'good', but the methods of teacher explained above would help my decision to put the teacher in the 'good' category. The teacher above is unlike the 'average' teacher I talked about in the first paragraph. The teacher above is thoughtful and opens the doors to the deep depths of the minds in every student. The assignment in itself "which requires the use of both algebra and geometry" implies countless possibilities but also explains that the problem isn't 'unsolvable'. He explains the assignment simply and then allows the students to explore and discover.

Another reason the teacher above is a 'good' teacher, is that he allows the students to converse and share ideas with one another. The main problem in math is that there are so many rules and methods to remember that I always get that 'brain freeze' where I can't remember or figure out the next step. That is why being able to share and talk with the students around you is such a great learning method--therefore making the teacher a 'good' teacher. He also doesn't just give the answers--he makes you think and 'dig deep' into the problems.

Personally, I would have mixed feelings about this class. Some people might love this and then others might hate it--that's because everybody has a different learning method. My learning method is a mix between this teacher's and the average teacher's. I personally like being told exactly what to do, but the majority of times I like to be able to explore and create new possibilities and figure out the answer myself--along with getting ideas from others and eventually learning and hearing what methods other people used to solve the problem. Overall, I think that the teacher above is a very good teacher and would enjoy being in that class.