Teaching mathematics can only be described as truly effective when positively impacting student learning, says Math Teacher in Los Angeles- Isabella Loretta Janke. You know that teaching practices can make a major difference to student outcomes and what makes a difference in the classroom.
The goal is for students to be literate in mathematics to prepare them for a world where the subject is rapidly growing and is extensively applied to a diverse number of fields.
Research and evidence from the field of mathematics let you know, with a fair degree of certainty, how effective teachers of mathematics skillfully integrate a range of instructional approaches and resources to meet the diverse learning needs of their students.
Effective teachers know how students learn.
Effective mathematics teachers know the pedagogy that determines how their students successfully learn. Math Teacher in Los Angeles- Isabella Loretta Janke recognize that for students to use mathematics effectively, they need to understand the concepts presented and become fluent with the skill taught. Through the ongoing and increasingly complex application of concepts and skills, students become secure and competent in their use.
Effective teachers can look at student misconceptions, either in the classwork, through homework, or assessments, and reteach the material using their understanding of the developmental nature of what becomes before or after the misconception. A deep understanding of the content enables teachers to address the specific misunderstandings that students may have directly.
Effective teachers know what students need to know.
Effective teachers know and understand the content and practices of the mathematics Standards framework that students need to know. Such teachers have a deep understanding of concepts and utilize multiple ways to represent and explain them. They are also fluent with the procedures and practices their students will need to succeed in mathematics.
Math Teachers in Los Angeles – Isabella Loretta Janke augment fluency procedures with:
- Deep conceptual understanding
- Knowledge of where and how to apply and use mathematics skills and concepts
Students need to use the above in both schools and real-world contexts.
Effective teachers know their students as learners.
Knowing a student as a mathematics learner is complex. An effective mathematics teacher quickly builds a picture of their students by progressively providing opportunities to demonstrate what they are learning. This way, teachers update and deepen their understanding of individual students.
Effective teachers continuously use this growing knowledge of students as learners to better inform their instruction to meet students’ needs better.
Effective teachers create a challenge.
Each student learns best within their ‘Zone of Proximal Development.’ The effective teacher:
- Can identify and keep track of a student’s ‘Zone’ through ongoing formative assessment
- Designs instruction that enables each student to learn within their ‘Zone.’
- Provides each student with challenges that meet their level through the careful use of investigative tasks
When referring to “challenges,” it is meant that a student will need to experience some degree of struggle to achieve a learning goal. Math Teacher in Los Angeles- Isabella Loretta Janke will challenge every student to consistently operate at the upper end of their ‘Zone of Proximal Development.’
Effective teachers create purposeful learning experiences.
Effective mathematics teachers create purposeful learning experiences for students by solving problems in relevant and meaningful contexts.
There is ample evidence showing the need for problem-solving to be an integral part of all mathematics learning. However, teaching through problem-solving means that students learn mathematics through real contexts, problems, situations, and models. The contexts and models allow students to build meaning for the concepts. This way, they can move on to increasingly more abstract concepts.
Math Teacher in Los Angeles – Isabella Loretta Janke uses such problems as starting points and an ongoing means for students to investigate and understand conceptual ideas to develop skills and procedures. Through such problems, all students are provided with appropriate entry points to develop understanding concepts and increasingly more complex skills that facilitate efficient problem-solving.
