Teaching Statement

My goal as a teacher is to help my students to succeed in my classroom, in their careers, and in their lives. Knowing how profoundly my attitude toward teaching students affects their reaction to what they are learning, I strive to maintain a supportive approach to inspire their curiosity and foster a positive learning environment.

In one class, when teaching about the intermediate value theorem, instead of writing all the conditions out and drawing a picture, I turned it into a game. I let them choose the prize if they win (which ended up being no homework for 4 weeks) and then laid out the rules.

The objective is for a student to connect the two dots on the whiteboard without crossing the line that I draw. I pose two additional rules: you can't pick up the pen from the board and you cannot move the pen to the left. Obviously, if I play my cards right, I will always win, but that didn't stop them from brainstorming and trying to figure out a way to beat me. It certainly kept them engaged in the class because some were giddy with excitement at the thought of not having homework.

A primary aim for each of my classes is to actively engage my students. I ask lots of questions and encourage my students to ask me questions. Recognizing that asking or responding to a question makes the student vulnerable, I praise my students both for asking and responding to questions. I find that providing the reassurance that the path to understanding invariably involves some periods of confusion really helps them.

A vital aspect of my teaching is fostering critical thinking. I encourage students to challenge assumptions and critically examine methodologies, believing this approach cultivates a deeper, more nuanced understanding. For me, mathematics transcends formulas and procedures—it is a language of patterns and logic. To develop these skills, I regularly present open-ended problems, inviting students to approach them with creativity and systematic reasoning.

Students arrive in the classroom from diverse backgrounds, each with their own motivations—or lack thereof—for studying mathematics. I recognize that some may never value math as deeply as I do, regardless of how effectively I teach. While I may not be able to instill in them the same passion I hold for the subject, I still strive to motivate my students. I strive to provide the tools students need to succeed both academically and in life. I aim to create an inclusive and engaging environment where students feel empowered to challenge themselves and explore new ideas.

Teaching Experience

As an Instructor

As a TA