Personal Mission Statement

Personal Mission Statement as a Math Educator

My classroom will always be welcoming, engaging, and motivating for students. I will not only teach my students the appropriate math content for their grade level but also encourage them to appreciate what math means in their world. I hope to decrease the number of students that find math boring, difficult, and insignificant. I can do this by teaching to their learning style strengths while simultaneously developing their learning weaknesses. In this way, students will be able to define what a successful math student is and be confident enough to declare themselves as such.

My mail goal for my students would be to transform each of them into efficient problem solvers who can extend their skills beyond the math classroom. Becoming successful problem solvers requires students to employ inquiry and creativity, which is necessary for progress and innovation in any field of study or work. In the years that follow after my class, they may never again need to know the formula for a line or the fundamental theorem of calculus, but they will consistently need to think critically to find solutions for any future academic, professional, and personal endeavors. To do this, I will ask students to demonstrate and describe the methods they use to solve a problem. Through class discussions, students will discover that many problems can be solved with one method and one problem can be solved with many methods.

I will stress math literacy in the classroom. A significant setback for students on state math assessments is misunderstanding the language of the question, which prohibits them from performing a requested skill correctly. My students will not only be able to perform math skills, but be able to describe how they perform them using correct mathematical jargon. Vocabulary will be introduced in every unit and students will be encouraged to use that vocabulary in short writing assignments and class discussions that coincide with content skills. Through this, students will be more confident with the language on state assessments and prepared to make connections between math vocabulary and math skills.

Finally, I hope to be not just a math teacher but a mentor as well. I look forward to providing advice and guidance to my students in between math lessons and tests. I want students to feel comfortable enough with me to both ask for my help and challenge my claims. Through my personality and teaching methods, I want all my students to feel included, accepted, and cared for in my classroom, which will inspire them to show up, speak up, and move forward.