Favourite and least favourite math teacher: reflections

Unfortunately I have had many bad math teachers and a a few rare good ones. I thought about several of my less favourable teachers and tried to think of characteristics they shared that made me not enjoy their classes. Something that stood out in my mind was their inability to explain concepts in multiple ways across multiple modes. I often felt that the problem with my university professors was that the material they taught came so readily to them, that they couldn’t comprehend students inability to understand, or where confusions might arise. An example of this was when I was taking an introductory algebra class. I was so confused about modular arithmetic. I just could not wrap my head around it. I went to the professors office hours and the only explanation he could provide me was the one he had already provided in lecture- this formal definition of the modulas and the remainder, etc. I didn’t understand it just as much as I didn’t understand it the first time around. I repeated that I still didn’t understand and he repeated this explanation to me, making no attempt to bridge this concept to things I was familiar with - the click for example. After the third time I around I knew that it was useless, and I also knew that any other concept I didn’t understand, I had no hope of him explaining it to me. Ultimately I failed this course - literally got 10%, and I felt so bad about myself. As a teacher I think it’s important to not give up on students. Sometimes I’ll explain a concept in four different ways and the student doesn’t get it, but that’s okay, I’ll try a fifth! I also felt very judged when asking questions to this professor. This is something that’s important to me in my practice - that there are no bad questions, and to please ask if you have them. 

Similarly I reflected on the good teachers I had and what qualities they shared. These teachers were engaging when they taught (used tones of voice to convey excitement about the material, asked questions and allowed us to actively participate), kind, open to adjusting their lesson based off of where students are with tho the material, fostered discussions where everyone felt safe to make mistakes, conveyed material in a variety of modes (drawings, writing, gestures, videos), and a sense that they genuinely cared about our learning. These are all qualities that I strive to embody in my own teaching. I’m always learning from my instructors. When they do something I don’t like, I think about how I can be different as a teacher, when they do something I like, I think about how I can incorporate it into my own teaching. 

I also think that if I open up this concept of who my math teachers were, to include all people who have taught me math, then my favourite math teachers were my friends. I think it’s because they were the people who I felt safest around and could ask the most questions too. I suffer from the fear of asking a “stupid” question, so it can be difficult for me to put up my hand in a room full of people. Among my friends however, I always felt that I could ask them anything.