In 2008, I graduated from St. Joseph's college in New York with a Bachelor's in mathematics and State certification in secondary education. From there, I taught in Fairfax Virginia- one of the nation's largest and most progressive school districts. In Fairfax I worked with a wide range of learners ranging from students with learning disabilities to Honors and advanced classes.
I’ve come across a wide spectrum of learners. I’ve gained insight into the unexpected roadblocks keep students from excelling. While some students benefit from learning through analogy, the vast majority of students will benefit most from concrete application, discovery, and even tactile manipulatives. I believe there is always a way back on track and a way forward. Most of all, I believe that any student can understand math; many students know more than they realize.
I understand that when a student leaves a classroom, they are often more confused than when they entered. My goal with respect to tutoring and intervention has been to give the student a way to take the abstract and make it accessible and meaningful. A student should be exposed to multiple methods of approaching a problem in order to fully understand the math. Mathematics should always be a conversation between the student and the math itself.
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