I believe all educators strive to meet the unique needs of all students. I strive to create a positive and inclusive learning environment, that focuses on a differentiated student-centred approach so all students can be successful.
I believe that student voice should be honoured to enhance student engagement and learning. The Third Teacher monograph states that, "A classroom that is functioning successfully as a third teacher will be responsive to the children's interests, provide opportunities for children to make their thinking visible and then foster further learning and engagement" (August 2012).
I believe that a responsive mathematics learning environment should meet the social and emotional needs of all students. Instruction should support risk-taking, positive attitudes and beliefs about mathematics and collaboratively constructed class norms. Educators should encourage students to take risks and solve problems in a variety of ways to enhance their conceptual understanding. Students can share strategies and learn from their classmates through communication in consolidation strategies, such as a Bansho, Math Congress or a Gallery Walk (Communication in the Mathematics Classroom, September 2010). The consolidation strategies also create a "math talk" community and help foster a positive and respectful learning environment.
I believe that it is important for educators to stay current in mathematics initiatives. The Collaborative Inquiry in Learning Mathematics (CILM) had an extremely positive effect on my mathematics instruction. It encouraged me to take risks as an educator and change my ideas about teaching math. The ministry initiative included all of the strategies that were mentioned in the webcast, “Making Mathematics Accessible for All Students” and encouraged an inclusive learning environment that focused on student-generated responses. Research shows that, “Students who are encouraged to experiment with their own solutions to mathematics problems develop a significantly deeper understanding of mathematics” (Learning Mathematics vs Following “Rules”: The Value of Student Generated Methods, March 2007). CILM also encouraged educators to gain greater insight into student thinking and use questioning strategies to extend student learning. The initiative focuses on creating rich learning tasks that derive from curriculum expectations and the nterests of the students in your classroom.
I believe that students in an inclusive mathematics environment should be given opportunities to collaborate and solve real-world problems that are important and relevant to them. They should be engaged in the learning process, taking risks and striving for personal success.
