I can imagine myself doing and succeeding in many different occupations, but I cannot imagine being any happier than I am teaching mathematics. I became an educator because I fell in love with mathematics, and I saw a need for someone who loved mathematics in schools. In my experience, I certainly had educators who were good at mathematics, and maybe they were passionate about it, but it was not obvious. It was not infectious, and it should have been. There is a stigma surrounding mathematics, one that promotes that a fixed mindset and math-illiteracy are okay. Tell someone that you are not a good reader or writer and they will feel sympathetic for you. Tell someone you are not good at math and you will be greeted with a high five and a, "Me too! I hate math!" I became a teacher of mathematics to change that harmful viewpoint. I attempt to do this by exhibiting an attitude, professionalism, and expertise, which are all authentic, about mathematics and learning to my students.
I demonstrate leadership in learning everyday in my classroom. I do not tell students that they are wrong or that they should solve a problem my way. I learn from them. I ask them questions, and I genuinely value their approaches to problem solving. I have never answered a student with, “I don’t know.” If I am asked something that I do not know, I say, “I don’t know yet,” or, “Let’s find out.” In such situations, I will go to an empty whiteboard with the student and work together with them to figure it out. In my class, when a student asks an interesting question, we Google it. We research it. We experiment with it. We explore the answer. I embrace mistakes in my class. Students are not allowed to erase in my class. We write exclusively in ink. When a mistake is made, it is a catalyst for learning, so why would we want to erase it? We leave it there; make a note about what went wrong, correct it, and learn from it. I demonstrate that mistakes are okay, questions are worth exploring, and there are more ways than one to solve a problem in an effort to show my students how to approach learning.
As an educator, I have miles to go to become half of what I want to be. I want to be part of a movement that changes the negative stigma that sticks to mathematics like super-glue. This goal has started small, within my own classroom doors, and will hopefully, eventually; extend to parents, and my fellow teachers. When I feel confident that I have become an expert teacher in my subject, I want to help other teachers become the best versions of themselves as educators. I want to become board-certified and show by example that teaching is an important and valid profession. Most importantly, I want to never lose my passion for growing and learning.