My Teaching Philosophy
I did a one-year intensive coursework master’s degree in economics at the University of Cape Town. During this degree, all six of my modules involved maths, masters level maths. My lecturers flew through content at an incredibly fast pace, as if it was all so simple. The lecturers came across as aloof and unapproachable, and I never felt comfortable putting up my hand and asking them to slow down, or reexplain or perhaps break things down in a more step-by-step way. I was intimidated by their seemingly brilliant intellect and my confidence took a dive. Because of this, most of my learning happened at home when I returned from lectures. I spent hours simplifying the content and drilling down to the core of what was required. I deconstructed complex equations into small manageable steps and then practiced for hours on the whiteboard I had in my bedroom.
Because of this, I always knew exactly what kind of lecturer I did not want to be. I wanted to make sure my students never struggled the way I did during my masters. I used my experiences as a student to inform my approach to teaching, particularly when it come to numeracy modules. When I teach concepts and methods, I endeavour to simplify things as much as possible and I break calculations down into easy-to-follow steps. I always follow a lesson with a knowledge check to ensure that students have understood what they’ve been taught and to allow for any questions. It is often only when students try something for themselves that cracks in their understanding appear and then the questions emerge. My no-frills, simplified, step-by-step approach is one that minimizes anxiety and builds confidence.
Maths is not about knowing how to do something in theory, it’s about knowing how to do something in practice. Because of this, I have adopted a very practical approach to teaching. I seldom rely solely on lecture slides but rather teach through activities. These activities always link back to the learning objectives and what is important for assessment purposes. In this way, my approach to teaching is very much learner-centered as learners play an active role in constructing their knowledge. I believe that as a lecturer it's my duty to design and facilitate opportunities for knowledge construction and I do this through my class activities & discussions. My classes are very social and collaborative as we work together to answer questions and solve problems.
I always try to be approachable and friendly. I make sure that students feel that my classroom (brick & mortar or virtual) is a safe space where no question or answer is thought to be silly or stupid. I encourage everyone to participate and praise students when they do.
Very often, particularly when it comes to numeracy, students ask “when will I ever use this in real life?” I always make sure that students understand the importance of what they’re learning and how it applies to day-to-day life and the world of work.
All of my ICE Tasks and worksheets are thoughtfully and intentionally designed to support and/or scaffold learning. I make use of online quizzes extensively. I love online quizzes because students can complete them at their convenience and receive immediate feedback while being fun and engaging. Through my quizzes and activities, I create many opportunities for students to succeed and build confidence. When a student feels they are succeeding in something they perceived to be difficult, it does wonders for their self-esteem and motivates them to work harder and continue to achieve success.
