Overview:
Meaningful interactions between teachers and students, at all levels of education, and through life lessons embedded in the curriculum—sparks students’ interest and creates lasting memories of great teachers.
It certainly takes a little effort for most of us visitors Teacher’s Room to rekindle memories of favorite teachers and in our imaginations picture them in their classrooms. Mr. Hemphill is the teacher I see, a square-built man with short, sandy-colored hair, who always wears a tie and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Mr. Hemphill led us on a journey of discovery to chart the horizons of geometry, algebra and trigonometry. The latter was our destination in 1967 when I was in high school, although I was not as old as I am now. I vividly remember sitting at my desk in class hopelessly working on a trig problem. I stopped working and stared at the ceiling for a solution. Or it could be interpreted as a plea to heaven for help and comfort. Accepting my request, Mr. Hemphill kindly pointed out, “The answer isn’t up there, Frankie, it’s right in front of you.” It really was, but it was so foggy that I only saw the outline of the problem, not the solution.
The fact that I remember Mr. Hemphill clearly after nearly 60 years said, in part, that he formed a relationship with me. A relationship built on his kindness, patience, humor and always encouraging me to do my best. My experience as a teacher confirms to me that in addition to this personal connection, showing how our course is connected to other education sections and pointing out the life lessons we teach helps to create and increase students’ interest, the foundation on which learning is built.- Francis Martini
I gained my teaching experience as a substitute instructor at several local colleges while working my day job at a bank. Then in 2017, after quitting my full-time job, I volunteered as a teacher at St. Michael-St Clement elementary/middle school. In my first year of teaching, a wonderful elementary school student taught me a memorable connection between math and both philosophy and theology.
Perhaps going to Catholic school influenced Nina’s answer to my seemingly prosaic question: What is the difference between a line and a half-line? Nina’s thoughtful reaction opened the door to more rational considerations. “A part of a line,” he said, “has a beginning and an end. A line goes on forever, as life does.” How exciting and moving, whether “life” is defined as human life or soul life. Sister Mary Agnes, my first grade teacher, would probably take the latter view and interpret Nina’s words as: The line moves toward infinity just as the soul lives forever. Whether it’s a philosophical or a religious connection, if the nuns still walked the halls of St Michael-St Clement, they would be proud of young Nina’s answer!
Nina’s encouraging communication taught me that I could incorporate into the teaching process how mathematical concepts connect to other educational institutions and thereby create more interest in learning. Take fractions for example. They seem commonplace, but they are interesting when considered in depth. Each fraction is, by definition, smaller than the whole. They have their own identity (one-third or one-sixth, for example), but each is part of something bigger. Now consider this applies not only to fractions, but also to people. And we all know that to add fractions each must have the same value. If they don’t have that in common, they can’t be joined. It’s the same with people, they also come together when they have something in common. Rare fractions, but, by changing our perspective, powerful fractions that lead us to social and humanistic lessons!
In addition to connecting to other fields, math teaches life skills that are useful to all of us, even those who don’t understand math. To help increase students’ interest in mathematics, I found it appropriate to share and discuss the following from The Divine Language: Learning Algebra, Geometry and Calculus on the Edge of Old Age by Alex Wilkinson:
“Mathematics…requires one to carefully…consider a problem carefully…and encourages systematic thinking, a benefit, as far as I know, in all endeavors. Abraham Lincoln said he spent a year studying Euclid to learn to think logically.” Even students who do not immediately see the beauty and practicality of Euclidean geometry (yes, there are), appreciate that the qualities that Mr. Wilkinson presents are useful to know! –
Alex Wilkinson, The Divine Language: Learning Algebra, Geometry and Calculus at the Edge of the Old Age
A high school teacher, a primary school student and a writer teach us about the importance of communication in achieving our mission of creating interest in the subjects we teach and helping our students to develop their potential. The personal connection between the teacher and the student, the connection between our course and other courses, and how the professional skills in our course provide important and useful lessons for life are among the things that help us to create a beautiful mosaic of learning. Our challenge is how best to use this connection so that, long after we say goodbye, we will be among the teachers our students remember as the best teachers from their classroom days.
