Blog #7: Am I an Effective Teacher?

According to William Glasser, a notable psychiatrist and educational theorist, “Effective teaching may be the hardest job there is.” In this age of technology and testing, balancing the demands of accountability in No Child Left Behind while maintaining the attention and interest of the digital natives in the classroom is quite a challenge.
Bransford, Brown, and Cocking advocate that teachers must meet two criteria to be effective. First, the teacher must possess a deep understanding of the subject matter. As an eighth grade mathematics teacher, I feel that I not only thoroughly understand algebra, but I also have a solid background in prealgebra (for remediation), as well as geometry, trigonometry, and calculus (for enrichment or to appropriately relate current algebraic topics to future learning). It is an extraordinary moment observing students realize that the study of mathematics is an interconnected puzzle that all fits together, not a series of disjointed courses. I enjoy responding to, “Where are we ever going to use this in real life?” and having research and experience to back it up. Once the first brave student asks, I take an entire period to share the wonderful world of mathematics – and to excitedly inform them that algebra is just the beginning!
The second requirement of effective teachers is a thorough grasp of the pedagogical knowledge of how students learn. This includes adapting instruction to meet needs of students with various learning styles as well as creating activities that engage students through inquiry-based learning. Reflecting on my own teaching, this is an area in which I strive for constant improvement.
As an undergraduate, I earned my Bachelor of Science in mathematics. Fast forward to graduation and my decision to work as a technical analyst at Accenture, when my father took the opportunity to tell me that life is too short to do what you do not want to do. Later that summer I learned about New Jersey’s Alternate Route to Certification Program and I started teaching two weeks later. No educational background and here I was teaching America’s future Algebra and EARTH SCIENCE! (I can state with confidence that Bransford, Brown, and Cocking would not have wanted their own children in my Earth science class.)
As the school year progressed, I learned a great deal and I worked hard to become not just a purveyor of knowledge, but a teacher, through reading, studying, observing, collaborating with my amazing principal, and completing coursework through Alternate Route.
Eight years later, I hope that Glasser, Bransford, Brown, and Cocking would deem me an effective teacher. As illustrated by the model teachers in chapter 7 of How People Learn, effective teachers continually work to revise practices and ensure that each learner receives an education suited to meet his or her needs. I support Glasser’s assertion that truly effective teachers are in one of the toughest professions out there.

References
Bransford, J.D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R.R., Eds. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.