I wasn't surprised that my highest result was transmission. I value that the teacher of a particular subject should be knowledgeable in the field. Not only that, they should also be able to help students in any stage of learning to reach proficiency and maybe mastery. In my opinion, a specialist is most suitable to teach a specific subject area, albeit it doesn't hurt for a teacher new to the topic to learn ahead of time to get familiar with it. Having knowledge in the subject will allow the students to be comfortable asking tough questions. I know one case where when I was in grade 12, a grade 10 student asked my math teacher about Taylor series/expansion and he wasn't able to answer. It is not the case that all students will be this aspired, but it is always good preparation to be able to give a response. The TPI results also reflect my belief that attitude is important in a student's learning. Believing that you're not good at something will hinder your learning at the very beginning. If no effort or efficacy is present, then there is no assurance that those who do struggle will stop struggling. I am surprised that my apprenticeship total is lower, but it is my responsibility to know each students' zone of proximal development, so I may aid them in closing any learning gaps. Something I may want to work on is to address social issues that can be modeled with math and its realistic applications. This perspective is my lowest one and is recessive. I notice that some of my peers are also in the same boat as me. I wonder in what ways can teachers make math more interactive in real world experiences/topics? All in all I am glad to be able to come across several readings and hands on activities in these courses that allows me to better engage with these notions.
Thanks for this thoughtful response! I'm not surprised either that transmission is your dominant perspective, but I hope that you will also give attention to developmental and nurturing perspectives that are your next strongest approaches. I think you'll find that most secondary students will respond well to a blend of all three approaches!
ReplyDeleteHi Michael, it's great to see your emphasis on subject knowledge and the importance of teachers being proficient in their respective fields, as this can create a positive learning environment where students feel comfortable asking challenging questions. Your willingness to integrate social issues into math teaching, even if it's not your primary perspective, is a positive step towards more engaging learning experiences. Keep up the good work!
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