What is Mr. Hansens philosophy about teaching mathematics?
We are all involved in a program called “No Child Left Behind.” The goal of this program is for all students to learn and achieve at set standards. This achievement is determined through testing. I feel this is a limited way of assessing student achievement. Testing, by itself, is not an adequate means of assessing student achievement in math. There are so many more ways to assess and motivate students than through testing. My goal is to teach students to think mathematically. This will take many forms of instruction from the concrete to the abstract, from pencil and paper to pure mental mathematics, and from simple arithmetic to complex problem solving. Within each of these methods of instruction I will assess students, responding to their needs to become better mathematical thinkers. The mind of an adolescent is full of imagination and curiosity. The world of mathematics is full of logic and reason. The beauty and delight of teaching middle school mathematics is allowing students to
