Experience Summary
As my professional experiences, I worked for AT&T and IBM as a computer programmer, system analyst, and integration system tester from 1991 to 2001. Switching career from information technology to mathematics teaching in 2002, I have worked in several different teaching environments with diversified students. I was a full time math teacher at St. John Vianney High School in 2003. I was an adjunct mathematics instructor teaching college algebra and pre-calculus at New Jersey City University, Kean University, and Rutgers University. Then, I went to Holy Family Academy teaching full time until now. In the past few years, I have taught a full range of mathematics courses from basic math skills, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, precalculus, calculus, statistics, and discrete math.
Teaching Style
I encourage my students to be the owners of their learning as much as possible. Knowledge acquired through discovery and own construction is always better understood and retained than that transmitted in a teacher-centered approach to teaching. Therefore, I often attempt to stir students’ curiosity through inquiry and cooperative learning. I help them to visualize abstract concepts through the use of technology, combined with their own imagination. I use real-world applications to make connections between mathematics and the students’ daily lives.
Problem-solving strategies are often used to challenge students’ thinking and creativity. I usually choose problems that are intriguing and inviting speculation, and that can be approached in multiple ways. I let students work in small groups and I monitor their thinking process. When needed, hints are given in the form of questioning. However, direct instruction also plays a part in my teaching. I use it to explain fundamental concepts, to model types of valid inferences behind various procedures, and more generally to model a mature way of doing mathematics.
It is very important to be aware of students’ current mathematical abilities when planning lessons. I use in-class questioning and quizzes to assess students’ understanding of the materials being taught. Then I modify my objectives and approaches for subsequent lessons accordingly. Midterm and final exams are developed to assess both students’ relational and procedural understanding of the material covered. Occasionally, I give project assignments to promote higher-level thinking and self-regulation.
I find it important to communicate to my students that the main role of assessment is, to me, to enhance their learning by collecting information used for my making subsequent instructional decisions. If students come to view assessment this way, they may be less anxious about tests and exams, and regard them as allies as opposed to sources of anxiety. I also ensure that my syllabus is extremely clear on my expectations for the class, the nature of the learning environment I am trying to develop with each course, and the grading policies. I clearly define each grading criteria and the percentage contributed toward the final grade. A generic scoring rubric is given for every project assignment. Policies regarding attendance, class participation and plagiarism are also addressed.