I have friends that blog. They are informative, inspirational and fun to read. I've often thought of jumping on the band-wagon but didn't know what I would write about. I hardly have "hobbies." I tend to be a work-o-holic, have a great relationship with my husband and have a house full of pets. I'm not a good home-maker. I don't craft or sew and I really dislike cooking. So... what to blog about?
Honestly, I don't know why it didn't hit me sooner. Something that I'm good at... my job. I love my job. I'm passionate about math and teaching math. I'm certainly not perfect (I'm sure we'll get into that more later.) But I do have a passion for collaborating so I thought why not share about that experience.
Not a math teacher? You may find other stuff from time to time, and/or you may realize that some of my posts are entertaining no matter who you are. And if not... that's okay. One of the things I value in my classroom is that everyone has their own passions. People should find and pursue things they are good at and enjoy. So if this blog doesn't suit your fancy that's okay with me.
On another note. I don't mind constructive criticism or suggestions for me to take back to the classroom but in general keep the judging to yourself. Teaching is one of those professions where everyone has their own style. Mine may not match yours but it is working for me.
What gives me the authority to write on this subject?
For one, I live it everyday. But beyond that I have the credentials to back it up. My bachelors degree is in pure Mathematics and Mathematics Teaching. I was previously certified to teach in Indiana and currently am certified to teach 6-12 Math in Florida. In my district (the 8th largest in the nation) I was nominated and recognized as the 2012 Mathematics Teacher of Excellence. Another fact that makes my experience unique is that I've been at a number of schools in my short time teaching. Having worked in 4 different districts and 5 different schools from grades 8-12 I have seen schools and math departments run in a variety of ways. I also acknowledge that during these early years, as I started my career in a number of schools, I was open to new ideas and frequently stole the best ideas that I witnessed from the veterans around me.
So welcome to my stories from a math classroom. Most of these stories will be informative with the goal of helping other math teachers revitalize their classes.
My last note is about blogging. Blogging and writing by nature are not always the strong suits of a mathematician. I suck at grammar. Not necessarily the formulation of thoughts (I like to think I articulate well) but punctuation was a 5th grade lesson that I swear I missed. So please read with an open heart and not an English teacher's critical eye :)
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