The Teaching Principle

Upon reading the Teaching Principle, I learned that in order to be an effective teacher in the area of mathematics, one must possess a strong knowledge base and glean from it to approach teaching while being versatile. The teacher must view every student as a person and a learner; therefore, since not everyone learns the same, a variety of techniques need to be implemented when teaching to ensure quality education.
The teacher must have two specific types of mathematical knowledge. The first type is knowledge about the whole of mathematics. Instructors should understand overall themes, ideas that are conducive to appropriate grade levels, and goals and standards. This type of knowledge lends itself to aid in curricular decisions, helping students understand better, and connect math concepts together. The second type of mathematical knowledge is Pedagogical knowledge. This helps instructors grasp how the student learns math. Teachers should be fluent in a variety of teaching strategies. This also helps in knowing how to approach classroom management and also organizational skills within the classroom.
I also learned that teachers must have a firm understanding on how mathematical ideas relate to one another and to be familiar with the common roadblocks children have with their understanding of math in order to bring insight that will cause students to draw the accurate conclusions.
Teachers hold the responsibility for ensuring their students an environment in which to learn math. They are responsible through their own actions, conversations, behavior, etc. how their students will then think about math. Teachers should be facilitating conversations that will lead the students to think for themselves in drawing conclusions about math, problem solving, and thinking critically about math. Educators should also be choosing activities that are productive for the student to learn and put their knowledge in to practice. The activities should also include real life situations so that the students can deepen their understanding of the content.
Being an effective teacher goes beyond the practical implications to understanding students, listening to them, and observation. When teachers engage in reflective practice they are evaluating themselves as teachers and the classroom to know how to better their teaching strategies and bring more creativity that will be more conducive to the learner. Reflection is vital in the classroom to create the best learning environment possible.