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Reflection on the Impact on Student Learning Domain

In the spring of 2016, I took the School of Education course, Educational Psychology:
Applications to Adolescent Education, SEDF705. In Chapter 1 of the course textbook, the author
asked, Do teachers make a difference?1 She then made the case that teachers do make a
difference and went on to describe what good teaching entailed. While reading this, I could not
help but think of a contrarian position from an Education instructor whom I had taken at Hunter
College. I was in the SEDF704 course with Dr. Ausch who said that we give teachers too much
credit in our culture and that teachers dont really have as big an impact as we think. I know its
a cynical position but I appreciated hearing his unconventional take on the subject. I thought it
was worth sharing with us because many new teachers are likely to be nave in terms of what
they will be facing.
During my time in the Adolescent Math Education program, I felt that I was openminded and receptive to what the program entailed. I wanted to continuously improve my
teaching by learning as much as I could from my classes and instructors and all other educators
whom I encountered. I personally think a good teacher can make a difference if the
circumstances are right and the teacher knows what he or she is doing. William James who is
credited with being the founder of the field of psychology at Harvard University, is quoted as
having once said, Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.
During my time as a student, particularly from my education classes, I found that having
the ability to put yourself in someone elses shoes is one of the most important qualities a teacher
can have. If we can see things as our students see them, we will have the opportunity to connect
with our class. From this, we are more likely to communicate with them in a manner they
understand and can hopefully quickly clear up any misconceptions they have. I wish I could say

that I will be able to demystify math so that none of my students will have a fear of math. I
realize though from my experiences that other realities/practicalities and logistics come into play.
These include pressures to complete the common core curriculum and meet the metrics that the
school requires for state testing. In this regard, Ive come to think of the lesson plans I developed
as a type of efficiency tool so that valuable time is not wasted and the class remains on track for
meeting its learning objectives.
Some advantages of having comprehensive lesson plans include the following:

Assisting with managing class time by displaying the approximate duration in

minutes for each part of the class.

Providing for differentiation so that all students are considered.

Making use of peer learning where students work together to learn math.

Incorporating how students will be assessed. Well-constructed formative

assessments are critical for guiding future lessons.

The activities described in the plans usually make the class more engaging for the
students (and the teacher.) Ive found it is extremely difficult to create successful
activities on the spot. Like the rest of the lesson plan, activities need to be well
thought-out, researched, and set up in advance. Once they are ready, lesson plans
help keep students on task so that they are not easily bored or distracted by other,
off-topic items.

Lastly, robust lesson plans facilitate in-depth learning allowing students to be

successful in math.

One trait I will continually strive to build upon as a teacher is patience. In a

geometry class at Manhattan Hunter Science High School, there was a student who spoke a lot in
class and seemed to like attention. One afternoon, he correctly answered the teachers question
and then shouted, Bang! Bang! which made other students laugh. I imagine many adults
would think that he was slightly bothersome because of his irreverence. The thought had crossed
my mind. I quickly recalled, however, that one of my teenage sons friends, whom I know to be a
good student, had used this same expression. So I understood this is just how some teenagers are
and was glad that I exercised patience and did not judge the student in class too harshly.
As far as making a lasting impact, I intend to do the job well for which Im hired. I want
my students to learn and develop an appreciation for math. I want them to be confident in their
mathematical abilities. I want them to be able to go on to bigger things, in college and their
professional lives, without any stumbling blocks caused by a lack of understanding of math. I
dont expect many thanks or compliments because that is not what teachers are here for. Teacher
contributions are largely unrecognized but exist nonetheless. The late Katherine Thanas, who
was a teacher of Zen Buddhism, once wrote, We live in the lives of others, sometimes
acknowledged, sometimes not.2

Anita Woolfolk Hoy Vita 2014. Books. Woolfolk, A. (2016). Educational psychology (13th Ed.).

http://www.chzc.org/Thanas4.htm