Kelley Buckley Philosophy of Education The teen years of a persons life are difficult, both academically and personally.

To make it through unscathed is almost impossible, and some dont make it through at all. I pursued a career in teaching to help students understand and learn mathematics, and to give them an adult they can look to for help in a safe environment. I want to help students survive and thrive through their secondary education years. As I touched on before, mathematics may be the content I will be teaching but how to be a decent human being is also on the agenda. I will to teach them that its ok to make mistakes, because to err is human nature. I will also teach them that its important to learn from these mistakes, so when similar circumstances arise they will have a better idea of what they should do. My students will learn that life isnt all about your starting and ending points, but the journey you take there. My students will learn that growth and commitment are highly valued in my classroom and in the workplace. I will ensure that they know what it means to show respect, and that everyone is deserving of respect, especially themselves. My classroom will be set up to help support those goals. The tables or desks will be set up in groups so that students can work together. This will allow students to practice respect, especially when it comes to having two or more ways to solve a problem. I will have my students work with mathematics so that they are developing the mathematics instead of memorizing it. I will lead them through the material and allow them to struggle with the mathematics. This way they will develop a deeper understanding of the mathematics, learn the value of commitment, and learn the value of mistakes. My effectiveness in these goals will be measured by the growth and progress students make throughout their time with me. This allows all students to have an equitable chance at success in my classroom and gives them further incentive to work harder. There will be a large, informal formative assessment at the start of the term to see where the students are. Throughout the course of the term, many more, smaller, informal formative assessments will take place. These assessments take into account grade, work ethic, and any behavior issues. I will use these formative assessments to track my students growth and to make any alterations necessary to assist our goals.