President’s Message

Well, it’s been a month so far, and the level of physical exhaustion on most days is not what I remember it to be.  It must be age catching up with me. But there are some universal truths about teaching mathematics, and teaching in general, that make this job incredibly rewarding.

First a shout out to my colleagues. The high level of collaboration and support in the mathematics department has helped this year get off on a great start.  The administration and rest of the staff have been helpful and supportive as well. If that doesn’t exist for you, try one of alternative places to go for that support, including the online resources on Facebook (MCTM Group, AP Calculus Teachers, YouCubed), and Twitter (#MtBos, #iteachmath).  I learn something new every day as I engage in the communities and can find resources to use in my classroom on the drop of a hat. These are rich and thoughtful communities that all seek to make teaching and learning mathematics better for our students.

The students are and will forever remain the same. They endure successes and struggles in mathematics, but build relationships with your kids and they will overcome many of the struggles or at a minimum persist. I have two sections of Algebra 2 TEAM where I work with a Special Education Teacher. I think we are getting close to building that strong, supportive community and I can see my students being willing to take risks.  There are times when my first thought about what to do next becomes more about taking the time for community building and less about mathematics. If you are able to do both at the same time, the joyful sound of success. The Week of Inspirational Mathematics from Jo Boaler and YouCubed hits that mark. https://www.youcubed.org/  Fun, engaging and interesting research about how the brain grows.  

I hope you have all enjoyed the first few weeks of the year.  Hope to see you at upcoming MCTM activities.

Emily Larsen, Your MCTM President