As a teacher I want is to show my students that anyone can learn and come to app reciate the practical applications

of math. I want to change some of the negativ e attitudes about math that seem to be so prevalent in American students. As the teacher I want to take the responsibility of teaching my students very seriousl y. This is a huge privilege and I want to approach this task with an attitude th at is for each student s success. I want my students to understand that I am for her e for them, not the other way around. Knowing very well that not many of my stud ents will not have a directly math related job when they become adults. Time usage in my classroom will be very intentional, meaning that I ll have a reason for everything I do in the classroom. I won t be doing activities just to fill time or require busy work from my students. I want my students to understand that I put effort into my job for their sake. Each exercise, drill, or activity will ha ve a reason behind it that relates with what I m aiming for my students to understan d. I will strive to relate my material to all my students. Challenging those at the top, helping out those at the bottom, and not forgetting about those in the mid dle. I will do this by keeping my class flexible by changing activities, lesson plan format, etc. Students that may struggle with math will be able to tie other subjects in on so that they can gain confidence (which is so often lost at a yo ung age.) I will also incorporate a very open (no put down) atmosphere that allo ws students to ask questions whenever they feel the need. I don t want to be a teach er that is disconnected from his students; instead, I want to be available to he lp especially when there is independent work time at the end of class. I will provide in class work that is relevant to understanding the topic. I will make sure to provide independent and group projects. I will have homework, but I will use this homework as a way to monitor where my students are at not as a w ay to punish them with loads of homework. The focus of the homework will be to h elp the students learn not to test their endurance on mindless problems. I want my class to be a stepping-stone for my students because they will have mo re math classes in the future. I want to adequately prepare them by making sure they know the necessary concepts and mathematical procedures. More importantly, however, I do want to prepare my students to be real life problem solvers and lo gical thinkers. Instead of the letter grade being the focus, I want my students to look back on the year and tell me things that they have learned. Grades will be assessed on how well the students have progressed and learned through the yea r.