Favourite vs Least Favourite Math Teachers Blog Post

My favourite math teacher was my grade 11 math teacher for pre-calculus. He was a very encouraging teacher, and a teacher who saw my potential and pushed me to pursue my dream of becoming a math teacher. Before I started his class, I knew I wanted to be a teacher, but I didn’t ever consider becoming a math teacher, and he really pushed me to do so! Additionally, he was also a patient teacher, he accommodated all students in his classroom. He encouraged us to understand why mathematics works and the reasoning behind why we study math. Following graduation, he mentored me and had me come back as a volunteer in his classroom where I got my first taste of what teaching could be! He showed me the ins and outs of teaching and really helped me realize I belong in the classroom.

My least favourite math teacher was my grade 7-9 math teacher. He was a very discouraging teacher, especially to those students who were not the best at math. He would often yell in the classroom and belittle students who did not understand the content. When I went to him for one-on-one help, he would often get upset and yell when I did not understand the content. He consistently told me that I was bad at math and that I shouldn’t do anything involving math in future, and I believed him because I looked up to him. His teaching style was not one that worked for me, and he made me dislike mathematics and believe that I was bad at math.

Overall, from my math teachers I learned that I need to be encouraging and motivating for my students. I do not want to be a teacher that the students fear, rather I want to be a teacher that encourages my students to persevere through their struggles.