Philosophy of Education Math Field Term Paper

Philosophy of Education

Norma Cunningham

I am a nontraditional student and I am returning back to college due to a job loss. I have been given a second chance at obtaining an education. Since I have been attending college, I was accepted into the nursing program, but I turned it down. I did this because I remember my dream has always been to be a math teacher. Everyone knows teachers are not in the profession for the money, and that nurses make more money, so people may ask, why a teacher? Well, I remember when I was growing up, every time someone would ask me what I wanted to be, I always answered, a math teacher. Certain teachers that I have had in the past, and present, have helped me decide that I want to spend the rest of my life teaching math. Helping any age student to learn math gives me chills, because, like those teachers, I love solving problems and trying to figure out the right answers. Like John Travolta sang in Grease, "I've got chills, they're multiplying." Ever since I graduated in 1976, math has been my passion. I helped my children with their math throughout their education and also helped my older brother complete his college math while I was still in high school. Today, I still want to be a teacher -- but not just any teacher. I want to be one who reaches all of her students in a memorable way by following excellent teaching practices.

All children need to learn the basics of math in order to lead successful lives, not necessarily algebra or calculus, but definitely how to add, multiply, divide, subtract and yes, even problem solving. Problem solving which is observed in Maslow's hierarchy of needs involves various types of needs which are required to reach an individual's full potential, described as self-actualization (%% reference). Otherwise, to become everything that one is capable of becoming. This can be done by teaching the basics which would give them a solid foundation for their future. Just as a house needs a solid foundation to stand on children needs a solid foundation in math to be able to function in today's society. If people can't add or subtract, multiply or divide, they might not be able to know which deal at the grocery store is the best; a can of beans at three for a dollar or thirty five cents a can. Someone might ask a person who doesn't know their basic math skills if they would like to have five one dollar bills for their one ten dollar bill and believe it or not a person might trade thinking five one dollar bills are more than one ten dollar bill. This example can show students how important it is to learn math. Toni Morrison said, "If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you" (Morrison, 1987). Without the basic knowledge of adding and subtracting there would be a great deal of cheating people out of what is rightfully his or hers.

Math education is particularly tricky because the dominant theory suggests that learning math is not a developmental problem but one of aptitude (Elmore, 2002). Thus, many students are left behind because they just don't "get it." Teachers have given up hope that they are actually capable of getting it, when the problem is that they're teaching abstract conceptual knowledge taken out…