Introduction
Mathematics is a gateway subject; it allows students to access crucial fields of study that lead to higher education. Though Math is undoubtedly one of the most important subjects in school, it is not treated that way. Poll people at random; ask the person next to you at the checkout line, your server, friends, a random stranger on the street (or be a middle school math teacher who gets unsolicited opinions when asked what she does for a living). More often than not, these people will tell you that math was their least favorite subject in school and the one they struggled with the most.
In fact, my struggle as a mathematics teacher is not the complexity of the math concepts that I'm teaching. Rather, I am constantly battling the fixed mindsets of my students.
Mathematics is more than numbers and operations. I enjoy teaching math because I truly believe in the practice of problem-solving that could transcend computation. Yes, I am teaching my students how to solve proportional relationships. I am also teaching them how to study patterns and test ideas by repeatedly failing until they have refined their 'slow hunches1' into feasible solutions.
I want to help my students see mathematics as an experimental opportunity. Not only would they be given a more comprehensive range of options for higher education, but they will also have the tools to find creative solutions to problems in their lives. Better yet, they will feel empowered to find creative solutions to the present and future issues in our world.
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