My favorite math teacher was Mr. Haddad, who taught me Pre-Calculus in grade 11 and AP Calculus in grade 12 at my international high school. His teaching style leaned towards traditional methods, which was beneficially consistent with my prior experience in the Vietnamese public school system. There, I had learned math in a more instrumental way, viewing it as a subject requiring lots of memorization. However, Mr. Haddad and the American math curriculum added a relational aspect to my understanding, making math feel more logical, holistic, and satisfying. He kept his classes structured and well-organized, ensuring challenging content and offering strong support. Beyond academics, he was incredibly kind, polite, and engaged in school activities. He was always available for students, staying in his classroom during lunch and after school to answer questions, which made him approachable and dedicated.
On the other hand, my least favorite math teacher was my Probability professor in college, whose name I can’t even remember. Due to the pandemic, the class was held online, and rather than teaching live, he used recordings from a previous year’s in-person lectures, delivered by another professor. I never saw him or got to know him. His feedback was slow, which was especially problematic in a short, ten-week course. I felt completely disconnected and disengaged from the material, and as a result, I retained nothing from the class.
Jasmine, your reflection provides a well-rounded comparison of your favorite and least favorite math teachers. You’ve highlighted specific aspects of Mr. Haddad’s teaching style, such as his structured approach, supportiveness, and how he introduced a relational understanding of math. These examples clearly show the positive impact he had on your learning. Your critique of your least favorite teacher is also clear, particularly the lack of connection and engagement due to the online format. You’ve successfully captured how both experiences shaped your understanding of effective teaching.
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