[quote="CaliPro"][quote]
That would be impossible. All problems I would give to the students or that would be in the book I would have solved prior to that class and would be able to explain / show the process of coming to that answer. When developing my lesson plan / curriculum if there is a problem I cant solve I will go to someone that can solve it and get it addressed before class. I could certainly get tripped up if I didnt know in advance what the questions / problems were. But that wont be the case in my classroom.
[/quote]
That isn't the way it works I am afraid. You can not be prepared for even half the questions the students will ask you. For example, when considering vectors and angles, maybe a student will ask why we use abs(a.b)=abs(a)abs(b)cos(theta) in one question while we use a.b=abs(a)abs(b)cos(theta) in another.
The chances are that no other teacher will be able to help you, since there is usually only one HL math teacher in a school.
Getting hired is a numbers game
[quote="pgrass"][quote="CaliPro"][quote]
That would be impossible. All problems I would give to the students or that would be in the book I would have solved prior to that class and would be able to explain / show the process of coming to that answer. When developing my lesson plan / curriculum if there is a problem I cant solve I will go to someone that can solve it and get it addressed before class. I could certainly get tripped up if I didnt know in advance what the questions / problems were. But that wont be the case in my classroom.
[/quote]
That isn't the way it works I am afraid. You can not be prepared for even half the questions the students will ask you, especially when practicing past exam questions. For example, when considering vectors and angles, maybe a student will ask why we use abs(a.b)=abs(a)abs(b)cos(theta) in one question while we use a.b=abs(a)abs(b)cos(theta) in another.
The chances are that no other teacher will be able to help you, since there is usually only one HL math teacher in a school.[/quote]
That would be impossible. All problems I would give to the students or that would be in the book I would have solved prior to that class and would be able to explain / show the process of coming to that answer. When developing my lesson plan / curriculum if there is a problem I cant solve I will go to someone that can solve it and get it addressed before class. I could certainly get tripped up if I didnt know in advance what the questions / problems were. But that wont be the case in my classroom.
[/quote]
That isn't the way it works I am afraid. You can not be prepared for even half the questions the students will ask you, especially when practicing past exam questions. For example, when considering vectors and angles, maybe a student will ask why we use abs(a.b)=abs(a)abs(b)cos(theta) in one question while we use a.b=abs(a)abs(b)cos(theta) in another.
The chances are that no other teacher will be able to help you, since there is usually only one HL math teacher in a school.[/quote]
[quote]
That isn't the way it works I am afraid. You can not be prepared for even half the questions the students will ask you. For example, when considering vectors and angles, maybe a student will ask why we use abs(a.b)=abs(a)abs(b)cos(theta) in one question while we use a.b=abs(a)abs(b)cos(theta) in another.
The chances are that no other teacher will be able to help you, since there is usually only one HL math teacher in a school.[/quote]
While there might be some theoretical questions I might not be prepared for, there will not be ANY questions in regards to solving a problem / coming to the correct answer for a question that will appear in my class. ie I will know step by step how to solve every question.
There are many avenues to get answers and advice outside of the other math teacher (if there even is one) in your school.
That isn't the way it works I am afraid. You can not be prepared for even half the questions the students will ask you. For example, when considering vectors and angles, maybe a student will ask why we use abs(a.b)=abs(a)abs(b)cos(theta) in one question while we use a.b=abs(a)abs(b)cos(theta) in another.
The chances are that no other teacher will be able to help you, since there is usually only one HL math teacher in a school.[/quote]
While there might be some theoretical questions I might not be prepared for, there will not be ANY questions in regards to solving a problem / coming to the correct answer for a question that will appear in my class. ie I will know step by step how to solve every question.
There are many avenues to get answers and advice outside of the other math teacher (if there even is one) in your school.
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Calipro, also consider when you have to create questions on the spot because your students have chewed up the day's lesson in half the time you thought...or how you will hurry them through when your students are taking 3x as long to master the subject as the last year's teacher's unit/lesson plans showed taking.
Especially at the IB level, students expect teachers to know their stuff inside out, backwards and forwards, and with the price parents are paying for their kid's education (or the company is paying), they are highly critical when teachers don't live up to their billing...
HL especially, is quite esoteric in nature according to my math friends who teach it.
Especially at the IB level, students expect teachers to know their stuff inside out, backwards and forwards, and with the price parents are paying for their kid's education (or the company is paying), they are highly critical when teachers don't live up to their billing...
HL especially, is quite esoteric in nature according to my math friends who teach it.
True, I will be sure to have extra problems / work in my file to give them (which I will have the answers for) for that situation. Thanks for bringing that to light, hadnt thought about that yet.
I'll do everything in my power to know the material inside and out.
I doubt I will be teaching HL for my first contract though.
I'll do everything in my power to know the material inside and out.
I doubt I will be teaching HL for my first contract though.
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Teachermom
- Posts: 59
- Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 7:14 am
- Location: Asia
I'm not a math teacher, but you who are should check out
http://www.wolframalpha.com/ ....gives answers to all sorts of computations.
Good to know about it, since your students probably will.
http://www.wolframalpha.com/ ....gives answers to all sorts of computations.
Good to know about it, since your students probably will.
[quote="CaliPro"]True, I will be sure to have extra problems / work in my file to give them (which I will have the answers for) for that situation. Thanks for bringing that to light, hadnt thought about that yet.
I'll do everything in my power to know the material inside and out.
I doubt I will be teaching HL for my first contract though.[/quote]
Good luck with that. With HL mathematics it is all about whether you are lucky enough to have the natural mathematical talent, not how much effort you put in to knowing the material. You have to be able to apply that "material" to new and unseen situations, and you have to do it on the spot when your student comes in to class with a question he/she has found somewhere.
I'll do everything in my power to know the material inside and out.
I doubt I will be teaching HL for my first contract though.[/quote]
Good luck with that. With HL mathematics it is all about whether you are lucky enough to have the natural mathematical talent, not how much effort you put in to knowing the material. You have to be able to apply that "material" to new and unseen situations, and you have to do it on the spot when your student comes in to class with a question he/she has found somewhere.
Do you know how many trolls post on forums.....
If youmbelieve everything you tell the students....well...it will usually make no difference, so whatever. This is where having subject mastery first is a huge advantage and if there is something you are unsure about, log onto FB and ask your uni mates that went on to do their PhDs. The funny stuff I have heard over the years......somethings in science do not have satisfactory answers yet and students need to know that what they are learning is a current understanding, probably rubbish, or about to be chucked out.
If youmbelieve everything you tell the students....well...it will usually make no difference, so whatever. This is where having subject mastery first is a huge advantage and if there is something you are unsure about, log onto FB and ask your uni mates that went on to do their PhDs. The funny stuff I have heard over the years......somethings in science do not have satisfactory answers yet and students need to know that what they are learning is a current understanding, probably rubbish, or about to be chucked out.
[quote="Mathman"]Do you know how many trolls post on forums.....
If youmbelieve everything you tell the students....well...it will usually make no difference, so whatever. This is where having subject mastery first is a huge advantage and if there is something you are unsure about, log onto FB and ask your uni mates that went on to do their PhDs. The funny stuff I have heard over the years......somethings in science do not have satisfactory answers yet and students need to know that what they are learning is a current understanding, probably rubbish, or about to be chucked out.[/quote]
I don't understand any of what you just wrote.
If youmbelieve everything you tell the students....well...it will usually make no difference, so whatever. This is where having subject mastery first is a huge advantage and if there is something you are unsure about, log onto FB and ask your uni mates that went on to do their PhDs. The funny stuff I have heard over the years......somethings in science do not have satisfactory answers yet and students need to know that what they are learning is a current understanding, probably rubbish, or about to be chucked out.[/quote]
I don't understand any of what you just wrote.
@Teachermom
Yea man, I made a google doc with all math resources and sites and have that one listed.
@Pgrass
I disagree. You don't have to have natural talent so long as you know how to teach every learning target in X subject and your students learn what is required / expected of them. Obviously being a natural helps for improvising, doing questions on the fly, answering theoretical questions, but is doesnt mean you cant be a successful teacher without being a natural.
Yea man, I made a google doc with all math resources and sites and have that one listed.
@Pgrass
I disagree. You don't have to have natural talent so long as you know how to teach every learning target in X subject and your students learn what is required / expected of them. Obviously being a natural helps for improvising, doing questions on the fly, answering theoretical questions, but is doesnt mean you cant be a successful teacher without being a natural.
[quote="CaliPro"]@Teachermom
Yea man, I made a google doc with all math resources and sites and have that one listed.
@Pgrass
I disagree. You don't have to have natural talent so long as you know how to teach every learning target in X subject and your students learn what is required / expected of them. Obviously being a natural helps for improvising, doing questions on the fly, answering theoretical questions, but is doesnt mean you cant be a successful teacher without being a natural.[/quote]
If we are talking about HL math then trust me you are wrong.
Yea man, I made a google doc with all math resources and sites and have that one listed.
@Pgrass
I disagree. You don't have to have natural talent so long as you know how to teach every learning target in X subject and your students learn what is required / expected of them. Obviously being a natural helps for improvising, doing questions on the fly, answering theoretical questions, but is doesnt mean you cant be a successful teacher without being a natural.[/quote]
If we are talking about HL math then trust me you are wrong.
Comment
@CaliPro
Im really kind of surprised about your position. Your pedagogy is simply to be one lesson ahead of your students. The approach your utilizing is VERY heavy on push. Your going to go into class read the conceptual material demonstrate a problem youve already practiced and then assign work, maybe put students in groups or pairs so that they can "teach" each other. That is going to last about a week, before your called down to admin after parents complain. It will take about 15 minutes for them to realize your not qualified for that classroom. You cant "dump and drop".
Its not just "HL" is much more in depth then SL. SL is 150 hours and HL is 240 hours but more importantly this is the course students are going to study for 2 years. "Where" is also very important. If your going to somewhere in Asia or the ME, your students are going to be A LOT more advance then some middle class public high school in the USA.
No you dont need "natural" talent (actually thats redundant, since all talent is by definition innate), but whether you call skill, knowledge or ability, you have to have it. You arent going to survive if you just sock puppet your lessons, your students are going to smell it and know it, and they are going to tell their parents, and well thats whats going to happen.
We dumped a computer teacher last year who thought he could do the same thing with programing. He was a hardware guy and just thought he could read up on it, and basically follow a A+ certification book as his lesson plan. It was messy. You can do that in MYP and get by, and in some subjects you can do that at SL, but not at HL, in technical subjects.
@Teachermom
wolframalpha is very good to know since its the same smart frame that handles Siri requests on the iPhone.
Im really kind of surprised about your position. Your pedagogy is simply to be one lesson ahead of your students. The approach your utilizing is VERY heavy on push. Your going to go into class read the conceptual material demonstrate a problem youve already practiced and then assign work, maybe put students in groups or pairs so that they can "teach" each other. That is going to last about a week, before your called down to admin after parents complain. It will take about 15 minutes for them to realize your not qualified for that classroom. You cant "dump and drop".
Its not just "HL" is much more in depth then SL. SL is 150 hours and HL is 240 hours but more importantly this is the course students are going to study for 2 years. "Where" is also very important. If your going to somewhere in Asia or the ME, your students are going to be A LOT more advance then some middle class public high school in the USA.
No you dont need "natural" talent (actually thats redundant, since all talent is by definition innate), but whether you call skill, knowledge or ability, you have to have it. You arent going to survive if you just sock puppet your lessons, your students are going to smell it and know it, and they are going to tell their parents, and well thats whats going to happen.
We dumped a computer teacher last year who thought he could do the same thing with programing. He was a hardware guy and just thought he could read up on it, and basically follow a A+ certification book as his lesson plan. It was messy. You can do that in MYP and get by, and in some subjects you can do that at SL, but not at HL, in technical subjects.
@Teachermom
wolframalpha is very good to know since its the same smart frame that handles Siri requests on the iPhone.
@PsyGuy
There will be learning targets and goals for the students to learn. If I can explain and demonstrate each along with giving them feedback during a class while they practice the day's learning target then I don't see what the problem is. Now if I can't do the above than yes that will be a problem in which case I wouldn't agree to teach the class in the first place if I didn't feel confident in my knowledge on said subject.
Either way, its the path I choose. Just gotta buckle up and handle my business and learn / acquire the knowledge that I need to know and seek out the advice of people that have been in the field for awhile.
There will be learning targets and goals for the students to learn. If I can explain and demonstrate each along with giving them feedback during a class while they practice the day's learning target then I don't see what the problem is. Now if I can't do the above than yes that will be a problem in which case I wouldn't agree to teach the class in the first place if I didn't feel confident in my knowledge on said subject.
Either way, its the path I choose. Just gotta buckle up and handle my business and learn / acquire the knowledge that I need to know and seek out the advice of people that have been in the field for awhile.
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OrangeSoda
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:29 pm
Re: Getting hired is a numbers game
[quote="danny514"]Back when the hiring season began, I thought my resume was pretty decent. Qualified teaching with 2 years experience teaching A-Level Mathematics. Granted, it was in a 3rd tier school and no IB experience, but still - Maths teachers are in demand, right?
However, as the weeks rolled by, sending out CV after CV and getting no responses, frustration started mounting. Schools that I thought I was qualified for didn't get back to me. I went to the HK Search fair, and couldn't even get a single interview at a Hk school. That's when I realized that I was still near the bottom of the totem pole - that I was competing with teachers with over a decade more experience than me (and IB to boot). The possibility of ending up unemployed, or teaching in some dusty hellhole in Africa or the Middle East, loomed larger by the day.
And then - I got the email I was waiting for all these months. The job I've accepted is pretty close to a dream. Great location in South East Asia, solid school, decent pay, and the opportunity to teach the IB Diploma Program in both my teaching subjects.
For all those teachers out there sending CV after CV and still waiting, just know that there are still plenty of jobs out there and the right job WILL eventually come around. I sent over 50 CV's and got nothing. Then, the right job came around and landed in my lap. It really is a numbers game.[/quote]
Fantastic news! It's great to hear that your perseverance paid off. Hope it goes well for you!
However, as the weeks rolled by, sending out CV after CV and getting no responses, frustration started mounting. Schools that I thought I was qualified for didn't get back to me. I went to the HK Search fair, and couldn't even get a single interview at a Hk school. That's when I realized that I was still near the bottom of the totem pole - that I was competing with teachers with over a decade more experience than me (and IB to boot). The possibility of ending up unemployed, or teaching in some dusty hellhole in Africa or the Middle East, loomed larger by the day.
And then - I got the email I was waiting for all these months. The job I've accepted is pretty close to a dream. Great location in South East Asia, solid school, decent pay, and the opportunity to teach the IB Diploma Program in both my teaching subjects.
For all those teachers out there sending CV after CV and still waiting, just know that there are still plenty of jobs out there and the right job WILL eventually come around. I sent over 50 CV's and got nothing. Then, the right job came around and landed in my lap. It really is a numbers game.[/quote]
Fantastic news! It's great to hear that your perseverance paid off. Hope it goes well for you!