Letters From Future Students

Dear Miss Dhaliwal

I’m not sure if you remember me but I was in your math 9 class 10 years ago, and I just wanted to let you know that I loved your class. I felt that the lectures and projects you had were very engaging and interesting. I think that was great because I never felt learning about math was boring or forced. In a lot of my other classes I would zone out however, in your class I wanted to pay attention and learn more. I found that I could actually understand the material and solve the practice problems. Another thing that I loved about your class was allowing students to work in groups to solve problems. I found that sharing my ideas and thought process with another student was helpful. It allowed me to learn from others and collaborated with other students. In my opinion, it built a sense of community where I felt safe asking questions and for help. I also found as someone who wasn’t great at math that I could approach you for help or ask you questions because of your patience and attitude towards students. I hope that you continued to use and improved the techniques you used in the classroom 10 years ago as they were very helpful for me. 

Thanks, Student 1 

Dear Miss Dhaliwal,

I was a student in your math 8 class 10 years ago and I wanted you to know that my experience in your class was awful. I found that your instructions were unclear and the way you explained concepts didn’t make sense. I couldn’t relate to the way you taught and at times I couldn’t pay attention in your class. I also felt I didn’t have any support when I was confused or had questions. I felt that you didn’t teach in a way that encompassed my learning style so I became disengaged and was no longer interested in what you were teaching. I also thought you were unapproachable so I was afraid to ask you for help or ask any questions. I didn’t like working in small groups because I thought other students were judging my math skills and I didn’t feel included. I hope over the 10 years, you have improved and made

adjustments to your teaching because when you taught me I learned nothing.

Thanks, Student 2 

Reflection:

As I take a look at these letters one of my biggest hopes is to create a welcoming and safe environment where students feel comfortable. My hope is to have a class where all the students feel like they have a voice and aren’t afraid to ask questions when they are confused. I hope working in smaller groups with others students can help them build upon each other’s knowledge but, I also don’t want anyone to feel isolated in their groups. Perhaps one solution could be to have each student pick a partner and then assign them into groups. This way they have at least one person in the group they are comfortable with. I also worry that as I teach I may not explain something clearly or in a way that everyone can understand. I would like to teach in a manner that makes learning math fun and interesting. I hope I can come up with some creative ideas and projects to do that. I also hope that students would provide me feedback on what worked for them and what didn’t work for them in the class. I think this feedback will be helpful for me to make adjustments and improve my teaching style.