My most memorable teachers

One of my most memorable math teachers is Mrs. Shim from my middle school in Korea. She used to have a very unique dialect and students always made fun of her accents. I also remember her being very strict and always pushing us to try the challenging questions. However, the reason I still remember her is the kindness she had shown toward the students who were falling behind the class. At first, I had thought that she was a very scary person who doesn’t allow any failures. However, I later realized how she was the type of person who set appropriate levels of expectations according to student’s compatibility with the subject. She encouraged the excelling kids to learn more but tried to help the kids who were slow in learning by giving them extra time to finish their work and tutoring them after class.

Another memorable teacher is my Gr.11 and 12 math teacher. She respected our opinions and always tried to make the class more interesting for students. At the end of each class, she wrote a puzzle on the board for everyone to think about and she gave out prizes to encourage students to actually work on them. She also invented the math jeopardy games, in which we could choose a category of a various mathematical concepts. These games and puzzles helped us to build confidence in mathematics, while having fun.

I was fortunate to have encountered great teachers throughout my life and was provided the opportunity to work with many of them. Just as each student is unique, each teacher is similarly unique. I have observed unique teaching styles and tried to establish my own teaching style, building on my strengths. Oftentimes, it is challenging for a teacher to maintain an appropriate level of learning for all of the students at the same time. In order to overcome these challenges, I will try to search for the most effective and interesting method of teaching, with the goal to meet the needs of each unique individual in my class. I will also provide my service and care to each student I work with throughout their learning processes. I also aim to form healthy bonds with my students and become a teacher whom they can rely on when they run into hardships and require guidance.