Journal #2 1

Journal #2
Kyndahl Sabin
University of Cincinnati

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Each level of teaching has issues or challenges involved with the development of the
profession, and its preparation programs have changed over time. Teaching is not my major,
however; if I were to become a teacher, I would be a high school mathematics teacher. There are
several issues involved with teaching high school math. There have been many changes to
preparation programs over time which have many pros and cons.
I plan on creating a career in Medical Laboratory Science. In a medical lab there is a lot
of math involved. In high school, math always came quick and easy to me. However, I had many
friends who were not as fortunate as me when it came to solving equations. Often times, it
seemed like the mathematics department at my high school was not doing enough to help my
friends out that were struggling. Some reasons kids in my school said they struggled were
because of the different teaching methods, old and new, and also due to some of the ways they
were prepared by their educators. There were multiple times during high school that my friends
would come to me for help regarding math problems. Most of the times that I helped people out,
it seemed as if they could understand the way I explained solutions to them. I feel that I would be
a good math teacher due to my past experiences.
There are many issues involved with teaching high school mathematics. High school
math is not always the easiest concept for students to understand. Often times you go from
fractions, to percentages, to decimals, from square roots to exponents, from multiplication to
division, and from addition to subtraction. Math might seem simple because you can type
numbers into a calculator and get a clear answer, but thats not always the truth. Today, kids can

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cheat very easily in math by using graphing calculators. These calculators arent only good for
giving answers to equations, plotting points, and etc, but also for accessing internet, downloading
apps, and playing games. As a math teacher, it would be difficult moving onto a new topic
because math builds on from one year to the next. Different backgrounds and cultures also play a
huge role in the classroom. Teacher educators must hold themselves accountable for ongoing
professional development around the issues of culturally responsive teaching and professional
development (Frederick, 2010, p. 321). Often teachers forget to take different backgrounds into
consideration when teaching.
Over time preparation programs have changed in schools. In order to live ethically, it is
essential to know what is true and, therefore, what is important beyond the world of sensory
perception (The Republic, p. 314). I feel as if it is important to teach multiple different ways
that way students can be familiar with many different methods. Today, changes in teacher
salaries, teacher roles, and teacher advancement programs have improved the professional
opportunities and rewards available to teachers and allowed them to advance in their chosen
profession without abandoning the classroom (Webb, Martha, and Jordan, 2013, p. 39). All of
the opportunities that teachers have today have bettered the classroom in several aspects.

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References
Webb, L.D., Metha, A., & Jordan, K. F. (2013). Foundations of American Education. Columbus,

OH: Pearson Education, Inc.

Michael J. Feuer, Robert E. Floden, Naomi Chudowsky, and Judie Ahn, 2013, Evaluation of
Teacher Preparation Programs, Washington DC, National Academy of Education,
Pg 321.

Web.

Rona Frederick, Agnes Caves, Kathleen C. Perencevich, 2010, Teacher Candidates

Transformative Thinking on Issues of Social Justice, Pg. 314. Web.