Hello! I am Betsy and I am in my first semester in the Technology Specialist Master’s program.  I, like some of you, had a round-about way of getting to where I am today. I am currently a secondary math teacher in the Chicago suburbs (I taught French the last two years as well), run French club and math team.   I love both content areas so when asked if I could choose full time for either, I usually don’t have an answer.  I also have an adorable 22 month old daughter (and husband and monster dog, Zeus) that I love and cherish.  

I have a degree from Valparaiso University in International Economics & Cultural Affairs, and also French. I spent time living and teaching English in France after I graduated. Sometimes I wonder why I came back, especially in an election year such as this. 

I worked in a corporate setting and returned to school knowing that was not for me.  I pursued math education knowing that it would be more likely to get me a job than French.  Interestingly, I started at Valpo with a degree in math.  I dropped it because I was in a research group and struggled like crazy because there were no answers.  We had to come up with the answers. What a novel concept!

I was a good student in high school, which ultimately has failed me in life. I learned early on to do what the teacher said and to listen well. My parents instilled great work ethic in me.  I liked the didactic pedagogy because the teachers told me what to do, and gosh darn it, I did it! Show me how to solve a math problem and I will do it.  Show me the steps of a science lab and I’ll do it. Tell me history dates and I will memorize them. I see myself mirrored in so many of my honors students just like I was. When I ask them to really think about an open-ended problem, they just act confused and tell me they don’t know how to do it, unwilling to try anything, just seeking an answer.  I graduated at the top of my class as a hard worker, but not a good thinker.

As a teacher now, I am able to reflect and see some of the problems didactic teaching has caused me but it still follows me into teaching. I love to try things in the classroom, but ultimately I want to know how to do it first because in my mind “There’s a right way to do it”.  Learning how to give cooperative group work well or other strategies, I like seeing other teachers (teachers better than myself!) in action first.  I want to try new student-centered math tasks (many like these on youcubed from the amazing Jo Boaler), but I struggle when teachers around me and in my PLCs are unwilling to try them. I feel hindered by mandatory districtwide unit tests and required amounts of material to cover. 

Ultimately I have to do what I’m asking my students to do – take risks and put themselves out there, willing to be wrong or make mistakes.  To facilitate new learning for my students, I have to relearn how to be a learner. It’s hard, but I’m getting there a little at a time.