Learning, by its very nature, is a vulnerable endeavor.
The window in which our students are least confident in their abilities is precisely when they are receiving feedback from their instructors.
My experiences as a student have shown me first hand the impact of such feedback, both positively and negatively.
In my teaching, I strive to remain cognizant of the vulnerability of my students, embracing 'radical empathy' within my classroom to ensure no student feels as though they do not belong.
Skill vs. Will
I believe that no student enters into a classroom intending to fail.
Thus, when a student is struggling in my class, I do not assume that they are doing so on purpose.
Intead, I assume that the student is facing some barrier that is preventing them from reaching the success they are striving for.
In almost all cases, this barrier is stemming from a deficit in one of the following skills: problem solving, flexibility, or frustration tolerance.
It is my responsibility as an educator to help nurture these skills within my students, and to remain patient and empathetic throughout this process.
When assisting my students, I do not stifle their problem solving by walking them through an exercise they could figure out on their own.
I do not force them to approach the content using the same frameworks that worked for me, encouraging students to develop their own ideas and choose mental models that make the most sense to them.
When students become frustrated, I strive to see where this frustration is coming from and how I can modify my teaching to better meet the student's needs.
What I do not do is tell my students that they are not trying hard enough, or that their lack of success is in any way related to a lack of effort on their part.
Speaking from personal experience, nothing pushes a student further away than telling them that they are not trying when, in actuality, they have been trying incredibly hard, just not in a way that the instructor has noticed.
Empathy and Trust in the Classroom
Math is often viewed as a solitary endeavor, where asking questions or working in groups are viewed as signs of weakness or stupidity.
Nothing could be further from the truth, yet it can be incredibly difficult to communicate to students that asking questions is perhaps the most important tool for understanding that they possess.
Unfortunately, my time as an instructor has shown me that every student has had a trying experience with a math teacher in the past, that has left them doubting themselves on some level.
It is my goal as an instructor to communicate to my students that they have what it takes to learn and succeed, and that each and every one of them belongs in mathematics.
I accomplish this primarily by embracing a policy of 'radical empathy' in my classroom, teaching from the perspective that empathy is the most important tool an instructor can bring into the classroom.
College is a tumultuous and often overwhelming time in our student's lives.
I understand that my students lead rich, eventful lives outside of my classroom, and that sometimes events beyond a student's control can impact their performance in my class.
If a student misses class, or fails to turn in an assignment, I do not assume that they are lazy, or don't care enough to put in the work.
Instead, I reach out to them to see why they were unable to attend and to check in to see if they are doing all right.
Many students can feel invisible in large college courses, and even something as small as an email can make them feel seen and recognized.
I have found that the most effective way to build trust with my students is by being my authentic self in the classroom.
If there is a question I do not have an effective answer for, I say so, with a promise to learn more and report back during the next class.
I am honest with my students about how I feel class is going, I follow through on the promises I make, and I am myself when I am teaching.
A Culture of Collaboration and Growth
Mathematics is a social discipline, and therefore I aim to establish a culture of collaboration in my classroom.
I accomplish I have students work in small groups, by limiting time spent lecturing, and by encouraging student presentations.
When lectures are limited, students recognize that the responsibility of learning has been shifted onto their own shoulders, a development that dovetails beautifully with groupwork.
Rather than relying on me as the sole proprietor of knowledge, they quickly begin to rely on each other, developing a support system as they work.
Additionally, when students present, they practice communicating mathematics verbally; the students who are listening practice viewing, responding to, and critiquing mathematics in a comfortable and constructive environment.
I believe that all students, regardless of the level of prior knowledge or understanding, have the opportunity to grow in my classroom, both mathematically and beyond.
Many students possess a fixed mindset toward their mathematical abilities, and it is my goal as their instructor to help students garner an appreciation of how much they learn over the course of the semester.
One way that I have enacted this change is the use of a Mastery Based Grading (MBG) exam structure, in which students are given many attemps at summative assessments, but only receive credit once they have demonstrated a sufficient level of mastery in the material.
This system rewards students for long-term improvement and forgives errors; it teaches students that it is okay to make mistakes and that their worst work is not a reflection of their abilities.
In courses where a MBG system is not feasible, I still aim to promote growth by allowing students to make revisions on assignments in order to reward improvement rather than perfection.
I aim to make the classroom reflect this philosophy well: I thank students for sharing their responses, even when they are incorrect, and make a point to find value in these errors so that everyone can learn from them together.