Edward English

Teaching Philosophy

 Important skills I want to teach my students

I want to teach students to think critically, precisely, logically, flexibly, and intuitively. We focus on making sense of problems, choosing a strategy, being flexible in applying techniques, and persevering in solving them. We strive to reason abstractly, constructively critique the reasoning of others, model with mathematics, use tools appropriately, attend to precision, look for patterns, and leverage structure.

Teaching methods to reach these goals

I like to guide students in discovering new mathematical concepts and solution methods. When they first have insight into how and why something works, they are more motivated and capable of undertaking the “nitty gritty” of the approach, and they can build toward mastery with greater confidence.

My favorite projectS

My favorite projects are a linear equations test that involves matching graphs, equations, and tables, a student-centered discovery activity to figure out how to solve quadratic equations using square roots, a quiz bowl competition for factoring trinomials, and measuring the time and distance for baseballs propelled from a pitching machine to find the quadratic function for the trajectory.

What I like best about teaching at Seven Hills

Students are interested and motivated to learn. The schedule and my open blocks are structured so that I am available and can spend time with students 1-on-1 or in small groups, helping them understand the new concepts deeply and master new skills confidently. There is a high level of professionalism and collegiality among the staff. We collaborate on projects and lessons, share insights and teaching methods, and support each other. The academic, intellectual, and emotional support from the administration is fabulous.