What inspired you to want to become a maths teacher?
Mathematics was always something I enjoyed doing and was one of my favourite subjects at Primary school. Then, in my first few years of Secondary school, I was taught by someone who had some of the highest standards I have ever seen a teacher have. He was relentless in wanting every student to improve and achieve their best. He saw us through for a year before taking an opportunity in leadership that was well deserved. He chose his replacement and they were equally enthusiastic to maintain the high standards and push us to our limits.
Every homework was expected to be our best effort, every question needed answering, and good behaviour was something he took as standard practice. Me and most of my class achieved our targets or better and many of us had become determined to study Mathematics at A-level or even university level. This was not normal at my school; our A-level Maths students were so numerous that they added a second class. Further Maths at A-level was, for the first time, as popular as many other subjects. No more was it the subject three students would take and study after-school. My teachers had changed how Maths was viewed for the better.
This explains more of why I spent three years at University studying Maths. The reason these teachers inspired me to become a Maths teacher was because I asked to watch them teach some other classes. I was interested in teaching after enjoying explaining things in class and helping others with homework. I thought it would be interesting to see some teachers in action and I could think of few better than these two.
What inspired me to become a teacher was how they taught students with no interest in the subject, or students who struggled with basic concepts. I realise now that even though they both did a brilliant job teaching me and my class, we were all interested already and most of us had been good at Maths throughout school. The way these two teachers managed to get students who disliked the very idea of being present in school to take part, work through a problem or provide an answer was amazing. They were still demanding and expected great things, but they went about it completely differently.
I want to be a Maths teacher because these two teachers made me realise that a brilliant teacher will have a massive impact at every level of attainment. I can’t wait to become as great a teacher as they are.
By James Colton
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