Creative, enthusiastic and committed teachers are a gift to our society
As a teacher, you are a creative professional who, with knowledge and commitment, is always looking for new ways to respond to what students need and what society demands of them. Simone has opted for the Master's programme Science Education & Communication after her bachelor's programme in Applied Mathematics at the University of Twente. With her mathematics background, she can creatively familiarize her students with mathematics, get them enthusiastic about this subject and, of course, the accompanying teaching material.
How did you get into mathematics?
"When I was looking for an advanced course of study after obtaining my vwo diploma, I immediately thought of mathematics. I always thought it was a very interesting and fun subject and I thought you could do anything you wanted with it. That turned out to be the case later on. I visited an Open Day and took part in student for a day together with a mathematics student. I liked the atmosphere very much, and I saw myself walking around the campus of the University of Twente. This turned out to have been a good choice because besides getting my BSc degree, I also had a great time as a student" says Simone.
A new moment of choice after obtaining the BSc diploma
After completing a bachelor's programme, there is another moment of choice. You can choose to move on to the master's programme in Applied Mathematics, another technical or social master's programme, look for a job, or choose to enter the teaching profession and follow the master's programme in Science Education & Communication. Simone chose the latter.
Simone: "After my bachelor's degree in mathematics, I chose to do the master's SEC, but wanted to make this study a little more mathematical. That's why I took a relatively large number of courses at mastermath in Utrecht and split my graduation into an education and a mathematics part. I wanted to graduate at a company to apply the mathematics I had learned there. I ended up at the UMC in Utrecht and went to see the Oncology nursing departments. With the help of a simulation I made of nurses' walking routes, they were able to see the influence of different choices and thus, if necessary, adjust them to their advantage.
Do you benefit from this mathematics background while performing your teaching?
"It's nice that you're well above the material anyway so that when students want to know just a little bit more you have the necessary knowledge ready. I set up Maths D at our school (Openbaar Lyceum Zeist), in these classes some students like to dive deep into the material. Also, one of the most frequently asked questions is 'Why do I have to learn this?' or 'What is this used for? Because you have seen many different applications during your training, but also have many friends who are now working as mathematicians within companies, you can quickly give examples" Simone explains.
Has the Science Education & Communication programme prepared you well for teaching?
"During my master's I immediately went for it by working as a teacher at the secondary school Het Noordik in Almelo. I am very happy that I did this. As a result, you immediately experience a lot of classroom situations and your learning curve as a teacher is steeper, I think. Of course, during the programme, you learn a lot of educational science, pedagogy and teaching methodology, but ultimately teaching is also something you have to experience and learn by trial and error. I particularly enjoyed the moments of intervention during the study programme and at the work placement school. One point that was somewhat underexposed at the time was order management in the classroom. Of course, the class is not always very interested in what you have to say", Simone laughs.
What were your favourite parts during your teacher training?
Simone: "Nellie Verhoef's lectures on teaching methodology stayed with me. She was very good at getting future teachers to think for themselves. Why do children need to learn this? What is a suitable way? Can they perhaps 'discover' mathematics themselves? In the delusion of the day you quickly pick up the teaching method, but sometimes a different route or order of the different subjects is better".
Mathematics is not known as the most favourite subject for students. How do you ensure that your pupils enjoy working with mathematics?
"I don't agree with this statement! A lot of students do like mathematics and experience making 'little puzzles' as a lot of fun. Often the reason is that maths is less fun, that pupils find it very difficult and think they can't do it because they 'don't see it'. So I try to teach them learning strategies that give them the experience that they can do things differently. With languages, nobody says 'I can't do it' (at least I don't hear it very often), but the attitude is much more that you can at least learn the words and grammar rules super well. In mathematics, for example, there are 'little words to learn'. But in the end, of course, my goal is that the pupils grasp and see the maths, because that way you don't have to learn anything by heart, because then you can just distract it when you need it!
In my explanation, I try to be clear and structured. But most of all I try to get them to work more independently. Mathematics is very logical, so if someone shows it in small steps, you quickly think... well, yes! Logical, I get this. But then you get a task in front of you and then it's often, how should I start? I had this experience myself during my studies at classes in the more difficult subjects, an experience I like to share with students who think you can learn mathematics by reading alone. Above all, it is also a matter of practising a lot yourself. And it's a really fun subject," Simone explains.
Why did you choose to teach the new generation of mathematics as a teacher?
Simone: "After graduating, I had some doubts as to which direction I wanted to go, into business or become a teacher? I remembered that sometimes I left a bit tired for my school in Almelo and went home with more energy. What could be nicer than a job that gives you energy? The contact with the students is the best part of my job and watching them understanding mathematics. I really missed this in the recent period when education was temporarily a lot online due to the COVID19 rules.
I hope to show students that mathematics can be fun, beautiful and useful, but I also understand when it is not their favourite subject. In every classroom, I try to do something different once in a while. For example, practising growth factors using bingo is fun, I love games. I have also made a mathematical escape room for a final exam class, I would like to do this kind of thing more often but it is difficult to find the time to do it. And of course, it is very nice to hear from students that they are going to study mathematics through your lessons, for example".
Can you explain, now that you've been teaching for some years now, what the great thing about this job is?
"The best part is the contact with students and being busy with mathematics. One day you give a little more algebra, after that, you have some lessons about probability theory and statistics. Sometimes you have a class that is very interested in what's on the programme, but on Friday afternoons it can also be that everyone is mentally already celebrating the weekend. So you always have to switch gears, but that's what makes it so varied.
In addition to teaching, there are also fun projects now and then. At the Openbaar Lyceum Zeist, for example, we will be switching to a flex timetable next school year, to offer students more choice in their school week. So this school year, as a section, we are preparing how we are going to design this, how are we going to adapt our lessons to this? A nice challenge, next to the teaching itself! Simone says.
Would you recommend UT students to go into teaching?
Simone: "I would advise students, who are unsure whether they want to be in front of the class, to opt for the Teaching to Teach (Leren lesgeven) minor in the first instance. That way you can experience whether the subject is right for you. If you are enthusiastic, you can then start with the master's programme Science Education & Communication".