NAME: Susan Edmondson
SCHOOL: Bishop Kelley High School
GRADE: 9-12
SUBJECT: Mathematics
Length: I have been teaching since 1991; I have been at BK since 2004
What made you decide to start teaching?
Call it Divine Guidance or serendipity but when I went to college, I really did not know what I wanted to do. However, as I began to reflect on my strengths and to experience the joy of helping people to understand math, I came to realize that teaching was my calling.
What kind of transformation have you seen in kids from the first day of school to the last day?
Naturally, most students increase in knowledge of mathematics but I also love it when I see my students grow in the areas of confidence, perseverance, diligence, enthusiasm for math, problem solving skills, and curiosity. My hope is that all of these skills will lead them to discover and follow their own God-given path in life.
Describe the importance of a prayer life in relation to teaching.
Praying for my students and praying with my students are essential components of success in my classroom. I pray for wisdom, guidance, and clarity so that I can know the best way to help and serve each student. I pray for the ability to really see them and recognize their needs as both individuals and as students. Praying with my students allows me to learn what is on their hearts and minds.
Why do you enjoy teaching at a Catholic school?
Teaching at a Catholic school has not only enabled me to share the joy of math (and yes, there is joy) with students, but has also allowed me to share how math connects with God. One of the quotes hanging in my classroom is from Galileo: “Mathematics is the language in which God has written the universe.” For me, this quotation is an excellent reminder that all truth - even mathematical truth - leads to God.
How do you cultivate positive relationships with your students and create a sense of class community?
The building of classroom community is an intangible thing but I think it begins when your students know that you genuinely care about them. Despite the fact that the subject of math is often considered “hard”, I try to make my classroom an engaging and positive atmosphere so that students will want to work hard. My aim is to create a classroom that encourages students to work together and help each other grow.
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