What does it mean to teach STEM? I resonated with this quote by Katie Egan Cunningham:
"As a teacher, I notice students who enter the classroom with their heads held down. I notice the ones who remain silent as they take their seats. I notice who is chatting and about what. I notice which students open their books with zeal, eager to get to the next chapter. I notice who comes to the rug leaning in to the story I’m going to share. I notice who takes to paper right away, scribbling away, believing his story is worth sharing. I equally notice who wrestles with books, who asks to go to the bathroom everyday during reading, and whose pencil remains parked until I come to her side." I think this quote explains the glories and the difficulties in being a teacher. Seeing students excited about learning makes my day, just like seeing students not care about the material discourages me. I hope to ignite more and more passion in my students, making math an exciting and relevant topic for my students. I also feel that many students might be intimidated by math, holding a low self-esteem. I hope to alter their perceptions about themselves, allowing them to see themselves as capable learners and even as mathematicians!