This week’s recommendation comes from:
Carol Chestnut
IFL Math Content Developer
Carol says, “Having 20+ years of training development and implementation experience, I continue to question how training and life experiences transform our thinking, our choices, and our professional effectiveness as we continue to improve our practices as teachers/influencers of others’ learning. Percy Canales’ journey of discovery and transformation speaks eloquently to a process of personal and professional growth that ultimately led to a significant change in how he taught mathematics.”
Transformative Professional Development Through Integrated STEM
Percy Canales and Katey Shirey
“I’ve found that when the mathematical application has more personal meaning, students forge stronger connections back to the concepts embedded in the challenge and their new math content knowledge.”– Percy Canale, high school math teacher and Kaleidoscope author
This article reflects on one math teacher’s journey and his “transformative professional experience” as he worked with an integrated team to implement a STEM Challenges Program. Percy Canale started his exploration because he was frustrated with the professional development training he typically received and the trials he faced to implement it. Ultimately, he strove to apply his learning to teaching mathematics that is immediately relevant. His journey parallels the challenges and experiences of many teachers who take up the work to provide a richer learning experience for students in their classrooms.