​The Sixth form Maths Teacher

My Sixth form Maths teacher had a wonderful way of bringing out the best in us. The Sixth form was two additional years after compulsory education before University.

We were now adults, and were to be treated as adults not children. The approach of the teachers in general was to include us in the design and implementation of our lessons.

In many Maths lessons, there was a focus on one problem at the time. The whole class would focus on a problem and we would try to solve it together. This teacher’s approach was to draw out the best of us by asking open-ended questions. 

Whenever we gave an answer he asked what our thinking was. Whenever we gave a wrong answer he asked us what our thinking was. We discovered any errors we had made and corrected ourselves.

There were traditional lessons where new concepts were taught, new diagrams were displayed, new applications were made of methods we had learned. But when it came to problems he was the Ringmaster and we were his performing animals. 

He drew out the best of us with open ended questions, nonjudgement, and curiosity about our thinking. 

He was like a Maths Coach.