Dear Ms. Buffay,
Thank you for inquiring and preparing yourself for your visit to my classroom. As you may already understand, individuals have their proper biases – I am no exception to the rule. Evidently, my teaching style reflects what I believe to be most important for our future generation.
As an educator, I focus on skills that will prepare my students for life outside of school, where they will need to succeed as individuals.
The continued innovation in technology is reflected in the Canadian school system. Children, as young as two years old, are using handheld devices as tools for learning and entertainment. The images and videos through technology no longer require imagination, thereby nearly eliminating it from our minds. The many distractions of technology have changed the way children read – the use of colours and engaging graphics are required, in order to maintain the attention of the reader. I find that the ability to read is not only essential to being an active citizen, but continuously expands our imagination and creativity. Reading and interpretation are crucial in conveying messages and information.
As calculators become more accessible in classrooms, students rely more heavily on these pocket-sized digital screens. They do not feel the need to learn the basic rules of mathematics because a calculator will help them through it. However, Canada is struggling from the lack of qualified applicants with mathematical or engineering backgrounds, and has steadily fallen in its international math-education rankings. With more emphasis on math-education in grade school, we can save withering Canadian industries by qualifying our domestic applicants.
Applicable to any subject, we need to develop the minds of our youth through critical thinking practice. Education is more than answering questions correctly. I want to teach students to apply their knowledge and question the information presented. Rote memorization will not move our society forward. Conversely, critical, creative, and independent thinkers will be Canada’s innovative future.
I hope this helps you understand my style better. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have further questions.
I look forward to meeting you soon.
Kind regards,
Annette Yung