My favourite Math teacher was myself. At a young age, my parents signed me up to learn the technique called Abacus Mental math. While I hated the tedium which came from the constant practice for perfection, it provided me with a tool to think about numbers. As I studied from Elementary School to University, the mental math helped me to drown in thoughts about the patterns and nature of numbers.
Another of my favourite math teacher is my elementary math teacher, she was patient and often provided us with thought provoking problems. She did not immediately provide the answers to the student but was patient to help student guide their strategies in thinking of the problems.
My least favourite math teacher were university professors. Often, they assumed we knew all the underlying theorems in math, and many students didn’t want to ever speak up due to the fear of being treated as a ‘lesser mind’. I figured the lack of empathy comes from the perceived differences in the level of mathematical excellence.
I appreciate how you recognized the influence of Abacus Mental Math on your thinking and your elementary school teacher's patience in guiding problem-solving strategies. Your critique of university professors highlights an important issue—empathy in teaching and the impact of assuming prior knowledge. It would be interesting if you consider reflecting more on how these experiences will shape your own approach to teaching.
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