I was lucky enough to have taught the same thing both years in MTC.  I taught Algebra only my first year in Greenville. And then Algebra and Transitions to Algebra my second year in Hollandale.  Teaching the same thing two years in a row really enabled me to figure out the best ways to teach certain concepts in math. 

Most people think that teaching math is hard because you either know math or you don’t.  However, the real reason why math is so hard is because it is based on a foundation of number theory that is supposed to be taught in elementary school.  With that foundation, mastering math should not be an issue. My students lack that foundation and thus struggle with math.  I spent the past two years breaking down concepts farther than I realized was possible. I have made steps for something as simply as changing a fraction to a decimal in the calculator.  Just because you understand math, does not mean you know how to teach it.  The real test is whether or not you can break it down enough for students who have no foundation in number theory.

The following three links focus on three different concepts that I have had the most success with.  The first link describes a method for adding and subtracting integers.  This is probably one of the biggest battles that all math MTC teachers face.  A simple but powerful song is how I solved that solution.  The second link shows another video with the “slope” song to describe the different kinds of slope.  I still remember the first time I found a student singing this song to themselves quietly during a test!  The final link discusses what I have found to be the best method for factoring polynomials.  All my students know what the snowflake method is!