Where We’ve Been
In Episode 3, we explored deliberate practice and what it means to grow purposefully in ways that nourish our passion for teaching. We named the three elements that expand our capacity for flourishment: Focus, Vantage, and Relationships—and how they keep us moving forward when we’re feeling stuck.
Listen to Episode 3Where We’re Going
In Episode 4, we’re going to go a bit deeper into this idea of vantage so we can understand why it is so important to us on our journey to becoming the teachers we want to be. We’re about to walk into Lillian’s sixth grade classroom. It’s the end of the sixth week of school, and she’s struggling with a common problem of practice many of us face: teaching grade-level content to students who demonstrate below-grade-level understanding.
Sometimes it is our own thinking that gets in the way of becoming the teachers we want to become.
Chase Orton
We all carry stories—about our students, about ourselves, about what teaching is “supposed” to look like. But what happens when those stories stop serving us? I invite you to get curious about your own mental models: the assumptions, habits, and beliefs that are shaping your practice—often without you even realizing it. If you’ve ever felt stuck or frustrated but didn’t know why, you’re not alone. We’ve all been there.
See you down the road!
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Share your story with us. Here’s how!
I hope the stories and activities in these videos help us create communities of belonging and grace—the type of relationships we need as imperfect and unfinished teachers. And I’m inviting you to share your story with us and the people you work with.
- Reach out to a colleague. Send them a link to Episode 1. Tell them what your experience has been like and invite them on the journey with us.
- Share your experience with us in the comments section of this blog post. And perhaps take a moment to reply to a comment that’s been written.
- Join us in our Facebook Group: The Imperfect and Unfinished Math Teacher. It’s not just for math teachers. If you’re enjoying these videos, come on over and find us there.
- Follow me on Twitter (@mathgeek76) and let’s start a conversation. We’re using #ImperfectUnfinished.
- Send me an email at chase@undercovercalculus.com. You’re not alone. I’ll geek out with you.
