This I Believe...
Name: Jeffrey E. Erickson
I was born and raised just south of the City of Chicago. I attended Northwestern University and earned a BA in Biology. I moved to Los Angeles and received an MBA from UCLA in Finance and Accounting,. I entered the business world selling computers for Hewlett-Packard. I have held positions in management in the high technology, publishing, customer service and gaming industries. I returned to school and completed a teacher certification program at Northeastern Illinois University to teach elementary school in an urban school. This is my eighth year teaching at Nobel Elementary School, a Chicago Public School in the West Humboldt Park area. I have taught all subject areas and grades 3rd through 8th. I am currently a 5th Grade Math Teacher.
Your twitter handle: @jeerickson1831
Your website address: [email protected]
Your favorite quote related to teaching/learning: “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think” - Margaret Mead
Book Recommendation: Countdown: Six Kids Vie for Glory at the World’s Toughest Math Competition by Steve Olson This book is an incredible insight of not only these incredible mathematicians, but an in depth look at the art of problem solving. This book raises more questions than it answers about what special talents and skills to make a gifted problem solver, but offers a peek at how these talented kids went about solving problems under extremely competitive and stressful conditions. I think this book has inspired me to expose and nurture my students with these problem-solving attributes.
1. Taking each in turn. Looking back.
I have worked in management positions in numerous industries for over 25 years. I didn’t feel fulfilled or feel like I was contributing to society. I did find mentoring and teaching in the professional world most rewarding. I was able to see and experience professional success based on my efforts. I am well-educated in many areas and well-traveled and believed I could make a difference in a young child’s life in an urban setting. These children have to overcome incredible odds to escape the cycle of poverty and violence in the inner cities of our country. I believe, I can and have had a positive impact on some of these children. My only regret is that I waited so long to embark on this incredibly satisfying journey so late in my career, But what an ending!
2. Where I am now?
This past year as an MSUrbanSTEM fellow has completely changed my educational focus driven by content. I can honestly say that this program has given me the insight and the courage to embody my favorite quote by Margaret Mead about teaching children how to think into my teaching. My focus has been to create mathematicians out of my 5th grade students. I am teaching then to see, think, act and communicate like mathematicians. I have also focused on teaching them to look at the world through the eyes of a mathematician. I have started many new projects and activities to foster these goals. I have also realized that I have only scratched the surface. MSUrbanSTEM has provided the foundation to build on these small successes and truly create a learning environment to create problem-solving mathematicians.
3. Looking forward.
In education, a teacher and their students can have every technological tool available and still not reach their educational goals in that classroom. Sure, my instrumental goals are to provide as much access to the technological tools that are available, but there are many limitations, especially the budgetary concerns facing CPS. I am not overly concerned about lack of technology, because I can look for outside sources for funding and maximize the value of what is available to my goal of building problem-solving mathematicians. I will also work with our leadership team and administration to help secure needed funding for technology.
My missional goal is simple: create mathematicians. Ha, not so fast. I have started to slowly build up the confidence and experience of my students to think, see, act and communicate like mathematicians. I have started activities that involve them looking at the world around them as mathematicians. They are not only identifying mathematical problems in the real world, but are also providing solutions. I have instituted many problem-solving exercises into the classroom also. Many of the other math teachers have incorporated some of these new ideas. My ultimate goals is to have my students initiate this curiosity about mathematical situations in the real world and how they connect it to their everyday life. I also want them to become skilled problem solvers. I have started taking the small steps to reach my goal. I will continue to build and reflect upon successes and challenges. In five years, I want my students to leave my classroom with the mindset of a mathematician and the problem-solving skills to identify, analyze, classify, and present solutions to mathematical problems they encounter.
4. Summing up.
This I believe that every child deserves the chance to learn how to think, contribute to society and live a life fulfilled.
Name: Jeffrey E. Erickson
I was born and raised just south of the City of Chicago. I attended Northwestern University and earned a BA in Biology. I moved to Los Angeles and received an MBA from UCLA in Finance and Accounting,. I entered the business world selling computers for Hewlett-Packard. I have held positions in management in the high technology, publishing, customer service and gaming industries. I returned to school and completed a teacher certification program at Northeastern Illinois University to teach elementary school in an urban school. This is my eighth year teaching at Nobel Elementary School, a Chicago Public School in the West Humboldt Park area. I have taught all subject areas and grades 3rd through 8th. I am currently a 5th Grade Math Teacher.
Your twitter handle: @jeerickson1831
Your website address: [email protected]
Your favorite quote related to teaching/learning: “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think” - Margaret Mead
Book Recommendation: Countdown: Six Kids Vie for Glory at the World’s Toughest Math Competition by Steve Olson This book is an incredible insight of not only these incredible mathematicians, but an in depth look at the art of problem solving. This book raises more questions than it answers about what special talents and skills to make a gifted problem solver, but offers a peek at how these talented kids went about solving problems under extremely competitive and stressful conditions. I think this book has inspired me to expose and nurture my students with these problem-solving attributes.
1. Taking each in turn. Looking back.
I have worked in management positions in numerous industries for over 25 years. I didn’t feel fulfilled or feel like I was contributing to society. I did find mentoring and teaching in the professional world most rewarding. I was able to see and experience professional success based on my efforts. I am well-educated in many areas and well-traveled and believed I could make a difference in a young child’s life in an urban setting. These children have to overcome incredible odds to escape the cycle of poverty and violence in the inner cities of our country. I believe, I can and have had a positive impact on some of these children. My only regret is that I waited so long to embark on this incredibly satisfying journey so late in my career, But what an ending!
2. Where I am now?
This past year as an MSUrbanSTEM fellow has completely changed my educational focus driven by content. I can honestly say that this program has given me the insight and the courage to embody my favorite quote by Margaret Mead about teaching children how to think into my teaching. My focus has been to create mathematicians out of my 5th grade students. I am teaching then to see, think, act and communicate like mathematicians. I have also focused on teaching them to look at the world through the eyes of a mathematician. I have started many new projects and activities to foster these goals. I have also realized that I have only scratched the surface. MSUrbanSTEM has provided the foundation to build on these small successes and truly create a learning environment to create problem-solving mathematicians.
3. Looking forward.
In education, a teacher and their students can have every technological tool available and still not reach their educational goals in that classroom. Sure, my instrumental goals are to provide as much access to the technological tools that are available, but there are many limitations, especially the budgetary concerns facing CPS. I am not overly concerned about lack of technology, because I can look for outside sources for funding and maximize the value of what is available to my goal of building problem-solving mathematicians. I will also work with our leadership team and administration to help secure needed funding for technology.
My missional goal is simple: create mathematicians. Ha, not so fast. I have started to slowly build up the confidence and experience of my students to think, see, act and communicate like mathematicians. I have started activities that involve them looking at the world around them as mathematicians. They are not only identifying mathematical problems in the real world, but are also providing solutions. I have instituted many problem-solving exercises into the classroom also. Many of the other math teachers have incorporated some of these new ideas. My ultimate goals is to have my students initiate this curiosity about mathematical situations in the real world and how they connect it to their everyday life. I also want them to become skilled problem solvers. I have started taking the small steps to reach my goal. I will continue to build and reflect upon successes and challenges. In five years, I want my students to leave my classroom with the mindset of a mathematician and the problem-solving skills to identify, analyze, classify, and present solutions to mathematical problems they encounter.
4. Summing up.
This I believe that every child deserves the chance to learn how to think, contribute to society and live a life fulfilled.