Dave Hewitt: Model Math Teacher #2

Dave Hewitt's totally unconventional approach to teaching blew my mind away, something akin to a 20-minute medium-sized twister.  He defied a lot of hallowed (read traditional) conventions of teaching.  First, he ignored the primary function of the whiteboard for the better part of the lesson and  used it instead as a rhythmic background sound for his imaginary number line.  One can doze off copying notes but not with a regular, very audible tapping in the board.  Besides, Dave hardly takes his eyes off his students, as if instantaneously processing & learning from each moment. Second, he circled the room with his stick, tapping back & forth, to teach skills with increasing complexity.  One can never be sure what's next; anticipation, hence engagement is high.  Third, the lessons progressed seamlessly to the physical placement of integers in the number line, to addition/subtraction of integer(s), to equivalent expressions, to the sneaky way of introducing variables, to solving equations using properties of equalities & inverse operations, & order of operations. The beauty is that the increasing complexity of the lesson appeared to be the most natural way an average person can think for himself; there were no explicit definitions, rules, or algorithms given as a reference starting point.  It takes a teacher great courage, insight & dedication to want to do untested things.  But we owe it to our students and ourselves to be in a perpetual state of creative dissatisfaction to continually find better ways to teach and learn.  Bill Gates recently said that if you want your child to be educated well, it is not as important to send him to a good school than to a great teacher.