My name is Kevin Paquette. I am an education student at McGill University studying secondary mathematics with physics as my second teachable subject (Class of 2021).
I have been asked many times why I want to teach math. I think that above all else, my passion for teaching math is directly linked to my passion for the sciences and my desire to tell and teach others about some of the most interesting concepts. Ken Wilber said that physics is the most fundamental science; without physics, there would be no other science. I absolutely love physics and, because of that, have developed a greater appreciation for the math that allows it to exist.
Students are often discouraged in math class because they do not understand the relevance of what they are learning in their daily lives. I believe that one of the most important lessons in life lies within this dilemma; every problem has a process you can work through to get a solution, you just have to find a place to start!
As a student, I am always more motivated in class when my teacher is passionate about a subject. This being said, I hope to be able to motivate my students with my own passion for the subject and provide them with the best opportunities for success, helping them to build inspiring aspirations as they proceed through their education.
I believe that technology has, and always will have, a place in the classroom, especially considering the current situation with the global pandemic. Today’s students are digital natives. However, because they have always had technology at their disposal, many are not digitally literate. This is where teachers come into play. Not only is it our responsibility to teach them the subject-specific content, but it is also up to us to encourage and help them become digitally literate members of society by incorporating technology into our lessons. This may not be possible in every lesson of every day, but we can try to make the most out of the time that we do dedicate to it. In the sciences, especially math, many question how we can incorporate it appropriately while not losing the time that we so desperately need for teaching the curriculum. While I still have a lot to learn about this, I believe we must find pedagogical ways to integrate technology into our content (this is the basis of the TPACK model) in order to help our students to the best of our ability.
I would rather have questions that can’t be answered than answers that can’t be questioned.
Richard P. Feynman
Fun facts about me:
- I play the piano and played a variety of instruments in high school, including the clarinet and saxophone
- I was a competitive Irish dancer for 11 years, competing in 4 world championships and reaching a high of 5th in the world! I am now coaching the sport with Costello Irish Dance
- I have participated in, helped organize, and volunteered at more than 20 leadership conferences and retreats from school-wide to national levels
Kevin Paquette 