Mrs. Rena Lehman
What subjects do you teach?
Math
Please share your philosophy about children, middle school education, or education in general.
While teaching math, I often hear: “why do I have to know this?” or “when will I ever have to use this in life?”. While I may not always have an immediate convincing reply, I keep such queries in mind as I develop lessons. Students often do not see the immediate relevance; therefore, it is part of my responsibility as an educator to continuously build on students’ prior knowledge and connect learning with real world applications. For some lessons this involves reading and writing about mathematics, while for others a variety of meaningful problem-solving opportunities are presented. When applicable, I am always in favor of integrating technological tools to tech savvy middle schoolers. Incorporating Google Spreadsheet applications is often a favorite of mine, as well as a winner with math students. Whether it be to help students understand the power of variables or to analyze statistical data with the creation of graphs and charts, the technology makes the math come alive. I continuously try to adopt new approaches to foster and encourage independent thinking from a wide range of diverse learners.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy running and yoga when I have spare time.
What aspects about working in the middle school are most exciting for you, explain why.
I love working in middle school because there is so much more to the role of a teacher than just what goes on in the classroom. We also have the opportunity to be advisers, to help students navigate social interactions, work on their middot and become leaders. We greet the students when they arrive in the morning, guide them through their day and escort them onto their buses as they leave to go home. Each day brings something new and this makes it such an exciting job!
