Reflection on Teaching Perspectives Inventory(TPI) results

This graph depicts my results from taking the TPI test. My scores were pretty consistent in the first four perspectives, transmission, apprenticeship, developmental, and nurturing, around 34-36 with the highest score in apprenticeship. Due to the similar scores and the fact that none is exactly above the top line, I would not say that a specific perspective is dominant. However, I scored the lowest in social reform, 25, which is 9 points less from the nearest neighbor so social reform is a recessive perspective. On average, I received a score of 32.6 with a standard deviation of 3.88. 

From the definition of the apprenticeship teaching perspective, this test shows that I strongly value good teachers being skilled practitioners of what they teach. As a teacher, I am there to demonstrate to students the knowledge through performing examples and to guide them in different levels of learning. For the other three in which I scored equally high, I think what the test reveals is true. Of course, the transmission of content is important but so are understanding each learner's way of thinking and nurturing the students to have confidence in themselves. I really echo that part in the definition about caring for the students by way of encouraging their efforts and challenging them while supporting their goals.

What surprised me was that my score for the social reform teaching perspective appeared so low on the scale. After much thought, yes, mathematics is not a social studies class and we may not think much about incorporating messages about societal change into the math classroom but there are ways to direct the students to think critically. For example, students can work on projects on a social issue of their interest and apply the appropriate mathematical skills in their presentation and analysis of data. Other lessons could incorporate optimization and decision-making for instance, in education funding or low-income housing options. I would try to be more creative in this area of lesson planning. Regardless of the various activities, the goal is for students to associate their learning with the environment we live in and how their actions would impact the future world.