I am putting my love of learning to a test. I am working part-time as a tax preparer. I have a lot to learn.
I am a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). I worked in private accounting for years before going back to college for a Masters degree so I could teach math. Teaching is my passion; my calling. Sadly, though, teaching is not a career that pays the bills and provides retirement security. (Google Illinois Teacher Pension system to read about that mess.) So, I am dipping my toes back into the waters of accounting again.
For weeks, I took online tax classes. Now I have started working in a local tax office learning their computer systems and office flow. It was rough at first --- the brain cells reserved for tax and accounting were really dusty. My learning at first involved CLOSE reading of tax materials and studying tax vocabulary. I made outlines. I made notecards. For my students, this would be the background material and the higher order questions I ask so they start to think about the reason we are learning. Every 30-minute math intervention session in my room is filled with rich math vocabulary. I spent time looking at practice calculations on screen. Then I practiced them on my own before self-checking the answer. My students learn by guided practice, and then transition to independent practice. But even independent practice has a teacher observing and asking questions --- why did you do that? what does than mean? is that the best way?
At my new office, my supervisor sat by me while I made my way through a practice tax return. Even though I had seen the screens at home, it was much different when I was actually working on them myself. I needed her to help me with the flow of the screens and the system. My students have many chances to solve real-world math problems. I tell them stories that evolve into math problems. I need them to understand WHY, not just HOW.
I want to prepare my students for math in the real world. As a tax preparer, I am aiming for January 20, when my practice and case studies are over and real clients with real documents and issues come to me.
And I will still keep dreaming for a day when teaching is a valued profession.
I am a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). I worked in private accounting for years before going back to college for a Masters degree so I could teach math. Teaching is my passion; my calling. Sadly, though, teaching is not a career that pays the bills and provides retirement security. (Google Illinois Teacher Pension system to read about that mess.) So, I am dipping my toes back into the waters of accounting again.
For weeks, I took online tax classes. Now I have started working in a local tax office learning their computer systems and office flow. It was rough at first --- the brain cells reserved for tax and accounting were really dusty. My learning at first involved CLOSE reading of tax materials and studying tax vocabulary. I made outlines. I made notecards. For my students, this would be the background material and the higher order questions I ask so they start to think about the reason we are learning. Every 30-minute math intervention session in my room is filled with rich math vocabulary. I spent time looking at practice calculations on screen. Then I practiced them on my own before self-checking the answer. My students learn by guided practice, and then transition to independent practice. But even independent practice has a teacher observing and asking questions --- why did you do that? what does than mean? is that the best way?
At my new office, my supervisor sat by me while I made my way through a practice tax return. Even though I had seen the screens at home, it was much different when I was actually working on them myself. I needed her to help me with the flow of the screens and the system. My students have many chances to solve real-world math problems. I tell them stories that evolve into math problems. I need them to understand WHY, not just HOW.
I want to prepare my students for math in the real world. As a tax preparer, I am aiming for January 20, when my practice and case studies are over and real clients with real documents and issues come to me.
And I will still keep dreaming for a day when teaching is a valued profession.