Skills

My math class will require students to have a mastery level of many different skills.  These skills will build off of one another from the very beginning of the semester.  Vygotsky would consider my type of teaching as a scaffolding method.  I believe it is very important for math students to have the foundation and a strong network of knowledge and resources in order to become successful in mathematics.  I would hope that most of my students will be at a formal operational stage of most topics in math.  However, for those students who have not reached this developmental stage, I will have to backtrack and provide the instruction to bring them up to pace.  Once the students have reached a mastery level, they will be able to apply the skills they have learned to a real life situation.  This will help my students progress in their educational careers and their lives in general.