College of the Pacific

Dennis Parker

When teaching mathematics, it is my goal to develop the concepts and principles in a way that is meaningful to my students. I try to connect the new content to what they already understand, and to teach it in such a way so that the students will be able to apply what they've learned to new situations.

I do not adhere to one particular instructional philosophy. Throughout my professional career, I have learned about many instructional philosophies, strategies, and tools. As I develop my lessons, I use whatever I believe will best serve the meaningful understanding of the mathematical content.

Often, the result of this approach is variation in the day-to-day classroom experiences. Sometimes my classes are highly structured with direct instruction. Other times exploratory, problem solving activities may be used to develop the mathematical ideas or to apply them in new situations. There is also variation in how mathematical concepts and principles are represented: algebraically, visually/geometrically, verbally, and numerically. I believe multiple perspectives of a mathematical concept facilitate a deeper understanding.

Above all, it is my hope for each student to experience the satisfaction of achieving at a high level in mathematics.
 

Dennis Parker
Associate Professor of Mathematics
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