She makes mathematics trivial
Susanne Mirbt’s goal is for her students to think that mathematics is self-evident. She can say with good reason that she has actually succeeded. She received the 2012 Uppsala University’s educational prize for her outstanding ability to get fresh students to understand mathematics.
“Obviously everything is difficult when you start. But when we are finished, I want my students to say, “that was trivial!”
The words are Susanne Mirbt’s. She teaches mathematics during the students' first year. She does it so well that in 2012 students nominated her for the University's educational prize, a prize she later received.
She has a number of classroom tricks, but above all she is extremely aware of what she is doing and why, and has really thought about how to get all her students pass the stumbling blocks of mathematics.
“Focus is always on the student. It is important to always give the student the puzzle bits he or she needs for the next step. What I say must fit the picture the student paints for him- or herself, become an extension of what he or she has already understood. To accomplish this you need to be extremely alert and careful not to assume that what you say is evident to everyone.
Susanne Mirbt has a strategy for her teaching that she always follows. She starts with a repeat question.
“It should not be a complicated question to test knowledge. The aim of the question is to wake up the students and set their minds on the right track.
She then layers theory with activation tasks based on the latest theory review. The theory reviews consist of small, methodical steps.
“It’s important not to approach those who already know it all and have read-up on it, but to those who are seeing it for the first time. It is also important not to skip steps and for example to write out “1 x X” instead of just “X”, to make it clearer. All steps must be logical and elementary - trivial! Even the gifted ones then increase their understanding, as they have not previously seen the simple steps.
You cannot improvise a teaching session,” says Susanne Mirbt.
“I plan each session in advance and work out what should be left on the board and what I can wipe off. What examples should I calculate on the board? Which figures should I use? What colours?”
The activation task can for example involve the students explaining the theory review to his or her neighbour.
If any questions arise, she always puts them to the whole group.
“If one asks then usually a few others are thinking the same thing.”
During the other half of the 90 minutes the students do their own calculations. Even here, Susanne Mirbt has a ploy to enhance the learning.
“I always encourage the students to help each other. The students learn much more through discussing amongst themselves than listening to a teacher.” So the frustration of not understanding becomes an educational point.
She is clear that her aim is for everyone to pass and that they receive the help they need to get there.
“However, I also say that they have to calculate, calculate, calculate, and that they actually have to say that they need help.” It becomes a type of contract.
Even here, she tries to lower the threshold.
“Anyone can come to my room and ask questions, and I usually add that the first five will get chocolate,” she says, laughing. If we have had a test, then those who want to can have an individual review of it. I answer e-mail questions and sometimes add video clips with answers, as you can get so much more in a film than in text.
Here you will also find her clearest advice to those in charge of teaching.
“Plan mentor sessions! If you just say my door is open, only those already gifted will turn up. Therefore, as a teacher you need to be an active mentor.”
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Susanne on teaching
Most interesting: The challenge to produce content so the right person gets the right puzzle bit. And to break it down into a collection of trivial steps.
Most difficult: To break it down into a collection of trivial steps ..
Three pieces of advice for new teachers:
• Be clear and motivate what you do.
• Introduce pauses, which allow students to be active and also the chance to catch up. It is also a barometer. If they are quiet and staring at each other you know you have failed.
• The student must always feel that they can get help. If a student has failed a test, they should get a personal review.
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FACTS/Susanne Mirbt
Title: Docent
Age: 49
Present: Received the Uppsala University educational prize in 2012.
Leisure time activities: Family, nature, reading, pondering.
Greatest genius: Leonardo Da Vinci
Remaining to do: Figure out the answers to all my thoughts.
Teachers I remember: It’s easier to list those I don’t remember.
Favourite subject at school: All, except girls' sport, needlework and geography.
Best moments as a teacher: Once my students seemed tired and inattentive. I then “sung” a few lines of my theory review. Everyone woke up, we all laughed together, there was spontaneous applause, and we could then continue with much more attentiveness.
Biggest mistake as a teacher: I once used an alphabetical abbreviation for a variable, which also had a political meaning. I corrected it, but still!
Kim Bergström