Hello, my name is Helena Tran. I grew up in Vietnam and moved to the US in 2015, so I speak Vietnamese and English. I graduated from the University of Houston in May 2024. Therefore, this is my first year of teaching. I am excited to be a part of Quail Valley Middle School and passionate about teaching math to students. My goals are to help them enjoy learning math and learning from their mistakes. I am also interested in different teaching strategies and technologies for use in the classroom. So, I cannot wait to apply my knowledge to create a great school year for the students!

I believe that building a positive relationship with students helps create a warm and inclusive learning environment. I do that by greeting students every day as they walk into the classroom. Greeting students will help them feel more welcome in my classroom (Rabadi & Ray, 2017). I also have a box for students to put in their concerns or questions that they do not want to ask aloud. Using this box allows me to hear and respond to all students’ concerns. Building positive relationships with students through these ways also contributes to student academic success (Rabadi & Ray, 2017).

I believe that classroom instructions should focus on helping students make connections with their surroundings. Students and people, in general, learn new knowledge by making connections with their experiences (Western Governors University, 2020b). I also believe that classroom instructions should focus on helping students understand their thinking. The reason is that the way students think determines their feelings and how they learn (Western Governors University, 2020a). I hold on to these beliefs because that was how I learned and became successful in my academic life. 

I believe these beliefs will benefit the students in the long run and create a great learning experience for them.