The Face of Discovery
Middle School Math Specialist | Severn School
For Middle School math specialist Rachel McMahon, solving an equation correctly or being able to identify an obtuse angle are not the only things she wants her students to accomplish. She merges communication skills with critical thinking to push her 7th & 8th grade students out of their comfort zone by learning how to explain their thinking behind solving a problem.
“We work a lot on explaining their thinking out loud and communicating to each other how things work. I think that’s a skill more important than just solving math problems. My biggest goal for the kids is to get them to think in my class, rather than me telling them what to write down.”
Ms. McMahon is changing the way her students think about math, and is giving her students a skillset that will serve them beyond the math classroom as they grow at Severn School.
201 Water St.; Severna Park, MD 21146; 410-647-7700; www.severnschool.com
