Tiffany Neuhausel
7th Grade Pre-Algebra
7th Grade Science
[email protected]
(847)881-9441
Room D202
Hello and welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! Some time ago I was a 7th grader in Ohio, and even before that I was a little kid who played school with her stuffed animals. I later attended Ohio State for my undergraduate degree and continued on to earn my Master of Education in Middle Childhood Education with areas of concentration in math and science. I took the plunge and moved to Chicago where I taught 7th or 8th grade in Chicago Public Schools for seven years. There I earned my National Board Certification in mathematics before joining the amazing community at Sunset Ridge in 2012. I have three children of my own: Sam is a fourth grader, Charlotte is in second grade, and Elle just started kindergarten.
This year I am teaching both science and math, specifically teaching pre-algebra. I am excited to begin this school year and help students navigate through these unprecedented times. It is my hope to create a positive learning environment where every student knows they are valued and respected, is challenged by rigorous work, demonstrates perseverance, and reaches their potential. I look forward to a great year with lots of social and academic growth!
PRE-ALGEBRA
Teaching Philosophy
My goal is that at the end of the school year students will walk away from my classroom saying, "Math was challenging this year, but Mrs. Neuhausel believed in me and I learned so much!" I believe that all students can learn math to high levels, and I hope I can not only teach them the content, but also increase their confidence and further develop their ability to persevere through challenging work. I have high expectations of students, and I will engage them in productive struggle with challenging math problems that are just within their grasp. Developing a growth mindset is important for student success and we will work on this throughout the year. I will guide students through discovery of concepts and the connections to procedures rather than simply showing students how to solve problems. The focus in our classroom will be much more on the problem solving process and building conceptual understanding, balancing that with procedural computation and efficiency. I expect and encourage students to make many mistakes, which we will expect, respect, inspect, and correct, in order to grow mathematically. Students will track their growth as we progress through units and regularly reflect on their own goals and learning.
Student Resources
Google Classroom
CPM Login (primary resource)
7th Grade Pre-Algebra Supplemental Resources
Parent Resources
Grade 7 Common Core State Standards
CPM Curriculum Philosophy
Course 2 Parent Guide (7th)
Course 3 Parent Guide (8th)
Mathematical Mindset Video
Parents' Beliefs about Math Change Their Children's Achievement
SCIENCE
Teaching Philosophy
My goal is that at the end of the school year students will walk away from my classroom with improved ability to think critically because they engaged in scientific inquiry. I believe that all students are curious observers of the world around them, and I hope I can tap into their innate curiosities and help students think like scientists as they develop and investigate questions to explain natural phenomena. I will provide students with opportunities to ask questions, plan & conduct investigations, develop solutions, analyze & interpret data, and communicate their findings with claims, evidence, and reasoning. This will help students construct new understandings and develop new skills. Students will often engage in exploration and observation of a new topic and I will guide them through making sense of their observations with logical and reasoning. I believe that the process of doing science is cyclical and students' interests and curiosities should drive classroom activities.
Student Resources
Google Classroom
Parent Resources
Next Generation Science Standards Parent Guide
IQWST (primary resource)