Story Behind The Name

I chose “Math Mulligans” because (beyond the nice alliteration) I see a lot of parallels between teaching math and golf.  

I hit a lot of bad shots during a round of golf.  Some of those bad shots are completely off target.  Some feel good but still do not reach the intended destination.  Others are anything but textbook, yet they get the job done.  My round is usually a scramble all over the place.  Even with all those bad shots, I always find a way to have a few “perfect” shots.  The ones that feel good, look good, and ultimately get results.  Those swings feel natural and so easy.  Why can’t I do this on every shot?  Maybe I can.  Those shots keep you in the game.  They keep you motivated to work hard and improve.

A school year feels the same way.  You scramble to survive.  There are moments where you feel ineffective and as though you have no impact on your students.  There are moments where you are effective but not inspired.  Those moments are erased though when you see students engaged and making connections.  They are erased when you see students growing in confidence.  They are erased when a student asks an amazing question.  They are erased when a student says thank you.  They are erased when old students come back to share how much you helped them.  Those are the moments to hold onto.  They keep you motivated to work hard and improve.

A mulligan in golf gives you a second chance.  Your original shot does not count, and you are free to adjust your swing based on what you did wrong.  Your next shot is usually an improvement.  In teaching, you may not be able to erase those aforementioned tough moments but you always have opportunities to improve.  Teachers take mulligans all the time.  If a lesson does not go well, you reteach it.  If a unit does not go well, you replan it.  

Ultimately, golf and teaching both always leave room for improvement.  There are always strokes you left out there - an errant tee shot or a missed putt.  No matter how well you play, you always leave a round with a little disappointment that you could and should have done better.  That disappointment motivates you to practice and work to improve though.  There’s always some part of your game that you can work on.  As a teacher, it does not matter how great a lesson or an entire school year went.  There are always areas to work on and improve.  I love the cycle of planning, teaching, reflecting, and then doing it all again based on the new knowledge and experience I gained.  As long as I continue to enjoy that process, I will continue to teach.  I hope blogging will accelerate my growth within that process.