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"It’s not that I’m so smart. It’s just that I stay with problems longer."
Albert Einstein
"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."
Winston Churchill
"Just because you haven’t found your talent YET doesn’t mean you don’t have one."
Kermit the Frog
Hi there, my name is Rizza Casabuena Harrison and I am a certified Mathematics educator in Arizona. I have been teaching for over 15 years and have education experience in both elementary and high school. I know most students don't believe I have a life outside of the school, but I do. I have been married to my husband Tom since 2018, and we have an adorable son, Tanner, who was born that same year. Although I was born and raised in the Philippines, I have been living and teaching in AZ since 2014.On my spare time, you would either see me reading or listening to (audio)books, playing my Nintendo Switch, or chilling with my son watching our favorite Bluey shows or teaching him some Calculus (just kidding!). I also enjoy traveling here in the US and abroad with my family. I am a big Harry Potter fan and for some reason, I have always loved those cheeky little Minions.
"You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them." - Michael Jordan
"You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them." - Michael Jordan
Licensure and Certification
- Arizona Standard Teaching Certificate
Education
- Master of Secondary Education (Emphasis on STEM)
- Bachelor of Elementary Education (Major in Mathematics)
ACT Certified Educator
Member, AVID Math Community of Practice
My Teaching Philosophy
My Teaching Philosophy
Growth Mindset
Some people think that teaching is an easy task; when in reality, it is not. Teaching Mathematics makes it even more challenging. When I decided to become a Math teacher, I know that one of my greatest adversaries would be the students' perception of Math. "Math is difficult" can be heard from everyone - parents, relatives, friends, neighbors - even if the kid hasn't even entered school. Because of this "negative propaganda" against Mathematics, a great number of students already believed that Math is difficult.Learning about growth mindset gave a new hope and fuel to my dream of wanting to change how people see and think of Math. As Carol Dweck asserted, "A growth mindset empowers people to believe they can develop their abilities — brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that are essential for accomplishment in just about any sphere." As a learner, I embraced having a growth mindset by trying out and adopting different teaching strategies that can help maximize my students' potentials. As a teacher, I am determined to inculcate a growth mindset to my students, to help them realize how capable they can be in achieving their goals. It is my belief, and hope, that growth mindset will not just improve students' perception of Mathematics, but will also make a positive impact to their learning and real life experiences.Growth Mindset
Differentiation & Diversity
Having taught in both private and public schools, I have gained valuable experience in teaching diverse groups of learners. With growth mindset as my driving force, I make a huge effort on differentiating my lessons to accommodate learners with different cultures, backgrounds, levels of knowledge/skills, and learning styles. I make sure that there is a balance between whole group instruction, smaller group discussions, and individual work. I utilize technology to support and enrich lessons, as well as to make other resources easily available and accessible.Differentiation & Diversity
Assessment
Using a variety of assessment methods help me understand if the students get it or not. The results of these assessments also give me an idea on how I can scaffold my teaching to address the needs of the students. Formative assessments like exit tickets allows me to adjust instruction to increase student learning. Summative assessments, on the other hand, aid me to determine mastery and student growth. I also ask students to reflect on their own understanding of the lessons through self-assessments.Assessment
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