Tag Archives: Math Teachers

Teachers who specialized in math.

VT math teacher Glenda Allen earns prestigious PAEMST award

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Congratulations to elementary school math teacher Glenda Allen of Barre, Vermont, who has earned a prestigious PAEMST award. Photo Credit: PSEMST

It is always exciting when a member of the professional community earns recognition for their work in the classroom. Glenda Allen, an elementary school teacher from Barre, Vermont, has earned such recognition. In 2020, she garnered a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

This prestigious award honors the dedication, hard work, and important role that America’s teachers play in supporting learners who will become future STEM professionals, including computer technologists, climate scientists, mathematicians, innovators, space explorers, and engineers. The honor comes with a $10,000 prize, a certificate signed by President Joe Biden, and a trip to Washington, DC, to attend an honors ceremony with the President.

Glenda inaugurated her career as an educator since 1998. For 22 years, she has worked at Barre Town Middle and Elementary School teaching fourth through sixth grades. Currently, she specializes in sixth grade mathematics. Prior to that, Glenda taught fourth grade at Arbor Elementary School.

As an elementary teacher, Glenda has taught all content areas, but her shift to specializing in mathematics nine years ago led to a self-driven journey of professional development. This remarkable educator has spent many hours in reflection on the engagement and effectiveness of her lessons and experimentation with new learning strategies. She says that while her mathematics toolbox has grown, it still has plenty of room for more. As a veteran teacher, she considers herself to still be learning how to best motivate and reach all learners of mathematics.

In addition to her responsibilities in the classroom, Glenda is influential in leadership roles that impact her entire school district. She has served as a grade level contact, a middle school leadership team representative, a data team representative, a curriculum committee leader, a chairperson and secretary for the local standards board, and a member of the negotiating team. Additionally, she is the teacher representative for the Vermont State Licensing Hearing Panel.

Glenda earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1997. She also holds a Certificate of Advanced Standing in Elementary and Special Education from the College of St. Elizabeth. In 2006, Glenda earned her Master’s degree from Union Institute and University.

Delaware’s Brandi Luloff has garnered prestigious PAEMST award

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Elementary school math teacher Brandi Luloff of Delaware has garnered a 2022 PAEMST award. Photo Credit: paemst.org

I always enjoy sharing stories about exceptional educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. One of these is Brandi Luloff, an elementary teacher from Delaware who has garnered a  2022 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). This prestigious award honors the dedication, hard work, and important role that America’s teachers play in supporting learners who will become future STEM professionals, including computer technologists, climate scientists, mathematicians, innovators, space explorers, and engineers.

In a career that has spanned 17 years, Brandi has spent the last six of them at Townsend Elementary School in Townsend, Delaware. She spent the previous six years teaching at Maclary Elementary and Gallaher Elementary Schools in the Christina School District. Prior to that, she taught kindergarten for five years at Bright Horizons Family Solutions.

In her classroom, Brandi uses problem-based learning and she designs curriculum that engages her students in real-world scenarios.

Brandi’s passion for teaching and mathematics goes beyond her classroom walls. She serves her school as a full-time Instructional Coach, a role in which she works closely with classroom teachers to support student learning across the curriculum. Also, she represents her school as the District Math Content Chair Representative and on the Math Task Leadership team. In addition, Brandi collaborates with the District Leadership Team to organize and facilitate curriculum events for families and staff. And she conducts Professional Learning Community meetings and District professional development programs.

In addition to her PAEMST honors, Brandi was named her District’s Teacher of the Year in 2018.

Brandi earned her Bachelor’s degree in Child Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s degree in Elementary/Special Education from Wilmington University. She is currently attending Wilmington University to earn a Master’s degree in School Leadership and Administration.

To learn more about Brandi Luloff, see this article published in the Appoquinimink District News.

 

NY educator Ayanna Emanuel receives 2022-2023 Big Apple Award

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Educator Ayanna Emanuel, who teaches junior high school math, has been named a recipient of a Big Apple Award for 2022-2023. Photo Credit: New York City Department of Education

It is always my pleasure to share stories about outstanding educators. One of these is Ayanna Emanuel, a junior high school math teacher from New York. Ayanna has been named a recipient of a Big Apple Award for 2022-2023.

Ayanna says the driving force behind all of her instructional plans is creating an environment of equity where students develop a genuine appreciation of mathematics. She strives to know each and every one of her students as individuals, and has been able to build a rapport with each one that is based in trust.

Ayanna declares she prioritizes critical thinking over procedural or mechanical work. In her classroom, she begins each lesson asking students what they “notice.” She believes this practice incites curiosity and critical thinking. She says students often notice things that go beyond the mathematical intention behind the questions.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Ayanna is also a member of her school’s Instructional Leadership Team, and she has led a PTA meeting about standards-based grading and the positive impact of growth mindset. In addition, she has initiated vertical alignment of Math Department grading, and works with her District’s Math Equity Group. Furthermore, Ayanna is focused on providing Algebra for All access for all her eighth grade students.

As if all this were not enough, Ayanna created a step dance group as part of an after school program. Step dance gives the students an opportunity to express themselves freely while building community.

This is the tenth year that the Big Apple Awards have honored outstanding educators for their leadership, dedication to students, and contributions to their school communities. Each year, 20 educators across New York City are recognized. They represent all five boroughs and teach a range of subject areas and grade levels.

How can an English teacher who hates math successfully teach trigonometry?

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English teacher Amy Schwarzbach-Kang from Chicago, Illinois, got roped, unwillingly, into teaching a trigonometry class. Over time, the course became her favorite class of the day, she says. Photo Credit: Linked In

Recently I stumbled across an absolutely fascinating story about an English teacher from Chicago, Illinois, who got roped, unwillingly, into teaching a trigonometry class.

“I had always hated math. Now I suddenly found myself teaching trigonometry,” confesses Amy Schwartzbach-Kang. “I was an English teacher in Chicago Public Schools with certification in Special Education, and when my school was facing a shortage of certified Special Education teachers, I was pulled in mid-year to co-teach a junior-level trigonometry class with the math teacher,” she said.

Despite her initial unwillingness, as time passed, trig became her favorite class of the day, Amy reveals. “After spending years teaching English and reading, I was being challenged to move beyond what I had always been doing,” she says. “When you’re new to something, you have a fresh perspective. You’re willing to take risks. You’re willing to try anything because you don’t know how something should be done,” she continued.

So how would an English teacher who hates math overcome her subject-prejudice, successfully teach a course in trigonometry, and even learn to love it? You can discover her ingenious strategy in the article she wrote entitled  Learning Math by Seeing it as a Story. The article was published by Edutopia on March 26, 2019. Check it out!

IL educator Brandy Hempen garners prestigious PAEMST honors

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Elementary school educator Dr. Brandy Hempen of Illinois has garnered prestigious 2022 PAEMST honors. Photo Credit: Illinois Association of Regional Superintendent of Schools.

I am always excited to share stories about exceptional educators who have earned accolades for their work in the classroom. One of these is Dr. Brandy Hempen, an elementary school teacher who has garnered a 2022 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

At the time of her nomination for the PAEMST in 2020, Brandy was teaching at Germantown Elementary School in Germantown in southern Illinois. In a career that has spanned ten years, she has taught in grades three, five, seven, and eight. She also served as a curriculum coordinator and instructional coach for kindergarten through eighth grade at Germantown Elementary School District 60. In addition to her work in the classroom, Brandy has conducted conferences on a variety of educational topics specializing in teaching mathematics in the 21st century. Currently she is an instructor of educational technology and leadership at the Teachers College at Western Governors University.

Brandy’s PAEMST is not the only recognition she has earned. In 2018, she was one of 27 educators from all over the globe selected by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development to serve as an Emerging Leader in Education. Additionally, in her early years of teaching, she was selected as an Early Career Educator by the Illinois State Board of Education.

The honored educator credits her fifth grade teacher for planting the idea to become a teacher in her mind. “My fifth grade teacher played a huge role in my life. She couldn’t have kids, so she kind of took me under her wing. I distinctly remember her saying to me one day, ‘You should be a teacher,'” she recalls. While she was working on her Bachelor’s degree, Brandy says, “I was doing my demonstration teaching in a second grade classroom and I fell head over heels in love with this work! As a student teacher, I wasn’t even getting paid, yet I couldn’t wait to wake up and go to work each day. That sealed it for me. I’ve been an educator ever since,” she concluded.

Brandy earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in differentiated instruction, and her PhD in Educational Technology and Leadership.