Tag Archives: Math Teachers

Jr high teacher Geraldine Darden became 14th African American to earn a doctorate in math

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Former junior high school teacher Geraldine Darden of Virginia became the 14th African American in the country to earn a doctorate in mathematics. Photo credit:Black Women in Mathematics

Many extraordinary educators make a mark in areas other than teaching. This is certainly the case with junior high school math teacher Geraldine Claudette Darden, who became the 14th African American in the country to earn a doctorate in mathematics.

Geraldine was born on July 22, 1936, in Nansemond County, Virginia. She attended segregated Black public schools in her county. By all accounts she was a very good student. After high school graduation, she enrolled at the Hampton Institute, a historically African-American institution of higher learning, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1957 and her Master’s degree in 1960. She also earned a Master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Ubana Champaign, and a PhD from Syracuse University. In fact, this remarkable educator was the 14th African American in the United States to earn a PhD in mathematics.

Geraldine accepted her first teaching position at S.H. Clarke Junior High School in Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1957. In the summer of 1958, she saw a unique opportunity for aspiring mathematicians when the Russians launched the satelllite Sputnik, an event that spurred a national interest in mathematics and science. She applied for and received a National Science Foundation grant to attend the Summer Institute in Mathematics held at North Carolina Central University. There she met Marjorie Lee Browne, the mathematician who directed the Institute, who encouraged Geraldine to go on to graduate school at Syracuse.

After earning her degrees, Geraldine became strongly interested in mathematics education at the high school and college level. So, in addition to teaching, this Chalkboard Champion co-wrote selected papers on pre-calculus with acclaimed textbook authors Tom Apostol, Gulbank D. Chakerian, and John D. Neff.

Wisconsin teacher Lois Womack garners prestigious PAEMST

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Elementary school mathematics teacher Lois Womack from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has garnered a prestigious PAEMST award. Here she is with one of her students. Photo credit: Scripps Local Media

Congratulations to Lois Womack from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, an elementary math teacher who has earned a prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

This PAEMST is a national honor that recognizes 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 cash prize, a certificate signed by President Joe Biden, and a trip to Washington, DC, to attend an honors ceremony with the President.

Lois currently teaches fourth and fifth grade mathematics at Marvin E. Pratt Elementary School in Milwaukee. She has taught there for the past five years. Prior to that, she worked at Starms Discovery Learning Center for 11 years, six as the school’s Mathematics Teacher Leader and five as a fifth grade teacher. Lois was an Elementary Mathematics Assistant Coordinator and Mathematics Teaching Specialist, supporting mathematics teaching and learning districtwide, for five years. She spent six years at Hi-Mount Community School, where she began her teaching career.

Lois says she is passionate about teaching. Her goal each day is to make the mathematics concepts and skills clear in order to enhance students’ understanding. She also places an emphasis on building relationships and on being a good role model to improve students’ achievement. “I want kids to see me and know they can go into math and science fields and excel,” declares Lois. “I knew I wanted to teach math and break down concepts for kids, and help create that growth mindset, so they are confident about their skills,” she continues.

During her years at Marvin E. Pratt Elementary, Lois was appointed the Math Champion; was the chair of the Mathematics Committee for three years; and provided professional development for staff. Additionally, she conducted professional development sessions on working with advanced learners in mathematics and creating equitable and accessible mathematics classrooms for teachers and administrators throughout the district.

Her PAEMST is not the only recognition Lois has earned. In March 2021, she garnered the Excellence in Education award from the Milwaukee Board of School Directors.

Lois earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

To read more about Lois Womack, click on this link to Scripps Local Media.

NY teacher Lynda Brennan earns prestigious PAEMST honors

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Congratulations go to elementary school math teacher Lynda Brennan of New York. She has earned a prestigious PAEMST. Photo Credit: Mt. Kisco Daily Voice

Congratulations to elementary school math teacher Lynda Brennan of Suffern, New York, an elementary math teacher who has earned a prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

This prestigious honor recognizes 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 cash prize, a certificate signed by President Joe Biden, and a trip to Washington, DC, to attend an honors ceremony with the President.

Lynda has been a teacher at Richard P. Connor (RPC) Elementary School for 26 years. She inaugurated her elementary teaching career as a kindergarten teacher. She has also taught fifth grade mathematics and science. For the past 12 years, she has served her District as a mathematics specialist, working with area Math Ambassadors.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Lynda works with Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State (AMTNYS) as a Conference Committee Chair; Ten County Mathematics Educators Association (TCMEA) as an NCTM Representative; NCTM as a volunteer magazine referee; and with the Rockland Teacher Center where she facilitates a grant-funded elementary mathematics regional Professional Learning Community. In addition, she has been a speaker at national, state, and local conferences, including the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM), NCTM, AMTNYS, TCMEA, New Cubed, Building Math Minds and Minds on Math Virtual Summits, and the Penn Wood School in the United Kingdom.

As if all this were not enough, Lynda is the founder of the Math MileMarkers children’s book series, a project she inaugurated seven years ago. She says her philosophy behind this endeavor is that mathematics-infused stories can connect all learners to the subject of mathematics in visually powerful ways. The series includes such titles as  “Miss Penny Says Prove It!” (2014), “On my way to Grandma’s House” (2015), “Charlie in Fraction City” (2016), and “Jayla Number Navigator” (2018).

Lynda earned her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management in 1986 from Siena College in Loudonville, New York, and her Master’s degree in Elementary Education in 1990 from Fordham University in the Bronx, New York.

Michigan’s Laura Osborn: Teacher, campaigner for school reform, and suffragist

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Laura Osborn was a teacher, campaigner for school reform, and suffragist from Detroit, Michigan. Photo Credit: Detroit Historical Society

Many fine educators have also made significant contributions to their community. One of these was Laura Osborn, a teacher, campaigner for school reform, and suffragist from Detroit, Michigan.

Laura was born in 1866 in Huntington, Indiana, and raised there. As a young woman, she taught mathematics and civics in public schools in Huntington until her marriage in 1891. Later, she served many years as a member of the school board for Detroit Public Schools during the early decades of the 20th century.

Laura was first elected to the school board in 1917, the first woman elected to a citywide office in Detroit. She served on that body until 1955. For many of those years she was the school board’s president. In all, her service on the school board spanned 38 years. During her tenure, Laura worked tirelessly for school board reform, advocating specifically for non-partisan school boards within her state.

Laura was responsible, in part or in whole, for innovations which are now considered standard practice, including school lunch rooms supervised by trained dietitians, special instruction for handicapped children, health education, classes in manual and domestic arts, and courses for gifted and talented students. She devised better business methods for school administrators and insisted upon fire-proof school buildings as well as classes for children in custody at the Juvenile Detention Home. In fact, because of Laura’s innovations, Detroit schools became the model for best practices all over the state.

In addition to her work in the public schools, Laura is also credited with having mobilized women into the causes of women’s suffrage and temperance.

Sadly, Laura Osborn passed away in 1955. She was 89 years old. After her passing, Detroit name their newly-built Osborn High School in her honor. In 1995, this Chalkboard Champion was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame.

 

Educator Joaquin Bustoz established AP program for Tempe students

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Educator Joaquin Bustoz established an Advanced Placement math and science program for students in the Tempe Unified School District. Photo Credit: Arizona State University

There are many examples of brilliant educators who have offered their talents to improve high school instruction. One such educator was Joaquin Bustoz, Jr., a university math professor from Arizona who established an Advanced Placement program for high school students.

Joaquin was born on Dec. 30, 1939, in Tempe, Arizona, one of five children born to parents Joaquin, Sr., and Ramona. His parents, who were farm workers, also worked for their local schools, and were so revered that the Tempe Unified School District even named one of their elementary school after the couple.

In 1962, Joaquin earned his Bachelor’s degree in math from Arizona State University. Continuing his education at that institution, he earned his Master’s degree the following year, and in 1967 he completed the requirements for his PhD. After earning his doctorate, Joaquin became a professor of mathematics at the University of Cincinatti, where he taught from 1969 to 1976.

In 1985, Joaquin founded the Summer Math-Science Honors program for high school students under the auspices of the University of Arizona. Still in place today, the curriculum offers an Advanced Placement program that provides opportunities for under-represented students to study university mathematics and science while still enrolled in high school. He also devoted many hours to Native American students on the nearby Navajo and Pima Reservations.

For his outstanding work as an educator, Joaquin garnered numerous awards. For example, President Bill Clinton recognized Joaquin with the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Math, and Engineering (PAEMST) in 1996.

Sadly, this talented and dedicated educator was killed on Aug. 13, 2003, in an automobile accident. He is interred at Double Butte Cemetery in Tempe.

You can learn more about this outstanding Chalkboard Champion on the website of the Mathematical Association of America by clicking MAA. You can also learn more about the Advanced Placement program he founded at ASU Summer Math Program.