Tag Archives: Math Teachers

Teachers who specialized in math.

Ohio teacher Dave Kennat perishes in horrific school bus accident

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Members of the academic community in Ohio are mourning the loss of high school mathematics teacher Dave Kennat. He perished in a horrific school bus accident on Nov. 14. Dave taught at Tuscarawa Valley High School in Zoarville. Photo credit: Solid Rock Photos

Members of the academic community in Ohio are mourning the loss of high school mathematics teacher Dave Kennat. He passed away in a horrific school bus accident on Tues., Nov. 14. The beloved educator lived in Navarre and taught at Tuscarawa Valley High School in Zoarville, Ohio, for the past 31 years. He was 56 years old.

The horrific accident also claimed the lives of three students and two parent chaperones. According to police authorities, the accident occurred when the charter bus the students were traveling in was hit by a commercial semitrailer traveling in the same direction. The adults were following the bus, and were in one of five vehicles that were also involved in the crash.

Dave instructed courses in College Placement Algebra II, Algebra II, and Introduction to Microsoft Office. “I take my mathematical thinking with me to every endeavor and believe that problem solving is one of the most important traits a person can have,” Dave once remarked. “I hope I can impart a sense of problem solving to my students as this may be the most important lesson they learn,” he continued.

In addition to his work in the classroom, Dave also served his school as the Ski Club Advisor. He once confessed that he thinks about skiing all year, and hoped to share this passion with his students. He also enjoyed camping, hiking,kayaking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and gardening.

Dave also volunteered at Wanake Camp and Retreat Center in Beach City, Ohio, for 33 years. There he worked as a counselor, assistant director, photographer, and videographer.

The fallen educator will be sorely missed by students at the school. “I always loved him in class. He was always super energetic, made class fun. Really just an easy guy to talk to,” recalls student John Leffler, a senior. “Really unfortunate that he’s not going to be there anymore,” Leffler continues.

Dave earned his Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics Education at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, in 1989. He earned his Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction of Computer Science in 1999 from Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio, 1999.

Our sincerest condolences to family, friends, and colleagues of all those who passed away and all those who were injured.

NJ math teacher Riley Gartland earns prestigious 2023 Milken Award

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High school mathematics educator Riley Gartland of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, has garnered a prestigious 2023 Milken Educator Award. Photo credit: Milken

Hearty congratulations go out to Riley Gartland of New Jersey! She has garnered a prestigious Milken Educator Award for 2023. She has been a mathematics teacher at Cinnaminson High School in Burlington County for the past eight years.

Riley sets high standards for her students, but she works diligently to make sure they have a path to success. She creates individualized achievement plans for each student by pre-testing each one to determine their current level, and then she schedules one-on-one meetings with them to provide individualized support. These efforts have led to notable achievement growth among students of all abilities, with many consistently outperforming the county and state. Also, Riley uses real-life applications of mathematics to bring her classroom to life. Her students create board games, make Sierpinksi triangles, and use current math technology like Desmos to create art.

In addition, Riley serves as her school’s advisor for the National Honor Society, planning the induction ceremony and reception, and chaperoning the prom and a senior class trip to Disney World. She serves as the freshman class advisor, mentoring students during all four years at Cinnaminson. She plans fundraisers, spirit week, and the school blood drive. She also fills the role of co-advisor for the school’s Future Educators Association.

Riley’s leadership extends beyond her classroom. She collaborates with the Math Department, sharing her data analysis resources with colleagues and helping to develop curriculum for students so they can build strong ties to state learning standards. During district professional development sessions, she has been instrumental in training colleagues on new technology and resources, including helping colleagues implement remote instruction during the pandemic. As if all this were not enough, Riley is active in professional development and committed to a positive school environment. She leads the Sunshine Committee, an on-campus faculty club that helps to improve teacher morale.

Riley earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education and Mathematics from Rowan University in Voorhees, New Jersey, in 2016.

The Milken Educator Awards are hailed by Teacher magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching.” For more than 35 years, the program has recognized excellence in the world of education by honoring top educators around the country with a $25,000  cash prize. The honor includes membership in the National Milken Educator Network, a group of more than 2,700 exemplary professional educators from all over the country. To learn more, click on Milken Educator Awards.

Kansas teacher Tom Hawk also served his community as a lawmaker

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Long-time educator Tom Hawk also served his community as a public servant and lawmaker in both the Kansas State House of Representatives and the Kansas State Senate. Photo credit: Kansas State Senate

Many excellent educators have also served their community as a public servant and lawmaker. This is true of Tom Hawk, a former teacher who served in both the Kansas State House of Representatives and the Kansas State Senate.

Tom was born on Sept, 18, 1946, in Colby, Kansas. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Math Education in 1968, his Master’s degree in Counseling in 1970, and his PhD in Educational Administration in 1983, all from Kansas State University.

With this impressive list of degrees, Tom invested 33 years in a career as an educator. From 1968 to 1975 he taught mathematics in Manhattan-Ogden Pubic Schools. He also worked as a school counselor during those years. In addition, he coached wrestling, and he even won an award for Outstanding Coaching in 1970. From 1976 to 2000 Tom served the school district as an administrator and curriculum director, and from 2000 to 2001 he performed the responsibilities of the District Superintendent.

After his retirement from the field of education, Tom decided to launch a career in politics. He was elected on the Democratic ticket to the Kansas State House of Representatives representing District 67. He served three terms in that body, from 2004 to 2011. In 2012 he was elected to the Kansas State Senate representing District 22, where he served two terms until his retirement fro politics in 2023. There he served on the Committees for Ways and Means; Educational Planning; Corrections and Juvenile Justice; and Agriculture. He also has experience serving on the Governor’s Education Policy Task Force; the City-County Land Use Task Force; and the Governor’s Best Team for Agriculture and Natural Resources. Throughout his years of service, Tom said supporting public and higher education has been one of his most important missions.

Tom currently lives in Manhattan, Kansas. There he is the owner of Tom Hawk Incorporated Professional Photography. He is 77 years old.

 

CA Teacher of the Year substitutes for “Wheel of Fortune” hostess Vanna White

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A 2023 California Teacher of the Year was introduced to Wheel of Fortune fans this week when she asked to temporarily substitute for program hostess Vanna White. Vanna was unable to report for work because she tested positive for Covid, so the award-winning teacher, Bridgette Donald-Blue, was asked to fill in. The choice was appropriate, since the show was celebrating Teachers Week that day.

“When I got the call to be a part of ‘Wheel of Fortune’ for Teachers Week, I was tremendously excited,” Bridgette recalled. “It was a great opportunity to champion the cause of education, the work that teachers do every day,” she continued. Bridgette has been an educator for three decades. She teaches Math Intervention at grades K-3 at Coliseum Street Elementary in South Los Angeles.

Bridgette describes her teaching style as reflective. “I’m constantly looking at data, at how students are understanding a lesson, then seeing where it can be tweaked or changed,” she explains. “I always think I could have done something a little better. If I give a lesson to 30 kids and 17 kids are right there and ready to go, that means that I’ve got 13 that are not quite getting it—and that’s absolutely not acceptable,” she declares. “So I always try to figure out, what can I do? To help make sure every student is learning, I end up including lots of different modalities,” she continues. “So if I’m teaching a particular topic one day, it might be taught via a lot of listening strategies. Another day it might be taught through a lot of speaking strategies. I’m trying to ensure that all my kids can enter in and understand the subject matter, no matter what their learning style is,” she says.

To learn more about Bridgette, read this transcript of a 2023 interview published by LA School Report.

VA math teacher YuJeong Julia Shin garners special recognition

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Virginia middle school mathematics teacher YuJeong Julia Shin has garnered the 2023 Region 5 Outstanding Secondary School New Teacher award from Fairfax County Public Schools. Photo credit: Fairfax County Public Schools

It is always my pleasure to call attention to exceptional educators who have earned recognition for their work in the classroom. Today, I shine a spotlight on Mathematics Teacher YuJeong Julia Shin of Fairfax County Pubic Schools (FCPS) in Fairfax, Virginia. She has garnered recognition as the 2023 Region 5 Outstanding Secondary School New Teacher.

Julia teaches mathematics at Frost Middle School. She also co-advises who school’s MathCounts team, connecting with students who strive to become better collaborators and problem solvers.

The selection of Julia was announced at the annual FCPS Honors event held at George Mason University Center for the Arts this past June. The recognition is given to one elementary teacher and one secondary teacher within their first three years of teaching who demonstrate superior performance and instructional skills. The award celebrates excellence in achieving successful academic outcomes for their students.

Julia says she places special emphasis on demonstrating and practicing the school motto: Work hard, be nice, and widen your circle. She works diligently to connect with her students. Her goal is to develop strong relationships while dedicating herself to fostering a welcoming classroom community where every student feels safe to ponder, question, explore, make mistakes, learn, and grow. In addition, Julia constantly recognizes and celebrates her students’ achievements and successes, encouraging students to take pride in their learning experiences and reach their highest potential.

“Not only can Ms. Shin thoroughly teach me Algebra, in a way that is interesting and understandable, she also takes time to get to know me on a personal level,” says a student in the honored teacher’s class. Another student agrees. “I really enjoy being in Ms. Shin’s class. She explains difficult problems and breaks them down in such a way that makes them feel easy and I can always understand the content,” declared the student.

Julia is a graduate of the Secondary Education program offered at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. To read more about Julia Shin, click on this link to Frost Middle School.