My story:
I spent the first 13 years of my career teaching mathematics to high school students in south central Pennsylvania. During that time, the interactions that I had with young people impacted me in ways I never could have expected. I thought harder about how students came to learn mathematics, why certain concepts were so difficult for students to learn, and how I could increase the effectiveness of my instruction. My passion for teaching grew deeper the longer I taught, and I wanted my work to extend to students beyond my classroom. I began to work with teachers from my district and across the state, and these experiences convinced me that I needed to learn more about mathematics teaching and learning. As a result, I decided to pursue a PhD, which gave me the opportunity to investigate questions that had emerged from my practice as a classroom teacher. I received my PhD from Penn State University in 2010. In my research, I focus on students’ quantitative reasoning about constant and varying rate of change.
My Students at the University of Colorado Denver:
I have the opportunity to teach prospective and practicing teachers working towards different degrees and licenses. Prospective teachers who participate in my courses can expect to deepen their own understanding of mathematics, develop understanding of how students learn mathematics, and become equipped to teach in culturally responsive, socially just ways that support students’ learning of mathematics. Practicing teachers who participate in my courses can expect to develop their ability to utilize research to inform their practice, deepen their understanding of how students learn mathematics, and become better equipped to teach students mathematics in ways that are equitable and socially just.
Classes I teach at the University of Colorado Denver School of Education & Human Development:
- Mathematics for Elementary Teachers— MATH 3040
- Curriculum and Methods in Secondary Mathematics — UEDU 4300/5300
- Assessment in Secondary Mathematics — UEDU 4301/5301
- Topics in Mathematics Education— ELED 5430/SECE 5440
My research interests:
- How students reason quantitatively about constant and varying rate of change
- How students build from informal ways of reasoning and combine different forms of reasoning when developing understanding of mathematical concepts
- How teachers develop practices that facilitate students’ development of ways of reasoning that support students’ developing understanding of mathematical concepts
My hobbies:
Hiking and cycling are my favorite ways to enjoy the outdoors. When I am indoors, I love baking pies from scratch and solving New York Times Sunday crosswords.
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