EducationGo Beavs!!
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I spent my first year of college at the University of Montana in Missoula. I met some great people and loved the town, but ultimately I decided that I needed to be closer to my family back in Oregon (and benefit from that in-state tuition!). I transferred to Oregon State University and received my Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 3 years. During my time as an undergraduate, I worked for Academics for Student Athletes for two years and spent a lot of time tutoring and working with the student athletes on campus. I have always loved mathematics, but this is when I discovered my love for teaching and working with older students. After I earned my bachelor's degree in 2014 I decided to pursue my master's degree. I applied to the Professional Teacher Education in Math or Science Master's Program at OSU and got accepted. I received my Master of Science in Mathematics Education in 10 and a half months and graduated in 2015.
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Interests/HobbiesMy women's soccer team after winning the championship!
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Growing up an Oregonian, I have an appreciation for everything outdoors. I love to go backpacking with my dog, Porter. I've hiked around the South Sister in central Oregon, spent several trips in the Opal Creek Wilderness enjoying the crystal clear water, and trekked my way through the Wallowa Wilderness. I also enjoy playing soccer. I started playing when I was 5 years old and haven't been able to quit. I currently play on several indoor teams in Corvallis and have anywhere from 1-5 games a week (depending on how many teams I'm on at the time). When I'm not doing either of those things, I enjoy reading, baking, listening to music, cuddling with my dog, and napping.
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Teaching Philosophy |
My teaching philosophy can be summarized by the following beliefs:
Mistakes are a good thing... They help you to grow and to understand. I don't care how many times students mess up, as long as they use it as an opportunity to learn. There is a difference between making a mistake and giving up and making a mistake and taking the steps to evaluate and understand why the mistake was made and what can be done to prevent it in the future. It allows for a more in depth analysis and discussion of the content. Mistakes are not the end of the work, they are the beginning. Math is not a scary thing... At least it shouldn't be. Yes, it can be difficult and complicated but that is what makes it beautiful. My goal is to make math accessible and interesting by constantly assessing the way that I teach it. Students should be able to see the purpose in the math we do and get excited about the interesting patterns and relationships that exist everywhere. Problem solving... This is the core of mathematics. If I can teach students nothing else but how to approach and find solutions to complex problems, I will have succeeded. Not only is this crucial in mathematics, but it is also an incredibly useful life skill. We will encounter problems and situations in which students won't even know where to start. It is my goal to teach strategies, entry points, and pathways for accessing and solving a variety of problems. Growth mindset... Math ability is not hereditary. Students are neither born good nor bad at mathematics. That means that using the fact that their parents or uncle or sister or brother were bad at math is not an excuse for them to not try. Like most skills, math proficiency is an ongoing process and students have all the control in whether or not they are successful. My role is to give feedback, opportunities, and encouragement along the way, but their ability to be successful with mathematics is never a fixed thing. They have the power to be as good or as bad as they want to be. |