Name: Jennifer
Brackney
Region/Representation: MCTM President-elect
School: Castle Rock Middle School
City: Billings
Present Teaching Assignment:
·
7th Grade Honors
Pre-Algebra
·
8th Grade Pre-Algebra
·
8th Grade Foundations (a
support class for our struggling 8th graders)
Education Background:
·
I received an undergraduate degree in
Elementary Education from Black Hills State in Spearfish South Dakota in 2004
·
I completed a Master’s in Middle
School Mathematics program through Walden University in 2009
Teaching Experience: This is my 15th year teaching
middle school mathematics. I taught for 3 years in the Lockwood School District,
before taking a job with Billings Public Schools in 2007.
Activities in MCTM:
·
Regional MCTM Math Contest Director,
2006-Present
·
MCTM Math Contest test writer
·
MCTM Board Member and Secretary 2013-2016
·
MCTM Trivia Night Host, 2014-Present
·
MCTM Presenter at MEA 2004-Present
What positive traits you will bring to
the board? I am organized and outgoing. I enjoy
being involved in the organizations that I am a part of and look forward to
taking on a leadership role in MCTM.
What role MCTM should take in Montana
mathematics?
I
believe that MCTM should take an active role in providing support to both our
state’s teachers and students through high quality professional development,
scholarships and contests.
Name: Michelle
Brown
Region/Representation:
Region 2; 9-12 grade band
School: Great
Falls High School
City: Great
Falls
Present
Teaching Assignment: College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Intro Stats, Honors Stats
Education
Background: CMR High School, MSU Bozeman (BS), Lesley University (MA)
Teaching
Experience: I am currently in my 25th year at GFHS and my 18th year at
Great Falls College MSU as an adjunct.
Activities
in MCTM: I was the handy assistant to our regional math contest
director for the first 20 years of my career and then stepped up to my current
role as the director for the Great Falls region. I have benefited greatly over
the years from MCTM sponsored activities and now want the opportunity to give
back!
Other
Information (activities, awards, organizational memberships, etc.): Active
member of both MCTM and NCTM. Awards and honors: BNSF Teacher of the Year
2018; GFCMSU Outstanding Adjunct of the Year 2017; State Finalist for
the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics & Science Teaching
2015; GFPS Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018;
Stanford University Teacher Tribute 2008; Trig-Star Teaching Excellence
Award 2007. I love to jump into all things math related so my activity list is
long and fun. :)
What
positive traits you will bring to the board? I
absolutely love math, students and teachers! I enjoy working with colleagues from
around the state in all school sizes and grade levels to ensure that our
students are getting the best mathematics experience possible. I am a good
listener and value what each of us has to bring to the critical conversations
needed to advance our mathematical growth. Having taught all high school
courses from the low to the high, I bring experience and a definite belief that
all students can and should be exposed to the coursework needed to maximize
their own growth and help them find their true potential. Not only am I
supportive of students, but I feel our teachers need this same support,
encouragement and growth. :)
What
role MCTM should take in Montana mathematics? MCTM should
help take care of teachers, inspire teachers and provide opportunities for
teachers to grow. Our teachers can then reach out and impact all of our
students. Student opportunities are also there through MCTM, but it all starts
with the teachers first.
Name: Christopher Linhart
Region/Representation: Region 3; 9-12 grade band
School: Hobson Public School
City: Hobson, MT
Present Teaching Assignment:
I am
currently the Mathematics teacher for all classes 8th Grade through Calculus. I
have taught classes as low as 6th Grade in the past.
Education Background:
Undergraduate:
Bachelors of science, Mathematics, University of Montana - Montana Tech in
Butte, 2004-2008, graduated with honors. Teaching certificate University of
Montana Western. At Tech I was an active member and held offices in Math Club
and in the Education Club. I had the opportunity to attend NCTM three times as
an undergraduate studies where I started to build my understanding of education
and the importance of technology in the classroom.
Masters:
Master Degree in Teaching Middle-Level Mathematics from the University of
Montana – Missoula in the Spring of 2016. This experience enhanced the way I
view teaching mathematics and deepened my understanding of grading to represent
true knowledge learned (focus of my thesis).
Teaching Experience:
I
have taught in two wonderful school districts and believe they have each taught
me important lessons about students and the importance of community,
colleagues, and culture. During my student teaching in Helena at Capital High
School in the Fall of 2008, I was presented with an opportunity that allowed me
to become a faculty member there and led to five wonderful years of support by
a department and administration that helped set the foundations of my teaching
of mathematics and technology in the classroom.
Having
the opportunity to return home to Hobson has been a personal blessing because
it has allowed me and my wife the opportunity to raise our two girls near our
families. Teaching in Hobson over the past six years has taught me that
education comes in many forms and what works in a class AA school isn’t
necessarily what a small class C school needs. I have been challenged to step
outside traditional lecture style of teaching to a more collective and
collaborative approach. This builds on each student’s skills as well as supports
their individual weaknesses. Technology is still an important part of the
mixture, however, it has taken a backseat to a lot of the discussions and
collaboration the students bring to my room.
Activities in MCTM:
●
MCubed in Butte (This event is a highlight of my summer every year)
●
Attendee and Presenter at MEA, (Co-presented x2 years with Mr. Michael Poser
and Professor
Fred
Peck).
●
Montana Math Circle in Great Falls and Billings
●
MCTM Mid-State Math Contest. Co-director for 2019 contest, Hobson is hosting
this year’s
MCTM
Mid-State Math Contest.
●
TI-Nspire training at Canyon Ferry Lake
Other Information (activities, awards,
organizational memberships, etc.):
●
Taking students to participate in Montana Models in Bozeman (Summer 2019)
●
Student Council Advisor at Capital High School (2009-2013)
●
Middle School Student Council Advisor at Hobson (20013-2015)
● Tri
City Junior High Football Coach (2016-2018)
What positive traits you will bring to
the board?
I have
a strong desire to assist small rural schools and become an advocate for
programs, activities and resources. On the MCTM Board this is something I could
use to help reach these schools. I view MCTM as a vital part of why I have
become the teacher I am today and hope to help other teachers around the state
to see what it can offer to them and the doors and opportunities it could help
to open for them.
What role MCTM should take in Montana
mathematics?
I
view MCTM as a supportive organization for the teachers of Montana. It is an
organization that
dedicates
itself to making every math teacher in the state a better educator and
ultimately strengthen our students. Students and their future should drive what
we do in MCTM.
Name: Beth
Ann Walsh
Region/Representation: Region 3;
5-8 grade band
School: East Valley Middle School
City: East Helena
Present Teaching Assignment: Math
and Pre-Algebra for Grade 7
Education Background: Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education
-math major, child development minor, English minor from Central Michigan
University. 30 Credits of math training through U of M and MSU Bozeman
Teaching Experience:16 years teaching middle school math in East
Helena, 1 year teaching middle school math in Colorado, 4 years of Title One
English and mathematics in Bethel, Alaska
Activities in MCTM: Interim board member for one year.
Presented "My Favorite" activity at M-cubed conference. MCTM Member
for many years.
Other Information (activities, awards, organizational
memberships, etc.): NCTM, Presidential Award State Finalist 2017 for
mathematics teaching, Leader of PLC's for East Valley Middle School, Lead
Teacher/Organizer for the Greater Helena Math Teacher's Circle, Carroll College
Advisory Panel, MSPLead participant for two years. Member of the Teacher
Leadership Institute, Member of the National Counsel of Supervisors of
Mathematics and the Association of Middle Level Education.
What positive traits you will bring to the board? Hardwork:
Never afraid to work hard and get the tasks done. Passion: I love the
complexity and beauty of mathematics. Leadership: I have been developing my
leadership skills through the MSPLead Seminars and Teacher Leadership Institute
as well as taking on leadership roles in my district and state. I would love to
have more teachers share their voices and experiences across the state.
Communication: I do my best to be an active listener and
effective communicator.
What role MCTM should take in Montana mathematics? MCTM
continues their work with external agencies to make quality mathematics
instruction available to all students. Professional development and leadership
opportunities continues to be a major role for MCTM's work. Also, MCTM
continues to be a voice for teachers and math advocates across the
state.
Name:
Kerry Gruizenga
Region/Representation: Region
4, 9-12 Grade Band
School:
Skyview High School
City:
Billings
Present
Teaching Assignment: I teach Algebra 1 to freshman (and a few others) and AP
Statistics to seniors. I love the combination of energetic, new students
that can be convinced that math is fun in high school and curious,
intellectually stimulating seniors who need to see math in a new way.
Education
Background: I graduated from Jamestown College with a Bachelor of Arts
in Math and Elementary Education and my K-12 certification. I got my
National Board Certification in AYA Mathematics in 2012 and finished my
Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Jamestown
(same as my undergrad, but online) this December (2018).
Teaching
Experience: I have been teaching at Skyview for 12 years. During that
time, I have taught Algebra 1, Algebra Foundations, Geometry, Trailing Geometry
and AP Statistics. Before that, I was the Youth Director at First
Presbyterian Church in Billings. This involved national work to write and
publish curriculum along with planning and implementing large youth retreats.
Activities
in MCTM: I was the MCTM conference chair from 2009-2011.
Throughout my teaching career, I have attended and presented at numerous
MEA-MFT conferences and Mcubed in Butte since its inception, test writer for
Math contest, Room Monitor Wrangler for local contest
Other
Information (activities, awards, organizational memberships, etc.): I
was the 2015 President's Award for Mathematics and Science Teaching Winner from
Montana and have served on the selection committee for the state nominees for
the past two years. I have been a member (and held all the offices) of
two non-profit boards in Billings, my term as past president for one of them is
ending this year. I worked on committees that planned large (500+) youth
conferences in my previous job so understand both the organizational process of
events and committee work. I have coached speech and debate for the past
10 years, but am looking to move my focus back to continuing the development of
mathematics education in my classroom and school and in our state.
What
positive traits you will bring to the board? I am
solution oriented and able to quickly see the big picture of how a plan might
come together. I speak and write well which makes me able to communicate
my ideas and those of a group easily.
What
role should MCTM should take in Montana mathematics?
I believe that MCTM should help mathematics educators to be effective advocates
for student learning in mathematics. That may come through education
opportunities or mentoring or curriculum and may happen in person or virtually,
but should include every level of experience and education.
Name:
Carly Texley
Region/Representation: Region
4, 5-8 Grade Band
School:
Miles Avenue School, Billings Public Schools
City:
Billings
Present
Teaching Assignment: I am currently a fifth grade teacher- all subjects
Education
Background: I graduated from the University of Montana in Missoula with a BA
in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Spanish in December of 2014.
Teaching
Experience:
This is my fourth year as a fifth grade teacher and fifth year
working in Billings School District #2. I did two years at Broadwater
School, and this is my second year at Miles Avenue. After graduating from
college in December of 2014, I started my career with Billings Public Schools
after accepting a long term assignment position at Lewis and Clark Middle
School. For the three months I was there, I taught 7th grade life science, 8th
grade physical science and 7th grade Read 180. My goal is to obtain my MA
in Teaching School Mathematics in the next few years.
Activities
in MCTM:
I first became a member of MCTM in 2017 and attended the M-Cubed
conference in Butte that summer. I was also in attendance at the MCTM
luncheon during MEA-MFT conferences last October.
Other
Information
Activities:
Since teaching fifth grade, I have truly found my passion for
teaching mathematics and developing many activities to support student learning
within my own classroom. For example, I developed a project that my
students lovingly call “Welcome to the Real World”. It is a year-long project
in which my students use the concepts they learn with numbers and operations to
earn paychecks, keep and balance a checkbook, pay bills and even get exposure
to some expenses that they might see in the real world (i.e. overdraft fees,
medical expenses, leisure expenses, etc.). As they learn more, the more they
get to practice those skills doing relevant and real-world math. In addition, I
am also a co-recipient of an NCTM grant which funded the development of a
series of a project intended to foster confidence and boost self-perception
intermediate children with mathematics. Another fifth grade teacher in
the district, a professor at Montana State University- Billings and myself
found real people in an array of different careers to interview, then developed
corresponding 3-Act Tasks to show students how people use math everyday in
careers that wouldn’t be expected and give them an opportunity to think as
someone would in that career.
Awards:
I was selected as a Teacher Leader in Number Sense Routines and
3-Act Tasks for Billings Public Schools to provide training for colleagues on
how to best utilize both in a classroom and the value of doing so. I was
a member of the committee that helped develop the fifth grade math proficiency
scales that are now used across all elementary schools in Billings Public
Schools to measure grades. I was also selected as the 3-5 grade school
representative in math cadre from 2016-2018.
Organizational
memberships:
I am currently a member of the Montana Council of Teachers of Mathematics,
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and National Council of Supervisors
of Mathematics
What
positive traits you will bring to the board?
I feel like I would be a very positive addition to the board
because I eager to learn, try and share new ideas, both with the fellow board
members and teachers who are unfamiliar with MCTM. Even talking with my
colleagues, I am often surprised at how many teachers do not know that MCTM
exists. I believe it is important to share the many resources and
opportunities that MCTM provides with other elementary teachers in my region.
Hopefully by spreading the word, a professional community could start to
develop that would expand the resources MCTM has to offer for elementary math
teachers. I know as a teacher myself, I would love to have more opportunities
to share ideas and collaborate with others in my grade level across the region.
What
role MCTM should take in Montana mathematics?
I think that MCTM has the potential to provide resources and
professional development opportunities to a much higher percentage of Montana
teachers than it does now, particularly those in elementary positions. The
Montana education system would benefit immensely from more teachers receiving
professional development that promotes foundational knowledge of number sense
for young learners (K-5) and provides resources that allow for immediate
implementation. I have seen a difference in the effectiveness of my
teaching after going to M-Cubed two years ago and the Math Solutions trainings
I have been fortunate enough to attend. I would love for more Montana
elementary teachers to be aware of and utilize the amazing opportunities MCTM
has to offer.
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