Letter from the President
July 2009
I have taught middle level mathematics since 1970. I’ve seen the pendulum of math curricula swing widely. When I decided to become a teacher, I selected math because you didn’t have to lecture. I didn’t think I could stand up and talk for a long time about something, but the math led itself and the speaking came along and I thought I could do that. Thank goodness I was right about not wanting to stand up and lecture. That movement from sage on the stage to guide on the side suits me perfectly.
I graduated from Bandon High School in 1966 and entered Oregon State University that fall. I graduated in the school of Science in 1970 and then did a fifth-year program at Portland State University. I taught at Whitford Intermediate School in Beaverton for seven years, retired for another seven to start a family and returned to teaching at Tillamook Junior High.
I became interested in visual math in 1988 through classes from the Math Learning Center led by Linda Foreman. She and Don Fineran, Oregon Department of Education math specialist, were involved with Tillamook school district in staff development. I was invited to the Oregon Math Leaders Conference and became involved in OCTM at that time. I have been an area 1 representative, NCTM Representative and now President. In addition, I have received an area award and the state Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2000.
I love problem solving. I was a scoring director for the Northwest Regional ESD during the state problem solving assessment years. I love to see the variety of ways students come up with solutions to problems and how they use number sense to make what was meant to be a complex multi-step problem an elegant simple solution. I know there are many out there that think that scoring problems solvers is pure drudgery, but I am not one of them. I believe that we need to be more diligent in the training of teachers in the scoring guide and its application and their confidence will improve.
Teaching can be a lonely job and the start of professional learning communities has been an answer to that isolation. Yet, many still do not have likeminded individuals that want to work on improving their teaching as a team. That is where OCTM comes in to be that extra helping hand. The journal, The Oregon Math Teacher (TOMT), is well-regarded nationally and a great resource for classroom teachers. We have the professional development cadre (PDC) ready to assist districts in implementing the new standards and curricula. Our website has links to many wonderful resources.
You don’t need to wait for an invitation to become involved in OCTM. Just contact your area representative and volunteer. There will be something you can do to help out. There are conferences during the Statewide-in-service Day alternating between Portland (Northwest), La Grande (Inquiry Outside the Cube), and Ashland (State of Jefferson).
It has been rewarding to be part of such a dedicated group and I hope to serve you all well during my two year term as President.
PO Box 981
Tillamook, OR 97141
