Noyce Scholar Profile

Tamara Bonn
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Mathematics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Geometry, grades 9-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Master Teaching Fellow
Name of Noyce institution:
California State University San Bernardino
Current academic or teaching status:
15 years teaching
School and school district:
Indian Springs High School-San Bernardino City Unified
Background:
I have been teaching for 15 years at private and public schools. I currently teach Geometry but have taught Algebra, Geometry, Statistics, Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus. I am writing my graduate thesis in Transformational Geometry and hope to complete my field study this academic year.
Why do you want to teach:
I teach because I enjoy the students. I also teach because I had a terrible high school math experience that left me feeling that math was outside of my reach.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
The most memorable experience was when I had a student send me a note saying that his college professor told him to thank his high school teacher for preparing him so well for his course work. This student was not the easiest I had ever had in class, but he said in his note that “even though he gave me a lot of trouble I never gave up on him.”
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program has changed the way I think, teach and prepare to teach each lesson. I have also found a group of peers who share my desire to be better at our craft every day.