Noyce Scholar Profile
Chelsea Diefenbach
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Mathematics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Secondary Mathematics - Currently high school Algebra I and Geometry
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Fifth year or post-baccalaureate Noyce scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
Claremont Graduate University/ Math for America Los Angeles
Current academic or teaching status:
1 year teaching experience
School and school district:
Montclair High School/ Chaffey Joint Union High School District
Background:
I graduated from Whittier College in 2005 with a BA in Mathematics and from Claremont Graduate University in Summer 2010 with an MA in Education and my Secondary Mathematics teaching credential. In college I worked for the Boys and Girls Club and for Bell Gardens Unified School District. I have also participated in several inner city Bible School Programs for children of all ages. This is currently my second year at Montclair High School.
Why do you want to teach:
I want to teach, because it was my teachers in high school and college who taught me to be the adult that I am today. I want to teach math, because I believe logical thinking is pertinent to life, but I also want to be a role model and someone to lean on for my students. I did not have the most put together parents. I want to be there for my students who are in similar if not worse situations.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
I always make a point to tell my students that they can do anything they put their mind to. I emphasize that even though it might take some work, they are ALL capable. This year one of my Juniors in Algebra I looked at me and said, “Thanks, no one has ever told me that I could do it.” I didn’t really know what to say. I looked at her and told her that I’m sorry she’s never heard it, but that doesn’t make it any less true. I told her that she was smart and very capable. She thanked me again, and said that she thinks she will pass Algebra this year. So far she has a B.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce Program has meant that my students get a lot of extra materials that neither I or my school could afford otherwise. I never have to worry about buying paper or markers. Also, I can afford special dice and personal white boards for different activities that I do in my classroom. Though Math for America Los Angeles has purchased a lot of things for my classroom, I make a point to spend some of my stipend on my class as well. My students benefit from my Noyce Scholarship just as much as I do, and for me that’s the point. Also, the Noyce Scholarship paid for my tuition at Claremont Graduate University, and this has meant the world to me. I worked a lot of hours to pay for my undergraduate degree and it was such a weight off my shoulders to not have to think about money in grad school. The fact that I can focus on my classroom and my students instead of bills means so much. I truly appreciate everything I have been given.
