Noyce Scholar Profile
Terri Gibbs-Burke
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Mathematics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Mathematics, grades 9-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Master Teaching Fellow
Name of Noyce institution:
California State University San Bernardino
Current academic or teaching status:
Math Teacher/Coach 12 years
School and school district:
Arroyo Valley High School, San Bernardino City Unified School District
Background:
I have been teaching since 1999. I have recently become our school sites Math Coach. I work in a low socio-economic, high English Language Learner school district. I currently teach Algebra 2, but have taught Algebra Support, Algebra 1, Geometry and CAHSEE Readiness as well.
Why do you want to teach:
Why do I teach? I teach to reach. To reach students no matter where they are academically. I teach to give them hope for their future. I teach because all students deserve a chance to be successful. I teach because my students make me a better person. I learn so much from them.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
When a student looks at you with complete amazement and says, “That’s it? Why didn’t I see that before?” When a student reaches that “Ah-ha” moment and is proud of themselves, the whole room lights up with their joy. Those are the moments I cherish, because new doors have opened for them.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce Program has brought together a group of secondary teachers who are truly devoted to their profession and student learning. It has allowed us as a group to discuss student learning, student achievement, and our own professional development and applications of that learning through Lesson Study.
