Noyce Scholar Profile
Allison Milam
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Mathematics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Middle School Math
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
CSUSB
Current academic or teaching status:
Third Year Math Student
School and school district:
San Bernardino City Unified School District
Background:
I am a single-mom, re-entry student. I began my college math classes at the elementary algebra level and have worked my way up. I’m excited to share my new-found love of math with my future students, and am thankful for the mentorship that the NOYCE program provides.
Why do you want to teach:
I really enjoy the challenging subject of mathematics, and love sharing my understanding with others. I hope to inspire kids to follow their dreams and never give up. I know that teaching will be challenging, but I plan on facing the challenges head-on and not I’m not going to back down.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
Just the other day I was teaching a lesson. I started out using variables, in which it was easy to make up random problems. Then I tried to switch over to constants midstream and I started telling the kids some really wacky stuff like: 10(3)=15. It was pretty funny, but those poor kids… Thankfully they did call me on it. It reminded me that as a teacher I’m going to make mistakes, sometimes BIG mistakes; but that students and teachers alike, we are all in the learning process together.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The NOYCE program has been a great way for me to get in the classroom and and get the much needed hands-on training while still finishing up my degree. I know that the extra support and classroom experience I receive through NOYCE will make a big difference in the success of my career, especially in my first year teaching.
