Noyce Scholar Profile
Jeffery Spears
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Math Teacher Certification
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Secondary Math
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
East Central University
Current academic or teaching status:
Junior
School and school district:
Observing at Vanoss School
Background:
I was born and raised in Louisiana. Graduated from Airline High School in Bossier City, LA. Served 6 years in the U.S. Navy. Went through 3 years of heavy duty training for the Naval Nuclear Power program. After getting out I spent a few years in the workplace before deciding to go back to school.
Why do you want to teach:
I realized while I was in the Navy that I enjoyed helping other fellow students to learn about the subjects and I also have come to dislike when people say that they hate math or that they aren’t smart for math. I think that it is due to a number of math teachers being good at math but not as good at teaching and thereby making the students feel unintelligent because of their lack of initial math ability.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
I recall teaching a fellow sailor about the electrical system and when he finally understood seeing the lightbulb go off in his face just made my whole day.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
It means not having to be up to my eyeballs in debt when I get out of college and begin my teaching career….which we all know is not a job that one does for the money.
