Noyce Scholar Profile
Peter Thompson
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Sound Recording Technology
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: High school mathematics
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Teaching Fellow
Name of Noyce institution:
Boston University
Current academic or teaching status:
First year graduate student
School and school district:
Somerville High School
Background:
I have always been fascinated by connections between math and music, and chose to study Sound Recording Technology as an undergraduate at UMass Lowell. I augmented my degree with additional coursework in electrical engineering at Boston University. During my academic studies, many talented professors led me to realize the power and vastness of knowledge. I discovered that I could easily spend a lifetime devoted to the pursuit of knowledge and still have much to learn about the world around me. This led me to recognize my passion for education and I decided to pursue a teaching career.
Why do you want to teach:
I see teaching as an opportunity to help students and contribute to my community. I love learning, I love math, and I love trying things in different ways. Through teaching, I can blend these three ideas together in a way that is both fun and rewarding.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
In most math classes I’ve experienced, students are presented with problems and the teacher shows them how to find correct answers. In the PROMYS program at Boston University, a course in number theory for both high school students and prospective or current secondary teachers, students are presented with problems but not shown how to find correct answers. They are encouraged to learn in the same way that practicing mathematicians learn, through experimentation and exploration. The role of the teacher is to ask probing questions rather than propose solutions. I had the opportunity to participate in this program as a prospective teacher in the summer of 2010. It proved to be a memorable experience because it broadened my understanding of what it means to teach.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program has provided me with an opportunity to pursue a career in education while also committing to help communities with a critical need for teachers. These communities often have a high percentage of students from low-income families, and their schools may suffer from a lack of qualified teachers. These schools need skilled and committed professionals willing to help all students achieve educational success in light of great socioeconomic diversity.
