Noyce Scholar Profile

Phi Truong
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: MAT Mathematics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Pre-Algebra, grade 7
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Teaching Fellow
Name of Noyce institution:
California State University, San Bernardino
Current academic or teaching status:
One year
School and school district:
Shandin Hills Middle School, San Bernardino City Unified School District
Background:
I graduated with a BA in Mathematics from the University of California, Riverside (UCR). I completed my single subject math and science credential from the School of Education at UCR and began working in 2010 at Shandin Hills Middle School, teaching Pre-Algebra for grade 7. I began the Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics at California State University, San Bernardino along with the Noyce program in 2010.
Why do you want to teach:
I want to teach because I like to develop real life ideas in math classes. I want to take the ‘boring’ out of the math class. I am satisfied when students get their ‘ah ha’ moments.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
There was a group of students who looked up to me on every aspect. They copied my personality and humor. I remember this class because teaching is not always serious. Students are people who have humor and can understand non-verbal cues.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program is a high end program that gives teachers the opportunity to go to genuine professional development. We created a new professional learning community that is safe to share, show and give concerns about teaching with one another. The structure of our Professional Learning Community (PLC) allows us to have lesson studies that give us new research data. I can implement these experiences in this PLC in my everyday teaching to create a beneficial classroom environment for student learning.