Noyce Scholar Profile
Kristine Vandal
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Mathematics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Mathematics, grades 9-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
University of Texas at El Paso
Current academic or teaching status:
Junior
School and school district:
El Paso and Ysleta Independent School Districts
Background:
I was born in Anaheim, California, and moved to Washington State when I was 16 and graduated from high school there in 2009. After graduating, I moved to Texas for college. Teaching is something I have found natural. I grew up with my mother as a math and science teacher and even was taught by her in middle school. Seeing the change she made in her students’ lives made me want to teach and help to change students’ views on what mathematics is really about.
Why do you want to teach:
I want to show students how math can be fun and really apply to everyday life. Most students I have seen are not interested in the subject and easily forget things they have learned. Showing young people how math can apply to whatever career they choose, I believe, helps capture their interest and helps them see how math relates to their lives.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
A memorable teaching experience for me was when I first started working as a tutor at a middle school. During the semester, I saw the students I was working with improve their grades. Seeing them come in with their progress reports showing how much better they were doing, and having them say they are starting to enjoy math, was wonderful. The knowledge that I was showing students how fun math could be was a great experience to have had.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program has meant a lot to me. Without this, I would have been unable to transfer from the community college to the University of Texas El Paso and have the chance to earn a Bachelor’s degree instead of an Associate’s degree–all without having to take out any loans. Also, through the Noyce program, I am gaining knowledge about teaching that I don’t believe I could have received without Noyce.
