Noyce Scholar Profile
Sherry West
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Math Education
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Mathematics, grades 9-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Master Teaching Fellow
Name of Noyce institution:
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Current academic or teaching status:
21 years teaching
School and school district:
Lincoln Southeast High School, Lincoln Public Schools
Background:
My hometown is Lincoln, NE. I received my bachelor’s degree and master’s degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I have been teaching for 21 years and am currently teaching at Lincoln Southeast High School. I enjoy playing games and cards with friends.
Why do you want to teach:
I love working with kids of all ages. My desire to help others and my love for learning make teaching a natural fit. I honestly can’t think of anything I’d rather do.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
Last year my geometry students were supposed to learn the equation of a circle. We were starting with equations, tables, and graphs of lines and noticing how the line was translated as the equation was strategically changed. We then moved to parabolas (both y=x2 and x=y2) and their translations. By the time we got to equations of circles, the students were predicting their graphs and hypothesizing what would need to change to make an ellipse – what would happen if x2-y2= r2, etc. All of them were so excited and engaged about what they were learning. They left the room talking about math and all the possibilities. One even said, “Today made me love math.” It was exactly the way you’d hope a lesson would go and more. I can’t describe it in a way that does it justice, but it was very memorable.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
My goal has always been to be the best teacher I can be, not only within my classroom, but also within my department and the district. I make an effort to keep up with current research, I take classes almost every summer, and I serve in a variety of leadership roles. The Master Teaching Fellow coursework will support my goal in that it will allow me the opportunity to learn from and work with others who share my vision for improving math instruction; it will increase my networking base and provide further opportunities to get involved.
