Noyce Scholar Profile
Kristin Wilson
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Mathematics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Algebra and geometry, grades 9-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
Florida State University
Current academic or teaching status:
Senior
School and school district:
Florida State Lab School and Leon County Schools
Background:
I grew up in Jacksonville, FL and went to elementary and middle schools that are on the high needs list now. I then went to an all-academic magnet high school, but transferred to a different high school that is also high needs now. I have had this “love-hate-love again” relationship with math, all because of the teachers I have had.
Why do you want to teach:
I want to teach because I have had some of the best and some of the worst teachers for math. The teachers that were awesome started with the “want-to-be-there,” excitement for math. Essentially, I want to replicate them. I want to get students excited and wanting to learn math in the way I turned out to love and get excited about math.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
While pre-interning in an elementary school, I told the students to draw squares AND rectangles. Quickly, I corrected myself, asking the students if a square was a rectangle so as to not start the misconception that squares and rectangles are not connected on the deep level that they are. After the lesson was done, I got feedback about how I did a “bad” thing, but corrected myself well. This has stayed in my mind because it really showed me that you have to be so precise in what you say to your students, whether it be instructions, descriptions, answers to questions.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
It has helped me build confidence that no matter what student I get, I will succeed. Meaningful experiences include the mental preparation for teaching in a high needs setting; going to social events at Title 1 schools to be around,take note,of the students I will have; and getting to talk to teachers who were and are teaching in high needs settings so that they may mentor me providing even more preparation for what is in store for me.
