Noyce Scholar Profile
Tonya Wilson
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: B.S., Adolescence Education: Mathematics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Mathematics and Spanish, grades 7-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
SUNY Cortland
Current academic or teaching status:
Senior
School and school district:
Field Experience-Central Technical High School, Syracuse City School District
Background:
I am a non-traditional student, married with two teenage daughters. I returned to college in 2007 to fulfill my passion to teach high school mathematics. I completed my Associates degree at Onondaga Community College in May 2009 and transferred to SUNY Cortland in September 2009 to pursue my Bachelor’s degree. I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society at Onondaga Community College and tutored both Intermediate Algebra and Spanish while there.
Why do you want to teach:
I want to help students overcome any preconceived ideas they may have about the difficulty of learning mathematics. My junior high and high school experiences were positive. I attribute a part of that to the teachers I had during those years. I will be patient with my students, explaining the concepts of math in a way that will encourage them to want to master the material.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
This past summer I worked with “SAY Yes” in Syracuse. I had the opportunity to teach a 3rd grade geography class and assist the teacher with math lessons. This teaching experience stands out in my mind because I had the task of teaching a student who did not know the English language very well. I had the opportunity to use some of the methods presented to me from my coursework. I had to rely on alternate ways to communicate content to this student, and it was a very rewarding experience.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program is enabling me to pursue my degree without obtaining loans for this school year. As a non-traditional student who will be entering the work force much older than other students, having this scholarship will decrease the loan amount I will have to pay back once I graduate. Also, as a mom and wife, it is difficult to work and attend college full-time. This scholarship helps me pursue this degree and devote as much time as I can to my studies. I am very grateful and feel very fortunate to have received this scholarship.
