Candidates for Region 4 Director

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Debra Monson

Current Position

Assistant Professor, University of St. Thomas, Department of Teacher Education

Education
Undergraduate-University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Graduate- University of Minnesota (M.Ed. and Ph.D.)

Goals as MCTM Officer

To continue to work toward positive ideas about mathematics and mathematics teaching. To encourage and help all educators access resources to improve mathematics education for ALL students.

Professional Affiliations

Member of MCTM, NCTM, AMTE, and NSTA

Involvement in MCTM, NCTM and Mathematics Education

Involvement with MCTM and Mathematics Education: I have presented at all levels of NCTM conferences (from MCTM to regional and national NCTM conferences). I have been co-author on several articles in Teaching Mathematics and Mathematics Teaching in the middle school as well as other mathematics and science education journals. My research includes investigating children’s understanding of rational number with the Rational Number Project. I also research secondary mathematics education for preservice teachers and engineering education for K-12 students, with a goal of incorporating more mathematics into STEM activities.

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May Vang

Current Position

Middle School Math Teacher at Capitol Hill Magnet School – SPPS

Education
BA – Mathematics and Secondary Education (University of St. Thomas)
M.Ed – Mathematics Education (University of Minnesota)

Goals as MCTM Officer

A major goal of mine as an MCTM Officer is reaching out to the new and beginner teachers. Feeling connected and being a part of the MCTM community has played a large role in my growth and development as a teacher. I learn and take away so much from the conference and even after the conference. I want new and beginners teachers to feel welcomed and to feel that being a part of MCTM is how to advance themselves in their teaching. I want being a part of the MCTM community to mean something more than an affiliation. I want it to mean that you have a group of people to turn to for support, encouragement, and praise.

Professional Affiliations

  • MCTM

Involvement in MCTM and Mathematics Education

I have been a part of CONNECT for the last 6 years. My role with CONNECT started as a committee member, working on new member outreach and helping to coordinate CONNECT Night on the Thursday evening before the conference. Recently, I have expanded my role on the committee to chair of “rebranding”, which expands my outreach role. I am responsible for leading a team that focuses on re-launching CONNECT to new/beginner math teachers via social media, visibility during the conference, proposing sessions aimed at new/beginner teachers, and promoting the committee as a way to stay connected with the math teaching community. In addition to the committee, I have led multiple sessions and am a former Arnie Cutler Scholarship awardee.

Outside of MCTM, I am a building math lead. I attend district math meetings, bringing district initiatives, news, testing information, and instructional ideas back to my department. During district professional development, I lead workshop sessions, bringing what I do in my classroom to my district colleagues.

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