I am interested in developing community relationships, lasting friendships, and successful endeavors. I feel that my mission is to advance mathematics education and to help teachers enjoy mathematics. I am not evangelical and certainly not everyone should love math, after all, then what would I do? I think everyone can "do" math and everyone should be given the opportunity to explore their potential in various mathematics areas.

My Personal Philosophy

I believe that my purpose here at Texas A&M University is to model effective teaching behaviors that reflect current research. It is incumbent upon me to provide the most challenging activities, framed by challenging expectations, and assessment with attention to individual ability. The idea of a single academic standard is both unrealistic and contrary to the expectations of teachers in the K-12 classroom. If we expect that our clients will be able to both teach in diverse settings and assess individuals as they progress through various learning experiences, then we should also attend to providing individualized experiences with individualized expectations. I have three personal visions for mathematics education here at Texas A&M University.

First, because of the status of Texas A&M University and of Vision 2020, I believe that undergraduate students demonstrating potential should have the opportunity to self-select a course of study that explores, through guided inquiry, ideas of teacher as researcher. As a result of this added responsibility and experience, these undergraduate students should be provided with opportunities to present their findings to their peers and respected veteran researchers or to submit their findings for publication.  Because I subscribe to the idea that the calling of teachers is that “. . . of everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and of him to whom they have entrusted much, they will demand the more”(Luke 12:48). The calling of a teacher is one in which much is given and to whom much is entrusted. Therefore, it is these undergraduate students who constitute one potential pool of graduate candidates, who, upon completion of a Master’s degree, will be situated to take a leadership role in the education of Texas’ youth, who in turn will be among the potential students of Texas A&M University.

Second, graduate students must be provided with the most rigorous curriculum accompanied by high expectations. Graduate students possess the greatest potential for a university to create a national reputation. It is only through the realization of this individual potential that a network of graduate students can be achieved. The power to attract high-quality graduate students is directly proportional to the ability to produce high-achieving graduates. Therefore, I believe that it is this potential which resides within each student accepted to the graduate program that must be challenged, and adequate opportunities for this must be provided. I believe that prior to beginning their dissertation all mathematics education doctoral students should present at a local conference, apply to present at a national conference, apply for funding, and write papers intended for publication. My role is to provide leadership through my own engaged scholarship, provide opportunities for graduate students to collaborate on research and authorship, and to provide leadership for research teams where collaboration is most important, but students may still pursue individual interests within the confines of a single research study.

Third, I believe that the Teaching Learning and Culture Department’s graduate education program should mirror the programs offered at other universities where graduates can rely on a network of former graduate students for collaboration and support. It is a university’s network that ultimately provides the longest lasting service to its graduates. Through this ongoing support and collaboration our graduate program will achieve national prominence alongside the prominence achieved by our graduate students as they take their place among the nation’s best researchers and educators.

In summary, I believe that it is the responsibility of the Department of Teaching Learning and Culture along with requisite departments and their faculties to provide the best source of quality teachers to the youth of Texas. Through the dogmatic pursuit of this goal and ongoing dedication to engaged scholarship, both as an individual faculty member and as a collegial and collaborative team member, I will be able to contribute to the attainment of every benchmark whether set by administration, my peers, or through collaborative governance.