Stuckart Squared

Hello Fellow Educators! Welcome to my page Stuckart Squared! The content materials and deliverables through Stuckart Squared are primarily mathematics focused, but there is a variety of other materials for other disciplines. Enjoy the content! My name is Erica. I have been a teaching since 2019. Specifically, I teach mathematics to middle and high school students. I have also taught advisory style classes, STEM related courses (field biology, drafting, information technology, etc.), and physical education classes. I have had the opportunity to teach in-person, online, hybrid, synchronous, and asynchronous. It is a crazy time to be a teacher, but there has never been a more important time to learn and pass on our knowledge.

I believe that fostering a safe, positive, and supportive classroom environment is the most important part of teaching. Students need to feel comfortable and encouraged in their learning. I also strive to provide my students with achievable goals, but challenge students to persevere through obstacles and encourage them to try their best. I think it's important to foster a growth mindset where the whole child can learn, develop, and adapt new skills and perspectives for success beyond the classroom. Finally, it is crucial to develop meaningful relationships with students so we can learn from each other in ways that go beyond just academics. When it comes to learning mathematics, students often feel apprehensive or anxious about their ability to learn or be successful in math courses. To combat this negative thinking, I believe that math teachers need to celebrate the small successes of persevering through one problem and the big successes of mastering difficult math skills. The mathematics practice standards provide a great foundation for fostering students’ mathematical growth, but most importantly I think math teachers need to demonstrate the value of mistakes. I believe it is important for teachers to discuss how mistakes provide learning opportunities and increase our self-awareness to avoid potential pitfalls in the future. Making mistakes is a part of learning, we need to reinforce that they are not bad, but an essential part of the learning process.

Just thank you notes from my students.

I earned my Bachelors of Science in Mathematics Education with a minor in Biology from Western Oregon University. In the spring of 2023, I will have completed my Masters of Science in Educational Technology. I will also be completing an Instructional Design Certificate with a focus in Curriculum Design, Digital Content, and eLearning. Both of these programs are through Western Oregon University.