Comments about Teaching After Amherst

The Mathematics and Statistics Department has solicited and posted some comments below from previous mathematics majors about their experiences teaching after graduating from Amherst.

Jennifer Chudy worked as a teacher's aide and as a computer science instructor. She writes: "After graduating from Amherst, I found myself at an alternative charter high school in East Los Angeles, working as a volunteer teacher's aide through an Americorps program.  I worked one on one with high risk youth and found myself most comfortable helping to strengthen their basic math skills.  I recall working with one ninth grader in particular who was excellent at mental mathematical calculations, but had very little confidence in his ability.  I saw such growth in his abilities as the months passed.  Following my volunteer year, I was hired as a computer science instructor at a private high school.  My courses ranged in subject from web design to computer programming.  I took most pleasure in teaching the programming courses since those courses most closely aligned with my studies at Amherst.  I took every opportunity to sneak in some math lessons when appropriate for my advanced placement students and to show them some of the theory behind the basics of what they were studying."

Adam Lowrance taught as a graduate student instructor while pursuing a PhD in Mathematics at Louisiana State University. Adam writes "Throughout my graduate studies, I worked as a graduate teaching assistant. Typically, a teaching assistant in mathematics can expect to either assist or be the instructor of record for remedial classes or first year calculus courses. Although teaching my first college course was slightly overwhelming, I learned how to manage a classroom and teach effectively. After each class period, I asked myself if there was something that I could have done differently to make that particular class better. This is a habit that I've carried with me into my career, and I feel that it has served me well."

Gina Turrini wrote about some of her teaching experiences after Amherst along with her recent entry into graduate school. You can read her comment on our Graduate School comment page.

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