Mary Lee Mattox is a math teacher in the Rapides Parish school system. Taking cues from her own experiences as a student, Mattox views her role as one of inspiration just as importantly as that of instructor. She didn’t have to go far to teach math, as she instructs at the same high school (Tioga High School) from which she graduated.
Does your learner have confidence? Do they receive praise at home and at school?
Computers have made it easy to rely on technology for answers.
Although Mattox teaches college entry-level classes such as geometry and calculus, she realizes that college is not for everyone in her classroom. Nevertheless, Mattox takes a tough-love approach to her students as she prepares them for life. She faces the same technological challenges that face her students. The advent of smarter computers has made the students’ studies heavily reliant on technology, and Mattox must find a way to motivate them to study even harder.
Technology has enhanced the way students learn math, but some of the changes aren’t for the better, Mattox says. She sees more reliance on calculators than memorization and that creates challenges in upper-level math courses.
Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert
Key takeaways
- Rapides Parish School District’s high school, middle school and elementary Teacher of the Year is Mary Lee Mattox.
- Mary Lee Mattox teaches geometry and calculus in high school, however, she teaches it at the college level to allow students to receive credits.
- Mary Lee Mattox has evolved as technology has changed over the last twenty years of teaching.
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