Teacher's efforts add up

Helping her students see how the math they learn in the classroom applies to their everyday life is the challenge Beatrice Middle School math teacher Missy Mahoney sets for herself.

“I just want to make sure every student who comes through my classroom learns how to use some math and that they see how different concepts apply to everyday life,” she said.

This year her efforts were recognized with a Nebraska Association of Middle Level Education Award of Excellence.

“I was very surprised,” Mahoney said of receiving the award. “When (BMS Principal) Randy (Schlueter) came in to say he’d like to submit me for this, I just didn’t think I do anything different than the other teachers in the building.”

She said it is meaningful to be recognized for the work she does as a teacher.

“As a teacher there aren’t a lot of time you’re recognized for the work you do in the classroom,” Mahoney said.

“You’re there for the students and you don’t think you want to be singled out, but it is nice when somebody sees all the time you put in for the job and the different techniques you try to use with kids, all the extra things you put into teaching to make sure all the students are getting it.”

Mahoney teaches eighth graders at the middle school, one class of algebra, three classes of eighth grade math and a nine-week class of basic geometry that every eighth grader takes.

In her classroom desks are bunched together, a signal to one of the methods she uses, having students work in groups at times so they can talk problems through.

“That’s something I want to encourage them to do, to talk through problems as students,” Mahoney said. “I want them to enjoy math.”

She said part of that includes helping students see how the math concepts they learn in the classroom will apply to everything they do in life, such as talking about sales tax with shopping, interest rates on a car loan or leaving a tip when they go out to eat.

“Those are all percentages,” she said.

Mahoney said in working with measurements she might use the example of replacing carpeting in a home, where they would need to find the area of the room they’re working with to know how much carpet they need, as well as to figure the cost.

“I use these types of things so they can see how math can affect them,” she said.

Mahoney is in her 11th year of teaching at BMS, working at the seventh grade level before shifting to eighth grade.

She said her first choice when she went to college was elementary education, but an adviser there steered her toward middle level.

“I’m glad I did it. I really enjoy this age of students,” Mahoney said. “I relate to them well. You can be serious with them, but also have fun with them.”

And she always had a knack for math.

“I always enjoyed math in school. It came fairly easy to me. That’s why I chose it as an area of emphasis,” she said.