The Presidential Award provides an opportunity to reflect on my work so far, to celebrate successes, and recognize areas needing attention. I am able to acknowledge the students, colleagues, and community members who have made me a better teacher. The chance to reflect and recommit allows me to give future students my best, to help them see that they are, in the words of A.A. Milne, "braver than they believe, stronger than they seem and smarter than they think."

Kathleen Erickson Great Barrington, MA | 7-12, Mathematics, 2011

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Kathy Erickson has taught mathematics for 22 years and has taught for the last 15 years at Monument Mountain Regional High School, her alma mater. She has also taught at Concord Carlisle High School and Newton North High School. Kathy has taught courses from algebra to calculus. Recently, she has focused on co-teaching and on the freshman experience, and she has been a faculty leader in developing a freshman academy model. She has been a fellow in district programs designed to enhance teaching and learning. She is also the director of the Berkshire Crafts Fair, which raises more than $25,000 each year to benefit students and faculty. Her professional development activities include attending the Biomathematics Institute at Rutgers University and Discrete Mathematics Institutes at Boston College and Rutgers University. She is the author of online activities to coordinate with episodes of the CBS television show NUMB3RS, and presents at local and regional conferences. She has served as a panelist for Student Explorations in Mathematics, a peer reviewer for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and a mentor for many teachers in her district. Kathy has a B.S. in engineering from Cornell University and an M.Ed. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She is certified in high school mathematics.

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