Getting the Presidential Award is a huge affirmation for what I do and for how I pour myself into teaching and caring for students. In addition to the validation, the process of applying for the award—analyzing a lesson, reflecting on my teaching, and writing the narrative—pushed me to realize what I could accomplish while also teaching full time. This, in turn, led me to pursuing and getting my master’s degree!

Natalie Boyd Nashville, TN | 7-12, Mathematics, 2021

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

Natalie Boyd has been teaching mathematics for the past 17 years, spending the most recent 10 years teaching at Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet High School. She previously taught for four years at East Nashville Magnet High School, one year at Cane Ridge High School, and two years at T.L. Hanna High School. Natalie currently teaches Pre-Calculus Honors to students in grades 10-12 and teaches Advanced Placement Statistics to seniors. Natalie’s love and enthusiasm for mathematics, growth mindset, and collaborative learning permeates her classroom where students regularly work together in groups through task-based instruction. Natalie works to create a classroom environment where students feel comfortable exploring new strategies, making mistakes as they learn, and connecting new mathematical concepts. Natalie has served as the content council lead for the Metro Nashville Public School (MNPS) district’s Math Content Council and was on the district’s Scope and Sequence team, writing and editing scope and sequence documents which are used across the district’s 25 high schools. She has been a regular presenter for the MNPS mathematics department, often presenting about task-based instruction to secondary mathematics teachers in the district. Natalie has a B.A., magna cum laude, in secondary mathematics education and mathematical sciences from Clemson University and a Master of Arts in Mathematics Education (Secondary) from Western Governors University. She is certified in secondary mathematics education.

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