Emily Payán Coon Rapids, MN | K-6, Mathematics, 2022

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

Emily Payán currently teaches all subjects of first grade at Evergreen Park Elementary STEM School of Innovation. She spent the previous six years of her nine-year teaching tenure in second grade and one year teaching kindergarten at Adams Elementary School. Emily works to incorporate hands-on STEM activities into her mathematics curriculum. Her students have the opportunity to build marble ramps as they explore the Engineering Design Process and collect data on the effects of various ramp components on the marble's distance and speed. For several years, Emily has taught a Targeted Services course for elementary students who need additional support in mathematics. Students engage in mathematics talks and games that support them in meeting specific standards. Students learn to clarify their thinking, find their voice, and take academic risks. In all her classes, Emily incorporates work around neuroplasticity and growth mindset. Students transform from being unsure of themselves to being confident, capable learners. Emily has presented many sessions and participated in several panels at the local, state, and national level. She was a keynote speaker at the 2019 Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) National Conference. She co-authored an article that was published in McGraw Hill’s Reveal Math curriculum. Emily has been featured in the Math Learning Center’s Educator Spotlight in 2022. She is a regular guest in a local university’s Math Methods course for pre-service teachers. Emily received her B.S. in family social science from the University of Minnesota and her M.A.T. in elementary education from Hamline University.

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