Natalie Boyd

Nashville, TN | 7-12, Mathematics, 2021

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

From an early age, I found math fun, interesting, and exciting. As I completed college and began teaching, I also gained an appreciation for how beautiful and creative mathematics can be. I learned how important it is to learn to think, and that that is just as important as the mathematical concepts being taught. I want students to have the chance to experience the beauty of math while also growing as thinkers, preparing them to be capable of succeeding in any career.

What has been the most transformative moment that affirmed your impact on STEM education?

I'm not sure that there is one transformative affirmation for my impact on STEM education, but I often get emails or messages from former students wanting to let me know where they are now and how my class and instruction impacted them. I have had several students recently go into statistics, data science, or data analysis who feel they would not have moved towards that career without our AP Statistics class, and that makes me so excited! I'm always grateful for them taking the time to let me know and feel affirmed in what I'm doing as a teacher.

Using your platform as a Presidential Awardee, how do you hope to advance our nation in STEM?

I hope to support educators in preparing our students for success in STEM careers and to spread understanding about the importance of research and being able to interpret data appropriately and effectively. I also hope, as a recipient of PAEMST, I am able to make more connections with teachers outside of my district and state. Receiving PAEMST gave me confidence to pursue an additional career of being a numeracy coach where I hope to impact many math teachers and, subsequently, many students.

Biography

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.

High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

The views expressed in awardee profiles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF or the PAEMST program.