Victoria Miles

Middleborough, MA | 7-12, Mathematics, 2021

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

When I was growing up, I loved school, worked hard, and got good grades. Yet mathematics often felt like memorizing steps and algorithms. As a teacher, my greatest desire has been to help students make sense of math. Through research and regular participation in professional development, I explore non-traditional models that help students build their own understanding. When students derive algorithms themselves, they gain confidence to solve both real-world and mathematical problems.

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

One year, when teaching Honors Geometry, I noticed a student was struggling. Her transcript showed low prior math grades, suggesting she might have been misplaced in an honors class. Inspired by growth mindset research, I partnered with a colleague to create an assessment revision protocol. After each test, the student used extra resources to master concepts and reattempt assessments, earning back points and improving her grade. Later that year, she scored in the Exceeding Expectations range on the grade 10 Math MCAS! This experience helped shape my teaching philosophy. With hard work and persistence, all students can succeed in mathematics, regardless of past performance. It motivates me to support all students in overcoming challenges.

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

As a Presidential Awardee, I aim to support educators in making math meaningful and accessible for all students. I will promote concept-based teaching, advocate for high-quality, standards-aligned assessments, and champion free tools like Desmos that support equity. I hope to elevate virtual educators and help bridge gaps between traditional and online STEM classrooms. My desire is to contribute to a culture where all students see themselves as capable, confident problem solvers.

Biography

Victoria Miles has been teaching mathematics for 30 years. For the first 16 years, she was a middle school mathematics teacher and coach in Weymouth, MA, at Abigail Adams and Maria Weston Chapman Middle Schools. For the next 10 years, she taught Geometry, Algebra I and II, and was the Department Leader at Middleborough High School. For the last four years, she has taught at two Massachusetts public virtual schools. She currently teaches Algebra 2 and Algebra with Finance at TEC Connections Academy. Victoria participates annually in meaningful professional development to stay current with best practices and connect with other educators. She has served for many years on the Massachusetts MCAS Assessment Development Committee (ADC), deepening her interest in standards-based curriculum and high-quality assessments. She recently completed a graduate course, "Desmos in the Math Classroom," and in 2025 was invited to join Cohort 7 of the Desmos Fellowship. She hopes to apply her growing knowledge of Desmos (now Amplify) to better engage her virtual students. She believes technology can help students develop fluency with multiple representations of math concepts. Victoria has a B.S. in marine engineering from Massachusetts Maritime Academy and an M.S. in mathematics from Salem State University. She holds professional teaching licenses in mathematics 5-9 and 9-12. She has presented at national conferences and has authored several professional publications for NCTM. She is passionate about helping all students see that math makes sense and that they are capable of mastering it.

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.