Rebecca VanSant

O'Fallon, MO | K-6, Mathematics, 2022

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

My quest for excellence as a teacher is fueled by my goal of helping students become mathematical thinkers that are confident and flexible problem solvers. As student needs and the world are constantly changing, so must my instructional strategies to meet the needs of all learners. There is nothing more rewarding than having students express the enjoyment they get when delving into complex problems and the pride they have in themselves when they have persevered through a challenge.

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

Nothing is more affirming to me as a middle school teacher than having previous students reach out to share how being in my class had a positive impact on their futures. When students remember specific lessons after years and share that they still use the things we learned in sixth grade, it makes every effort I put into my profession worth it! My aim is to help make sense of mathematics, so when students share how they remember concepts and have built upon those understandings, it is one of the most rewarding parts of teaching.

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

I will continue advancing our nation in the STEM fields by inspiring one young mind at a time. Each student that passes through the doors of my classroom has great potential to make a difference in this world. I hope to help grow confident thinkers and problem solvers that will positively impact our communities as they become the leaders of tomorrow. Leading by example is my way of encouraging educators to be innovative for students and to contribute to the field of STEM education.

Biography

Rebecca “Becky” VanSant spends her days exploring mathematics with sixth grade students at Fort Zumwalt West Middle School. She has been in this position for more than 18 years and prior to that, she spent 14 years teaching in upper elementary classrooms. Becky has participated in district curriculum work throughout her tenure as a teacher in Clinton Community Schools and Fort Zumwalt Schools. The curriculum work focuses on aligning district curriculum with the standards, choosing curriculum materials, developing authentic assessments, and supporting colleagues in implementing instructional strategies to meet the needs of students. Becky is always seeking ways to improve her practice with the goal of empowering all students to think flexibly and be confident mathematicians. To achieve this goal, Becky uses a problem-based, student-centered approach to teaching. Becky has been a leader in implementing a grading system that accurately and fairly reflects each students’ learning journey and supports the goal of students making sense of mathematics. Becky has presented at local, state, and national conferences to share her experiences using problem-based instruction methods and implementation of changes to grading systems with a focus on implementing standards-based grading and methods to support grading for learning. Becky earned a B.A. in elementary education and mathematics education and an M.A. in mathematics for middle grades from the University of Northern Iowa. She has an M.A. from Saint Xavier in teaching and leadership and has completed all coursework, except her dissertation, for an Ed.D. in teaching and learning practices from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

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.