Jacqueline Macharia

Lancaster, MA | 7-12, Mathematics, 2023

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

Contributing to excellence in STEM teaching is very important to me. I'm passionate about helping students become effective, lifelong problem-solvers who can readily apply math, science, and technology to real-world challenges, both personally and professionally.

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

Two moments really stand out as proof of the impact I've made in STEM education. The first is the heartwarming connection with former students. There's nothing quite like receiving letters, cards, emails, or even visits from them, sharing stories about how my teaching influenced their paths. These personal testimonials truly affirm the long-term difference I'm making. The second moment of affirmation comes from seeing tangible academic growth. Witnessing my students' scores improve on state math assessments is incredibly rewarding. It's a clear indicator that my methods are working and that students are gaining a stronger grasp of the material.

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

My goal is to constantly evolve as a math educator. I aim to expand my understanding of practical math applications and educational technology through targeted professional development. I'm particularly eager to attend national conferences, learn from leading STEM innovators, and then bring those insights back to empower my peers and elevate our entire school district.

Biography

Jacqueline Macharia has been a tenured mathematics teacher at Luther Burbank Middle School for the past 23 years. She taught seventh grade for five years and has been teaching Algebra 1 and mathematics courses to eighth grade students for the last 17 years. Jacqueline has a passion for helping students learn how to think mathematically through rigorous questions that apply new and past knowledge. She informally mentors other teachers at Nashoba Regional School District and is involved in reviewing the school district's mathematics curriculum as it aligns with the Massachusetts Mathematics Curriculum Framework. Jacqueline's desire to help students love and better understand mathematics has led her to run a vibrant afterschool program that has at least 50 students attending weekly. In the afterschool program, Jacqueline reteaches, remediates, and challenges students to improve their understanding of mathematical concepts and application of mathematical skills. To improve her teaching, she recently took part in professional development in Building Mathematical Thinking Classrooms and is currently implementing those strategies. Jacqueline previously collaborated with Dr. Chen from Edutron to teach more than 20 graduate-level classes. These courses were designed for teachers of mathematics to improve their content knowledge and their classroom pedagogy. Although she was an instructor in these courses, she learned a lot from the teachers. Jacqueline has a B.Ed (Science) from Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya, and an M.Ed. in Middle School Education from Fitchburg University in Massachusetts, where she was awarded the Outstanding Graduate in Middle School Education in 2006. She is certified in teaching mathematics in fifth through ninth grades.

High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

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