November 2023 Educator Spotlight

I would like to nominate the 6th grade math teachers in our district for the CCTM Teacher Spotlight. 

Left to right: Sue Bailey, Angela Flores, Kirby Holmes, Bob Bushta, Jamie Hamm.

This year the Delta County School District has placed a focus on 6th grade math. The five 6th grade math teachers at the four traditional middle schools have worked together to align their curriculum, scope and sequence, and common assessments. They meet on a biweekly basis to share updates on pacing, lesson structure, use of digital resources, assessment results, and other important topics. Several of these teachers have also implemented routines and practices from Teaching for Thinking (Kelemanik and Lucenta, 2022) and Building Thinking Classrooms (Liljedahl, 2020) which is reshaping the look and feel of the learning that is taking place in their classrooms. 

Below is more information about each of these teachers:

Sue Bailey - Cedaredge Middle School

Years taught:33

What do you enjoy about teaching math?

Math is like a puzzle. When you finally solve the problem, it's satisfying!! I really enjoy watching kids get that "I got it" look. 

What do you see as the biggest challenge in teaching math?

Students struggle with listening and remembering what was taught.

Hobbies:

I love being outdoors so I hike, cross country ski, and bike.

 Bob Bushta - Paonia K-8 

Years taught:19

What do you enjoy about teaching math?

I love productive struggle and then seeing the light turn on in their eyes when they "get it."

What do you see as the biggest challenge in teaching math?

For 6th graders it is retention. Not only are we covering new skills, but 6th grade is when the skills we should have learned in 5th (another grade I teach) and prior grades all start coming together in real world applications.

Hobbies:

Teaching can be stressful, so I try to fish once a week, year round, which helps keep my blood pressure down. 

Angela Flores - Hotchkiss K-8 

Years taught:17

What do you enjoy about teaching math:

I love watching students discover why and how numbers work. I love showing them a love of numbers and building a curiosity in solving problems.

What do you see as the biggest challenge in teaching math?

The biggest challenge is helping students believe they can do math. When they believe they can do math, they want to persevere when they are learning new things and solving difficult tasks.

Hobbies:

I love camping, hiking, reading, and spending time with my family! 

Jamie Hamm - Delta Middle School

Years taught:10

What do you enjoy about teaching math?

What I enjoy the most about teaching math is watching my students finally understand the concept of math, or as some will say "when the light bulb goes on and they're excited about math."

What do you see as the biggest challenge in teaching math?

The biggest challenge in teaching math is helping my students see the big picture of the math concepts. Math plays a larger role in life than just being practiced in the classroom.  

Hobbies:

Some of my hobbies outside of school are paddle boarding, cross country skiing, hiking, biking, walking, fishing, and of course photography!!

Kirby Holmes - Delta Middle School

Years taught:20

What do you enjoy about teaching math?

For many students, math can be a challenging subject. Helping them overcome their fears and build confidence is a rewarding experience for me.

What do you see as the biggest challenge in teaching math?

We cover a wide variety of topics in a short amount of time, and I find we move on before concepts are fully grasped by our students.

Hobbies:

Traveling abroad, hiking and camping.