Articles - Winter 2010 - return to index
Faculty Spotlight: Allison Cunningham
Math fear? Not here!
By Chris Cunningham
Allison Cunningham loves her job as a math teacher at Thurston High School. So much so that she treasures the chance to spend her summers teaching algebra and math refresher classes at Lane Community College.
Part-time at Lane since 2006, she says, “The students are so personally invested in their educations. I feel honored to be able to help them along the way.”
Developing relationships with her students is a high priority for Allison, who earned a master’s degree in mathematics from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo and a second master’s in education from the University of Oregon. “The more you know about your students, the more they trust you, and the better equipped you are to help them succeed.”
To advance their success, she often asks students to work together, citing research that indicates when students assemble in small groups to complete homework or problem-solving assignments, they are more likely to understand course material, Allison says.
“I also think study groups help them feel less isolated and show them that others have struggles similar to theirs.” To find out more about math classes at Lane, go online to 2011sitearchive.lanecc.edu/math.
