Jamie Whyte: Rudy Hanley Scholarship

Jamie Whyte has been awarded the Rudy Hanley Scholarship during the UCI School of Education 2018-2019 Scholarship Award Ceremony. Jamie is pursuing her Single Subject Master of Arts in Teaching in Math. Below, she shares her thoughts about her academic journey. 

November 2018

From the time I was young, I have been passionate about learning math and sharing it with others. In elementary school, my favorite day of the week was “Math Friday” as using hands-on learning techniques to solve math problems was extremely exciting for me. While I loved learning about math, I loved explaining it to others even more; I was the student who never failed to volunteer to explain math problems on the whiteboard. This love for explaining math continued into high school where I tutored many of my fellow classmates. In college, I decided to major in Psychology and Education – since learning about how people behave and learn are the two topics I am most passionate about.

As I learned more about the education field, I became more committed to the idea of joining it. I began working at an after-school learning center teaching accelerated math classes. At the learning center, teaching math in engaging ways became an everyday occurrence. I presented math concepts using games and multimedia; I created interactive content that I felt students would find valuable. I was reminded of why I loved “Math Friday” as a child; on that day, math was approachable and fun for all students. 
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This is my reason for becoming a teacher; I want every student to feel engaged and comfortable in the math classroom. I hope that by creating a welcoming and fun environment, students can surrender their preconceived notions of their math abilities. Everyone can be a “math person” if they have a growth mindset – a belief in one’s ability to improve and a willingness to be challenged. As a future math teacher, I am committed to assisting students in developing this mindset and encouraging them to use it in other areas of their lives too.

Jamie Whyte and Single Subject Coordinator Acacia Warren