July 31, 2009

Meridian math teacher earns national honor

Understanding how young minds solve math problems is key to Gay Lynn Erb's success.

BY JOE ESTRELLA - jestrella@idahostatesman.com

Copyright: © 2009 Idaho Statesman

Understanding how young minds solve math problems is key to Gay Lynn Erb's success.

Tricia Stone, principal at Lincoln Elementary School in Caldwell, was so impressed with Gay Erb that she nominated her for the annual Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. Erb now teaches math to third graders at Spalding Elementary School in Meridian.

"She was an exceptional math teacher, both in the classroom and in mentoring our staff and other teachers throughout the district," said Stone, who became one of Erb's students when she took a class under the Idaho Math Initiative, a state-sponsored program designed to turn out better math teachers.

Stone recalled how other instructors would invite Erb into their classrooms to observe their techniques and offer feedback on improving their teaching skills. At other times, Erb would teach the class while the assigned instructor observed.

"They saw in Gay Lynn somebody they could trust, and would ask her to teach their class," Stone said. "As for Gay Lynn, it was a very generous thing to do."

Erb, 44, has been chosen from among two other Idaho finalists as one of 100 teachers nationwide to receive the coveted presidential award from the National Science Foundation, an independent federal agency whose annual $6 billion budget provides about 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by America's colleges and universities. The other finalists were Deb Whitaker of Taft Elementary School in Boise and Jill Schmidt of McGhee Elementary in Lewiston.

The annual awards for excellence in teaching math and science go to pre-college level teachers across the country. The winners are selected by a panel of scientists, mathematicians and educators after an initial selection process at the state level. Each year the awards alternate between teachers in grades K-6 - as was the case this year - and grades 7-12.

"It's such an honor to be recognized," Erb said recently by telephone from McCall, where she was schooling other teachers from around the state on the art of teaching mathematics.

NSF will present each recipient with a $10,000 award and an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., this fall that will include a trip to the White House.

It was not immediately clear whether President Barack Obama would make the presentations, said NSF spokeswoman Maria Zacharias.

Erb credits her expertise in teaching math to her participation in The Initiative for Developing Mathematical Thinking at Boise State University, a project committed to enhancing student achievement by offering professional development for elementary and middle-school teachers.

She said the most important thing the program has taught her is how the mind of an elementary school child approaches problem solving. Once you understand that, you know how to put the task before them, she said.

But it didn't all come together for her until she returned to the classroom and began applying the program's techniques.

"When I saw my own students using the same strategies I'd learned, it all began to make sense," she said.

"It has deepened my understanding, which makes it easier to pass on what I know to the students," Erb said. "And for them, it's so exciting to see every day what they can do. There are just so many things that (elementary) school children need to develop mathematically before they move up to middle and high school."

Dr. Jonathan Brendefur, director of the Developing Mathematical Thinking program at BSU, calls Erb "one of the best" elementary math teachers he has seen.

"She is able to create a classroom environment that sets up the task for solving the problem," Brendefur said. "But she takes it to a deeper level that goes beyond procedural to conceptual. She creates a discourse where kids justify their idea (for the solution). That gives them a deeper understanding and whether this solution works in all scenarios."

Erb, who moved to Spalding Elementary after being nominated, will spend her $10,000 earning her doctorate at BSU, where she is 21 credits into the program. Her doctorate will allow her to do her own research about teaching math to elementary school children.

"You need 65 credits, so this will definitely buy me some more classes at BSU," she said.

Erb holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a master's degree in multicultural education from Northern Arizona University.

In 20 years as a teacher, Erb has worked in Arizona and Utah, as well as in Blackfoot and Caldwell.

Joe Estrella: 377-6465