Urban Mathematics and Science Teacher Collaborative (Noyce)

Tufts University's Department of Education is the proud recipient of a generous Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program grant through the National Science Foundation. The grant has supported math and science teachers interested in pursuing their Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree at Tufts as part of the Urban Mathematics and Science Teacher Collaborative (grades 1-12).

The program has funded nine teaching fellows with undergraduate degrees in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines and who have demonstrated a commitment to teaching young people in high-needs school districts for at least four years after graduation. Fellows in the program spent 12 months as students in Tufts' intensive MAT teacher preparation program, working with Tufts faculty to focus on improving mathematics and science teaching and learning in grades 1-12. The fellows are now involved in ongoing mentoring provided by the program.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. DUE 1035342 and DUE 1439880. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed here do not reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Noyce Teaching Fellows 2020-2021

Madeleine Gibson 2

Madeleine Gibson

Noyce I Teaching Fellow, Elementary school teacher

Madeleine Gibson received her BS in Environmental Studies at the University of Vermont's Rubenstein School. Upon completing the STEM Elementary Ed. MAT program at Tufts, she began classroom teaching in Boston Public Schools. Madeleine co-teaches in  an inclusion 3rd grade classroom in East Boston.

Madeleine's Noyce Case Studies have centered around Novel Engineering, a hands-on approach developed by Tufts to engage young minds with the engineering design process through literacy. More recently she has been thinking a lot about the ways family partnership in math instruction could look like.

View: Spring 2019 Final Reflection | Spring 2020 Final Reflection Spring 2021 Final Reflection

Tom Snarsky

Tom Snarsky

Noyce II Teaching Fellow, High school math teacher

Tom received his MAT from Tufts in the summer of 2016, after student teaching at Malden High School in Malden, Massachusetts. He has taught mathematics at Malden High ever since. This year he is advising the Malden High School Philosophy Club as well as the Literary Society. Tom is a Noyce Teaching Fellow and also a Knowles Teacher Initiative Teaching Fellow.

"Being a Noyce Fellow at Tufts has allowed me to sustain a sense of professional community during my first few years as a teacher. The work I do with Noyce has given me space to pursue ideas and questions that feel vital to my practice, and to the specific challenges facing educators and their students in the here and now. The Tufts Noyce program has certainly helped to shape the way I think about teaching, and I am very grateful for its ongoing support."

View: Video Bio | Spring 2018 Final Reflection | Spring 2019 Final Reflection | Spring 2020 Final Reflection

Mary Sypek

Mary Sypek

Noyce II Teaching Fellow, Elementary school teacher

Mary attended Tufts University as both an undergraduate and Master's student. She taught for one year in Boston Public Schools, followed by three years in Oakland, CA. She currently teaches second grade in the Greater Hartford, CT area. Mary is passionate about elementary math and science education and finding ways for teachers to learn from each other through collaboration and observation.

View: Video Bio | Spring 2018 Final Reflection | Spring 2019 Final Reflection | Spring 2020 Final Reflection | Spring 2021 Final Reflection

Sarah Van Auken

Sarah Van Auken

Noyce II Teaching Fellow, High school math teacher

Sarah received her BS in Mathematics at Tufts University before pursuing her MAT. During her time at Tufts, she interned at Medford High School, and now is in her fourth year teaching at Waltham High School!

"I love that I get the opportunity to instill in my students a love of learning, an ability to think critically, and a desire to problem solve!"

View: Video Bio | Spring 2018 Final Reflection | Spring 2019 Final Reflection | Spring 2020 Final Reflection

Noyce Master Teaching Fellows 2020-2021

Martin Berryman

Martin Berryman

Noyce II Master Teaching Fellow, High school science teacher

Martin is a chemistry teacher at Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Before teaching at LS, Martin taught chemistry at Malden High School for 14 years. In addition to his high school teaching, Martin is also an adjunct chemistry professor at Bunker Hill Community College. He is the recipient of two Mass Insight Education Partners in Excellence Awards, two National Honors Society Teacher of the Year Awards, and a Yale University Educator Award.

"Noticing how I respond to students' formative assessment responses is now one of my primary teacher goals. The Tufts Noyce program encourages me to look critically at the orientations and actions I choose in the classroom."

View: Video Bio | Spring 2019 Final Reflection | Spring 2020 Final Reflection | Spring 2021 Final Reflection

Kayla Scheitlin

Kayla Scheitlin

Noyce II Master Teaching Fellow, High school math teacher

Before becoming a Master Teaching Fellow at Tufts, Kayla earned her MAT through the Noyce program at Boston University. She is in her ninth year of teaching math at Malden High School. She is in her second year as the Math Teacher Leader at MHS, where she continues to teach while also supporting the teachers of her department. The Noyce program at Tufts has provided her a space to grow into a mentoring role, learn from new teachers, and delve into culturally responsive teaching.

"The perspective I gain and the conversations I have at our Noyce Saturday Symposiums really enrich me as a person and as an educator. I love teaching math, and Noyce supports and challenges me to do that better every day."

View: Video Bio | Spring 2019 Final Reflection | Spring 2020 Final Reflection | Spring 2021 Final Reflection

Katie Spakowski

Katie Spakowski

Noyce II Master Teaching Fellow, Elementary school teacher

Katie received her bachelors degree from St. Lawrence University in English. While earning her MAT at Tufts she interned at the Linden STEAM Academy in Malden, Massachusetts. She is currently in her eighth year of teaching third grade at Linden STEAM Academy.

View: Video Bio | Spring 2018 Final Reflection | Spring 2019 Final Reflection | Spring 2020 Final Reflection | Spring 2021 Final Reflection