The Presidential Award is such a prestigious honor! I am proud to be recognized for doing something that moves me with such passion: teaching the joy of numbers, data, and space to children of all abilities. My professional pathway has brought me to this moment, and yet I do not feel that I do anything different from a thousand other teachers. The goal of any good teacher is to bring the joy of mathematics to all children despite varying mathematics backgrounds, abilities, or home support.
Linda Bledsoe has taught first through fourth graders in multiage and inclusion classrooms at Cedar Lane Elementary for 19 years.
Linda became interested in making mathematics accessible for all students in 1997 when she began using the Investigations curriculum. Her students engaged in authentic tasks in which they developed conceptual knowledge while building a positive "math attitude."
Linda joined the TERC Math Advisory Board, which planned and facilitated countywide mathematics evenings for elementary teachers. She learned to use formative assessments for planning her instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners at these meetings. She also presented geometry workshops at four Investigations Conferences.
Linda helped revise cut scores and performance indicators for the Delaware mathematics test. She coauthored an Understanding by Design Delaware Recommended Curriculum Mathematics Unit. Last summer, she worked with the University of Delaware to write Response to Intervention plans for teachers using the Investigations curriculum.
Linda has a B.S. in education from the University of Delaware and a Master's of Education in school leadership and curriculum from Wilmington University. She is a National Board Certified Middle Childhood Generalist.
- High-resolution version of the official portrait photograph
- Awardee holding Presidential citation between Associate Director for Science of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Dr. Carl Wieman and Deputy Director of the National Science Foundation, Dr. Cora Marrett
- High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph
