Robert Williams

Palmer, AK - Mathematics
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Teaching is challenging and complex work. This honor is peer-reviewed confirmation that I am making progress in my endeavor to be a highly effective and competent mathematics teacher. The honor is also a credit to my collaborative and transparent colleagues. I will never be famous and will never be wealthy; however, there is a richness and reward to teaching which is beyond measure. On a great day of teaching, there is absolutely nothing that comes close to it.

Bob Williams began his teaching career 23 years ago as a Peace Corps teacher in Gambia, Africa. He currently teaches Geometry, Algebra 1, and Advanced Placement Calculus at Colony High School.

Bob won an Alaska Teacher of the Year award in 2009 and was one of five national finalists for the 2010 National Education Association Teaching Excellence award. His highest award was a student's 2008 graduation stole with the following note: "Mr. Williams, I have a confession to make. Before this year, I didn't like math. It was a struggle and made very little sense. Calculus was another story entirely. You made it fun, exciting, and easy to learn. I went from despising math to babbling incessantly about integrals and derivatives in the span of 9 months. I sport my [calculus] tee-shirt proudly and will bring my cross-sections project wherever life manages to take me. I haven't told my parents for fear that they will disown me, but I have every intention of minoring in math."

Bob has a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, an M.A. in Mathematics Education from Columbia University, and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration.

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