Ormond Beach, FL - Mathematics
With full throttle enthusiasm, I believe providing strong professional development and opportunities for teacher collaboration powerfully impacts student achievement. Receiving this award has given me the opportunity to share this philosophy and honor my teams, Kip Best (my teaching partner), and my peers in Lesson Study and Thinking Math. My personal delight in receiving this award is only surpassed by the pride I have for the accomplished educators with whom I have the joy of working.
Mrs. Pittard is a teacher of the highest caliber, pursuing excellence in mathematics for herself, her students, and other teachers. She conveys respect for her students' unique identities as young mathematicians and scientists and is skillful at guiding them to increasing degrees of autonomy.
Each year Mrs. Pittard uses a theme, which for the 2007-2008 school year was the environment and ecology. Throughout the year students learned the mathematics and science needed to conduct research at a local State natural park. Research presentations and special projects, known as "Inquiries," were used to tie disciplines together. The students actively participated as independent, hands-on researchers, working with local State park rangers and botanists to study the ecological health of Florida's unique ecosystems.
Mrs. Pittard has educated herself about mathematics education styles from outside the United States, including those used in Singapore, Korea, Japan, and Europe. She incorporates the techniques that she learns into the American standard mathematics that she teaches. Her thirst for knowledge and the opportunity to be part of a professional learning community have led Mrs. Pittard to engage Pine Trail Elementary School and the Volusia County School District in an early effort to help teachers use Japanese lesson study. As a result of her intense passion for teacher and student learning, Pine Trail Elementary School hosted a national invitational Lesson Study Conference in 2008.
Since 2000 Mrs. Pittard has been involved in the American Federation of Teachers Thinking Mathematics program and currently is a trainer of trainers for this program. She has led countywide and statewide in-service trainings as well as trainings at her school.
Mrs. Pittard has a B.S. in physical education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an M.S. in elementary education from Nova Southeastern University. She is certified in kindergarten through sixth grade elementary education and is a National Board Certified Teacher.
