As humans, we’re always looking for places and communities where we feel seen and valued — communities where we feel that we belong. My goal as a teacher is to make my classroom community that place of belonging for every child that walks in the door.”
Ginna’s Story
Ginna is a learner and educator who believes in the power of math learning spaces to build strong communities and happy humans. As a high school math teacher in Chicago for nine years, she dedicated much of her class time to helping students understand and improve their relationship with math. As a part of this effort, she created a course called Rehumanizing Math, which allowed students to explore the applications and implications of mathematical ideas throughout history and across cultures. Building this course together with her students helped her begin to see some of the ways that mathematics is deeply intertwined with culture, and she gained a new appreciation for just how often mathematics can pop up in the most unexpected places! She believes that mathematics can help all of us build qualities to be better humans, and is passionate about creating learning spaces where every participant experiences joy and belonging.
Ginna is currently completing her Master’s of Education in Culturally Sustaining Education at the University of Washington, where she is focused on understanding the many ways that teachers create spaces in their math classrooms that are humanzing, joyful, and purpose-giving for teachers and students alike. She also works part-time for the Seattle Universal Math Museum, where she helps develop and teach lessons that get kids exploring mathematical ideas through art, engineering, nature, games, and more. When she’s not studying or educating, she loves being active, spending time with loved ones, and getting outside!