I really enjoy helping students realize their potential and helping develop their quantitative confidence. I appreciate the beauty and challenge of mathematics, and enjoy helping students to discover that same beauty and challenge. I also find it important to help students connect their world to the concepts they learn in mathematics, so they can be informed, logical people who use sound reasoning to make sense of the world.”
Kara’s Story
Teaching Discipline
Mathematics
Why Mathematics
“Mathematics is everywhere in our world. In order to understand the quantitative aspect of life, financial matters, law, logic, reasoning, sequences, architecture, medicine and healthcare, and pretty much any other career or life area, you need to have a solid foundation in mathematics including graph and data analysis, algebra, and reasoning. I originally chose to study mathematics because I found it to be easy to understand, fun to do, and rewarding to accomplish task completion. Over time I realized how math can also be very challenging, frustrating, and time consuming. Like anything in life, perseverance and grit are traits that need to be cultivated, and math has challenged me to do that.”
Professional Experience
Kara started teaching high school mathematics full time in the same year she began attending graduate school full time. After earning her first masters degree, she started teaching college math as an adjunct at three different universities in NJ. She became a mathematics interventionist for grades 9-12, coached K-6 teachers in best practices for teaching math, and completed certification to become a school principal. She currently teaches mathematics at the college level full time, runs professional development for teachers of math in grades prek-12, acts as a consultant for schools wanting to address needs in their math department, and serves as the president of AMTNJ. She conducts math and math education research, publishes her work, and presents at conferences on local, state, regions, and national levels.
Volunteer Experience
Kara is the president of the Association of Mathematics Teachers of NJ. She has served on the Board of Trustees for five years. Kara has packed food at a local soup kitchen and assisted with organizing Cookies 4 Kids Leukemia fundraisers and annual Alzheimer’s walks.
Hobbies
Kara enjoys running half marathons, reading, playing the guitar and piano, writing scripts and creating films, spending time outside, traveling, helping people learn math, and above all, spending time with her husband and three young sons.
Academic Background
- Ph.D. in Mathematics Education, Rutgers University
- Masters in Math Education, Rutgers University
- Masters in Educational Leadership, American College of Education
- Bachelor of Arts in Education and Mathematics, Stockton University