QND teacher incorporates culture into math
QUINCY, Ill., (KHQA) — For the past several years Ms. Beth Lask now a Geometry teacher at Quincy Notre Dame, taught in a different state, in a different classroom setting.
Before Ms. Beth Lask began teaching Geometry at Quincy Notre Dame, she spent several years teaching in a different state, in a different classroom setting.
Lask said I taught on an Indian Reservation for 14 years in Montana. I taught using cultural ways and incorporated culture into math and ended up blending the two.
Ms Beth Lask’s innovative approach to math and culture and her dedication to her students will only be enhanced by this surprise.
While surprising her with a $1000 grant, her mom, who also happens to be a teacher at QND, stopped by.
Did you hear about it? No, I get 1000 dollars for the tipi project with my class,
I love working with her. She has creative ideas, In the past she has worked with students who have had a really hard time coming to school, family life. She has always been so kind and sympathetic, says Mrs. Pat Lask
The tipi project Beth Lask is referring to is one of several things she is going to incorporate into her classroom.
The students will get to build mini tipi's, which will help them understand not only the importance of the geometry in real life, but also the cultural relations to math.
They really enjoy the connection between doing math that's practical and connects to things they can see, says Lask
And soon the students will get to see their fall project come to life!
With the help of the grant, a 3-D mathematical adventure will come to life in a creative fence art with cups that will click into the fence.
Lask says, The students did the designs for the fence this fall when we did hybrid learning, and we had a contest and students voted which design would be best on the fence with the most school spirit.
Ms. Lask’s hands-on approach to learning is really connecting with her students
It's been such a change for me coming from Montana to Quincy, just the cultural change. It's wonderful to have the opportunity to bring the two together and share this with my class.
KHQA would like to thank our sponsors, Continental Cement, Green America Recycling, and Doors'n More for making these grants possible for local educators.
If you are a teacher and would like to apply for the grant, click the link on our website.
