Melina Akins recently retired from Calgary Catholic School District with 35 years of experience. During those years she enjoyed her role as a teacher across the grades with a focus on elementary. She loved working with her colleagues as a consultant of Social Studies, Educational Technology and Junior High AISI. These roles led her into becoming an administrator and mentor. As an advocate for Instructional Leadership and believing we are never too old to learn, she was very excited to return to work as a Numeracy/Literacy teacher to assist Division 1 students who had learning losses due to COVID. This provided a firsthand experience into how critical it is to be able to work with children at their level and to move them forward. Having students believe in their ability and enjoy learning numeracy skills and strategies is key in them having an open mind to learning and success. Having worked with Pearson on two other projects – Social Studies and Religion – she is very excited to be a part of Mathology. 

Sandra Ball taught in the Surrey School District in British Columbia for 40 years, with her major focus on Primary Education, and is currently enjoying retirement. Over the past six years, Sandra was a Helping Teacher, working alongside teachers to support Kindergarten and Grade 1 ‘at promise’ students in Inner-City schools with literacy and numeracy. Sandra offers a variety of professional development opportunities for classroom and support teachers in the area of numeracy, both provincially and internationally. She is a member of British Columbia’s Provincial Numeracy Network and the B.C. Ministry of Education curriculum and assessment teams.  Sandra has written, reviewed, and provided support with the implementation of the revised mathematics curriculum. She believes all children are capable learners whose strengths, interests, and passions need to be nurtured.

Kyla Bernard is from the Eskaosni First Nation, a Nova Scotian community with a population of more than 4000. She is the mother of 3 children and works as an Elementary Math Coach for five Mi’kmaw First Nation schools on Unama’ki. Kyla worked as an elementary grade 1 teacher for 7 years in Membertou First Nation. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Mi’kmaw Studies and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Cape Breton. Kyla has also completed a Reading Recovery training program, upgraded her teaching licence with an Elementary Mathematics Pedagogy program, and is currently enrolled in the Master of Education program. She is very passionate about math, literacy, and the Mi’kmaw language and is honoured to work with educators and First Nation Schools in Cape Breton.

Jennifer Carter is the District Numeracy Coordinator for Vernon School District in British Columbia. She has teaching experience across the elementary grades, including 15 years in Grades 1 to 3. Jennifer is an executive member of the British Columbia Association of Math Teachers (BCAMT), a member of British Columbia’s Provincial Numeracy Network, chairperson for the Interior Numeracy Network, and an Adjunct Professor for the University of British Columbia (UBCO). Jennifer offers a variety of professional development opportunities for teachers in the area of numeracy, with a focus on helping teachers build a better understanding of the progressions of learning for numeracy development and building curricular competencies in students through math learning.

Glynnis Fleming says of herself, “I have an unusual and persistent interest in how people learn math.” Glynnis has had the luxury of focusing deeply on mathematics teaching and learning for over 15 years in schools with the District School Board of Niagara in Ontario. During that time, she has co-taught in innumerable Kindergarten to Grade 8 classrooms, completed a Master’s degree in Education focused on teachers’ learning of Mathematics-for-Teaching, and worked both at the provincial and local levels as a Student Achievement Officer, Curriculum Writing Team Leader, Math Resource Teacher, and Math Instructional Coach. In addition to making a difference for teachers and students, Glynnis is deeply encouraged by the rich collaborative friendships she has made around the province as we all learn how to teach math better. 

Petra Le Duc is a Math Consultant for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board in Ontario, who is currently on secondment to the Ministry of Education. She works with K−12 educators and administrators, supporting math with a particular focus on implementation and leadership. Petra has been part of numerous cycles of lesson study and collaborative action research in the Math for Young Children Project (M4YC), and has been a co-researcher for regional math leadership action research projects. She is a long-time member of the Ontario Association of Mathematics Education, the Ontario Mathematics Coordinators Association, and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and has presented at a number of conferences in the area of early learning and spatial reasoning, both in Ontario and abroad. Petra is an elementary teacher at heart, who now spends most of her time in classrooms with children and educators, supporting school and districts’ numeracy goals in response to effective teaching of mathematics. Petra enjoys instructing additional qualification courses in mathematics curriculum and pedagogy to pre- and in-service elementary teachers, where she is able to share her enthusiasm for math teaching and learning!

Larysa Luciw has been a teacher for the Edmonton Catholic School Board for the past 15 years. She has taught grades 1, 2, and 3 and is currently entering her 9th year as a Kindergarten teacher. She spent 10 years at St. Francis of Assisi, a Nehiyaw Pimatisiwin (Cree Language and Culture program) school where over half of the students are Indigenous. Larysa believes that every child can be successful when relationships are made that help bring out the talents and interests of the students.

Rochelle McDonald has been an educator for the past 23 years, having taught a variety of grades from PreK through to Grade 6. Over her years of teaching, she has a great fondness for teaching and connecting Literacy to cross-curricular subjects. It wasn't until she began her Master of Education in Numeracy that she found a deep passion for teaching students and teachers to love Math once again.  Currently, a principal at a PreK to Grade 8 Montessori School with the Grande Prairie Catholic School Division, Rochelle applies previous educational experience from Literacy and Numeracy Lead positions, along with Instructional Coaching, to foster meaningful connections to curriculum with staff and students in her District. It is a wonderful moment when someone sees Numeracy through a different lens and finds success in a way they may have not experienced before.  

She hopes to continue sharing her passion for Numeracy and Literacy with others along the way.

Keely Martin has worked for the District School Board of Niagara for 10 years as an elementary teacher and most recently as an instructional coach. She is passionate about her role as an instructional coach, supporting teachers with the development of engaging lessons that utilize research-based instruction and meet the needs of all students. As a creative and caring educator, she enjoys learning alongside her colleagues and students, using their unique abilities as mathematicians to further understand how math relates to the world around us.

Pat Milot is currently an Independent Education Consultant. Until recently, she was the Math Consultant for the District School Board of Niagara in Ontario, where she was committed to investigating and collaboratively implementing effective professional learning experiences. Pat works as a Provincial Learning Facilitator of Mathematics for the Ontario Ministry of Education. She has authored and reviewed math resources, participated in Ontario Ministry of Education initiatives, taught university teacher candidate courses, offered sessions at math conferences in Ontario and the United States, and participated in research studies in partnership with the University of Toronto and Trent University. Pat is past president of the Ontario Mathematics Coordinators of Ontario and past chair of the Professional Development Steering Committee for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Amanda Norton is a Dene, Cree, Métis. She grew up in a traditional Métis home in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, and currently lives in Regina. Amanda is a graduate of the University of Regina’s Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program (SUNTEP), where she received her teaching degree in 2007. She also received a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Regina in 2012. Amanda is currently teaching grades 1 and 2 in Regina.

Ann Pigeon has been an educator for 31 years. She has taught in the primary and junior divisions and worked as a Mathematics Learning Coordinator with the Thames Valley District School Board, where she worked with dedicated teachers through collaborative inquiry. Additionally, Ann completed a secondment with the Ministry of Education supporting district school boards in their implementation of the Renewed Math Strategy. While at the Ministry of Education, Ann reviewed and authored various math support documents. Ann completed her Master of Education at Western University, where she became interested in part-whole relationships and the development of students’ understanding of the operations. Supporting teachers and students with the teaching and learning of mathematics has been a passion of Ann’s for many years.

Molly Preston is a teacher in Brooks, Alberta, Canada and has taught Grade 2 for three years. She is currently on maternity leave with her second baby. She has a 2-year-old son and a 5-month-old daughter. Molly is the oldest daughter in her family with 4 younger siblings. Growing up, Molly’s family fostered children and as a result, she found her gift of nurturing children. She teaches in a very diverse community of learners with a wide variety of learning styles and abilities. Molly has a passion for teaching early mathematical concepts in a fun, hands on, and engaging way. She especially loves teaching students who struggle with math and loves motivating young minds. 

Melissa Purcell is of Denesuline and Irish ancestry, born and raised in Edmonton, Treaty 6, Alberta and a member of Tthebatthi Denesuline (Smith’s Landing First Nation) within Treaty 8 territory. She is a proud mother of one son and two daughters, and the oldest of her three sisters. Melissa is a teacher, leader and advocate for Indigenous education, and is deeply committed to ongoing learning and sharing her learning with others. Melissa has Indigenous education experience at the school, division and provincial levels. Her educational background includes a BEd, BA, and she has recently completed a graduate certificate as part of her current studies in educational research.

Jonathan So is a proud teacher for the Peel District School Board in Ontario. He has taught grades 2–5, and is currently a Math Instructional Coach. Jonathan always looks to promote creativity and exploration in his family, students, and colleagues. He completed a Master’s degree in Education, focusing on how his questions impacted students’ learning of part-whole relationships in fractions. Jonathan’s interests lie in math, assessment, and technology, and he is passionate about inquiry and the endless possibilities it has for students. Jonathan is a TEDx speaker who has presented at various workshops across Canada. Jonathan is a proud parent of 3 wonderful young children

Erik Teather has had the opportunity to work in Ontario elementary mathematics education for close to 20 years. His various roles have included classroom teacher, math coach, and consultant. Erik has also served as President of the Ontario Mathematics Coordinators Association (OMCA), and has recently taught additional qualification courses for the Ontario College of Teachers. He continues to be excited about working with students and educators as they look for the mathematics in their world in ways that help them reason and make sense of the mathematics they are learning.

Shawna Turner has been teaching in the Grasslands School District in Alberta for nearly 17 years. She has taught grades 2-6, English as an Additional Language, and targeted literacy groups across the elementary grades. Passionate about literacy, Shawna has always incorporated stories and books into all subjects to engage learners and connect curriculum to children's interests. Shawna has a B.A. in English literature and a B.Ed. in elementary education. She also has a Master's degree in education, focusing on critical literacy in elementary classrooms and advocating for representation and equity for marginalized students in elementary classrooms.   

Kimberley Tyssen is a primary educator for the Vernon School District in British Columbia. As a primary teacher for over 15 years, teaching mathematics to enthusiastic primary children is her favourite part of the school day. Kimberley completed a Master’s degree in Education at the University of British Columbia. She believes that all children can feel successful and have fun learning math. Kimberley lives in Vernon with her husband and their two energetic boys

Geraldine Wu is currently working as an Interchange participant for the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Curriculum branch. She has been an educator for 16 years and has held a variety of positions. Teaching has always been her passion, but being an educator, role model, and guide for Indigenous youth has driven and motivated her to make the career choices that she has. Geraldine believes that it is imperative for Indigenous youth, and all youth, to receive an education that encompasses their history/story to create more confident and proud individuals who are able to create positive opportunities for themselves and others in their communities. “Education is helping the child realize his/her potentialities.” Erich From. 

Shelley Yearley 

After 8 years as a Provincial Lead of Mathematics on assignment with the Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE), Shelley returned to the classroom teaching mathematics in Trillium Lakelands DSB for 3 years before retiring. While on assignment, the key project within her portfolio was the action research led by Dr. Cathy Bruce of Trent University that focused on the teaching and learning of fractions. This work, a partnership between CODE, Trent University, and the Ontario Ministry of Education, involved students and educators from K–12 classrooms in several Ontario district school boards. Shelley also played a role in the development of numerous resources and professional learning supports for K–12 educators, including the Paying Attention to… series and the provincial GAINS Math CAMPPPs. Shelley has served on a number of committees, including NCTM’s Educational Materials Committee (2014–2017), Action Research Network of the Americas Executive Committee (2009–2014), Ontario Ministry of Education Connecting Practice and Research — Mathematics Advisory Panel (2007–2010), and as an executive member of the Ontario Mathematics Coordinators Association (2002–2006). Educators’ passion for learning and desire for quality research-based educational tasks inspires Shelley to continue to support an increased alignment between research and classroom practice.