MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown High School math teacher Kerianne Smead is now nationally recognized as the recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
Smead said she knows most students are not fond of math; some may even hate it, but she engages them and provides examples of how the lessons can be used in everyday life.
“Math isn’t everyone’s favorite subject, but I really try to get them to see they can be successful and they can use math as a tool to help achieve their dreams and shoot for something if they really want to,” Smead said during an appearance on WAJR’s ‘Talk of the Town.”
She started her teaching journey at Greenbrier East High School, where she met her husband. It took her seven of her 12 years as an educator with stops at Fairmont Senior High School and Preston High before landing the job with Monongalia County Schools.
“I taught across the hall from my now mother-in-law,” Smead said. “So, he was going to school at WVU, so I started working my way further up north to get a little closer to him, so I taught at a few schools before I taught at Morgantown High.”
Teaching students that being imperfect is ok and building them up is her way to instill confidence in her students. Being interactive and keeping the students engaged in the practical side of math has been effective.
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again—that’s my motto,” Smead said. “I try to help them see the mathematician inside them and show them it’s ok to make mistakes because it’s part of the learning process.”
She said she doesn’t intentionally scan her students for the next teacher in the group, but at times it’s difficult not to see the traits in young people that would make them great educators.
“It’s not necessarily the math whiz, but it’s the kid that keeps on trying and works to help others,” Smead said. “Those are the ones that see and think maybe you’ll be an educator one day.”