Kennedy’s Le Shares Mathematics Expertise with Educators at National Gathering

Making math and science engaging is something that Kennedy Middle School Teacher Jacqueline Le strives for each day.

Through math integrated lessons, Ms. Le and her middle school students have been learning about sustainable water resources. Ms. Le recently presented those lessons and her own research at the national Partners in Science meeting, where teachers from across the country came together.

“She loves mathematics and she wants and likes to see students succeed in math,” said Kennedy Middle School Principal Mr. Nick Fanourgiakis. “She differentiates for all levels of students. She makes the subject area accessible to all students.”

As a lead math teacher, Ms. Le often starts her day early or stays after hours to support students who may have questions. She also teaches accelerated mathematics in 7th grade, which readies students to begin high school prepared for geometry in 9th grade.

Ms. Le’s illustrative presentation featured research she did at the Stanford University Luthy Lab as part of the Ignited Summer Fellowship Program, as well as how she has integrated findings from Re-Inventing the Nation’s Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt) project into her Redwood City classroom. The ReNUWIt project at Stanford is focused on improving urban water management. 

Her science conference poster shined a light on the work of Stanford researchers and what her middle school students had accomplished with their own findings. 

During her fellowship, Ms. Le worked with PhD student Stephen Galdi to explore the potential of reusing non-potable water and looking for sustainable ways to conserve water. Ms. Le’s students used their math saavy for practical applications such as analyzing local and national water data, converting measurements, comparing prices, and creating graphs. 

“I also want my students to realize that math does not have to be ‘boring,’” she wrote in her conclusion. “Math is a universal language for which all other subjects rely on for its logic, equations, and statistics to create, communicate, and solve problems.”

A veteran educator with more than two decades of experience, Jacqueline Le joined RCSD in 2012. She earned both her bachelor’s degree and teaching credential from Santa Clara University.

Educator applications for the Ignited Summer Fellowship Program are now open. The 8-week, paid experience for teachers partners with regional organizations to find meaningful projects that teachers can bring back to their classrooms.