Bonnie Murphy
Crossroads Elementary
Bullitt County
Teaching 10 years
Typically sees about 56 students per week

What made you decide to become an educator?
I discovered that teaching was my calling during my field hours at the University of Louisville. Working with elementary students brought so much joy to my heart, and had such an important purpose that I quickly fell in love with teaching.

What excites you most about being an MAF Mathematics Intervention Teacher?
The most exciting part of being in this role is the opportunity I have to help students gain confidence in early numeracy skills. At the beginning of this journey, many students entered intervention very discouraged or frustrated about math, but slowly over time I began to see their little paradigms shift! One of my major goals in this position is to instill a belief in students that math IS for everyone; they just have to exercise all areas of their math brain! Throughout my first year in this position, students also began to develop their understanding of quantity of number, which changed the way they talked about math! Using AVMR as the assessment tool to drive instruction has allowed me to more fully understand the way my students think and problem solve. I love the detective work included in my role as a MIT. Finding the cutting edge of instruction is an exciting challenge!

What differences have you seen in your students since they began receiving intervention assistance?
Students receiving intervention have become those students who want to share during regular math classes. Students who used to sit with hands folded in their laps and heads bowed in silence are now raising their hands in classroom discussions to answer questions and share their response.

What is one, favorite story or “a-ha!” moment you’ve had with one (or more) of your intervention students? Why is this your favorite?
One of the most rewarding moments for me as a MIT is when students find ownership of their strategies and apply conceptual understanding. Last year in my third grade groups, several students used their conceptual understanding and experiences with manipulatives to "claim" their own strategy during our number talks. The last student, of course, had the most difficult task since his strategy had to be different than the other strategies already claimed. Over several weeks' time and many attempts, this student discovered a new strategy that was named after him. It was priceless to see his sense of pride and accomplishment!

What does the MAF and the Kentucky Center for Mathematics mean to you?
The Math Achievement Fund has allowed me to not only work with struggling math students, but to also find a strong passion for this new leadership role in my school. I am excited about what I have learned as a new MIT, and am working professionally to share and present this knowledge with colleagues and parents at my school.

KCM provides a great support system for MITs! The AVMR training, AdMIT day, collegial team meetings, WebEx meetings, and Regional Coordinator support and school visits all contributed to the success of my first year.

What advice would you give to a colleague or other educator if they had never attended a KCM professional learning experience before?
If you have never attended a professional learning experience offered through KCM, you are missing out! These trainings provide resources and valuable information that will greatly impact how you teach math and increase the success of your students!

What activities, organizations, hobbies, etc. do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love camping and being outdoors!

What is your favorite pizza topping?
Green Peppers.

What was your favorite childhood television show?
Rainbow Brite.