Math Medic Foundation Presents: Eliminating Gatekeeping in AP Mathematics

A panel discussion with Rebecka Peterson, Nathan Bowling, and Matthew Vriesman

Moderated by Luke Wilcox

Join us for this event presented by Math Medic Foundation, a nonprofit with the mission of connecting students, teachers, and schools to resources that increase equitable access to high-quality mathematics education. Our panel of experts will discuss the issue of gatekeeping in Advanced Placement (AP) mathematics and offer steps we can all take to eliminate the practice.

Event Details:

Date: Wednesday, May 29th

Time: 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm EST

Format: Zoom (link will be sent upon registration)

Topic: Eliminating Gatekeeping in AP Mathematics

Rebecka Peterson, the 2023 National Teacher of the Year, is a math teacher who loves stories. Rebecka has taught high school math classes ranging from intermediate algebra to Advanced Placement calculus, for 11 years at Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Amid a difficult first year of high school teaching, she found the “One Good Thing” blog. She credits daily posting there to helping her recognize the beautiful and positive experiences occurring in her classroom, which inspired her to stay in the profession. She has since contributed 1,400 posts to the blog. As Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, she has visited teachers across the state to highlight their important work through the Teachers of Oklahoma campaign.

In his eighteenth year in the classroom, Nate Bowling teaches Political Science and World History at the American Community School of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, having relocated there in 2019. Prior to moving overseas, Nate was honored as a Washington State Teacher of the Year, National Teacher of the Year Finalist, and a recipient of the Milken Family Foundation’s National Educator Award. His perspectives on teaching and education issues have been featured in The Washington Post, Slate, and The Seattle Times. Nate is also the host of Nerd Farmer Podcast, and he writes a weekly newsletter called Takes & Typos. Together with his wife, Nate documents their journey teaching and living overseas on their blog, Bowlings Abroad.

Matt Vriesman was named the 2023 National History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Vriesman teaches AP US History, AP World History, and the AP African American Studies pilot course at East Kentwood High School, the 4th most diverse district in the United States. Vriesman has been teaching for 15 years, including four years teaching abroad in South Korea and Kuwait. He developed AntiracistAPUSH.com based on his graduate research in American history, citing the unacceptable gap between leading historical scholarship and standard high school history texts, specifically in the portrayals of Black histories. Vriesman believes that history education can empower all students to realize their own agency and therefore elevate their voices and strengthen our democratic institutions. Vriesman has partnered with the Grand Rapids Public Museum, Immigration History Initiative, and the Zinn Education Project.

Luke Wilcox teaches mathematics at East Kentwood High School, the #1 most diverse public school in Michigan. He also co-founded Math Medic, Stats Medic, and Calc Medic - websites that provide teachers with free lessons for all high school math courses. Luke's teaching has been recognized with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and the 2017-2018 Michigan Teacher of the Year. He has a master's degree in mathematics education from Grand Valley State University and completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan. Luke is the chief strategy officer of Math Medic.

05/29/2024