Kerry Ravan, MA

You will learn with me when taking courses in freshman-level mathematics courses through Calculus I.

Degrees

• BA, Mathematics, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
• MAT, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
• EdD, Curriculum and Instruction, University of South Carolina (in process)

My experience includes teaching math for six years in secondary education in North Carolina. I have been teaching at the university level since 2012.

Early in my freshman year of high school, I knew I wanted to teach high school mathematics. After receiving the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholarship, I attended the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill to pursue this dream. I became a licensed secondary mathematics educator in North Carolina upon completing my M.A.T. degree at UNC. I taught high school mathematics for three years in North Carolina before meeting my husband and moving to South Carolina. I continued teaching for three more years before the long commute convinced me to look for teaching jobs closer to home. I applied and interviewed for multiple secondary education jobs in South Carolina; however, God kept closing the doors of these opportunities despite my high qualifications.

I then saw a position open at North Greenville University but chose not to apply since I did not have my doctorate. However, I kept getting this nagging feeling that I needed to apply for the job since such a job would combine my passion for teaching mathematics with my love for sharing Jesus. I applied for the position during the summer of 2012, and the rest is history. It turned out that the Math Department needed someone interested in teaching freshman-level mathematics who could assist with Mathematics Education courses in the future.

Although there are times when I do miss teaching high school, there is nothing more satisfying than teaching mathematics from a biblical worldview within a community of fellow believers. I know God called me to NGU to teach mathematics and help mentor future educators, especially high school mathematics teachers.

Favorite Course to Teach:

My favorite course to teach is MATH 1315 Contemporary Mathematics. As a general education mathematics course, I teach many students who are not fond of the subject and often struggle with it. Teaching Contemporary Mathematics provides me with the opportunity to help struggling students find self-confidence as they experience successes in the course.

Explore more resources related to this field of study:

• Mathematical Association of America 
• National Council of the Teachers of Mathematics