Meet our new Math Teacher in Residence, Marco!

This past year we had the pleasure of growing our NumWorks family by adding an additional Math Teacher in Residence, Marco!

How long were you a teacher?

I taught for 15 years at Brownsville Rivera High School. In that span, I taught Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Mathematical Modeling, and Precalculus. I even taught US History for a 6-week period one year.

Which subject is your favorite?

This is difficult. This is like being asked which is your favorite child. I enjoyed teaching Algebra 1 because it is the foundation for every other course in high school and beyond. Geometry allowed for a bit more creativity in the way I taught. Algebra 2 and Precalculus allowed us to explore multiple representations of functions and data with technology.

Why did you choose to join the NumWorks team?

I strongly believe that there is still a place for a handheld graphing calculator in math classrooms. I believe that the Numworks graphing calculator is an ideal solution that is modern, sleek, and an intuitive solution that is also pedagogically sound and accessible in various forms to students and teachers.

What is your favorite NumWorks app?

I appreciate the NumWorks grapher app because of its intuitive design. Having used several other graphing solutions, I found the grapher app on the NumWorks calculator particularly easy to navigate and use. Its seamless access to multiple representations of functions and relations—such as graphical, algebraic, and numerical views—supports users in making meaningful connections between these representations. This accessibility encourages deeper exploration and helps students develop a more conceptual understanding of mathematics rather than relying solely on procedural approaches.

What is your favorite feature of the calculator?

One feature of the NumWorks graphing calculator that I particularly appreciate is its ability to display both an exact solution and a decimal approximation when performing calculations. This dual representation supports a deeper understanding of the mathematics by allowing users to see the relationship between symbolic and numerical results. I also especially enjoy the “three dots” that appear in the calculation or graph history, as they often provide access to additional information or related insights about the current computation. Each time I notice the three dots on the right-hand side, I am naturally inclined to explore them, driven by curiosity about what further details or options might be available. This design encourages exploration and reinforces conceptual understanding through thoughtful user interaction.

What do you hope to accomplish in your first year at NumWorks?

In my first year, I aspire to raise awareness of the NumWorks graphing solution among as many educators and students as possible. I believe this graphing calculator is a game changer in the teaching and learning of mathematics, offering tools that promote deeper conceptual understanding and meaningful engagement. With this in mind, I hope to actively support efforts to make the NumWorks handheld accessible to as many students as possible, ensuring that more learners can benefit from its intuitive design and powerful mathematical capabilities.

What has been your favorite part of working at NumWorks?

I truly enjoy working for NumWorks because of the forward-thinking, ambitious, and welcoming nature of the team. It is incredibly rewarding to collaborate with professionals who offer unwavering support and are genuinely invested in one another’s success across our various roles. I am especially excited to engage with mathematics teachers, sharing the NumWorks graphing handheld and demonstrating how transformative this tool can be for their students and their understanding of mathematics.

What do you want to tell teachers?

If you are looking to teach mathematics in a more impactful and conceptual way, this instructional tool is designed for you. I truly believe the NumWorks graphing handheld is a game changer for math instruction. It is intuitive, easy to use, and built with modern classrooms in mind. If you’re feeling limited or frustrated by outdated graphing technology, I encourage you to give NumWorks a try, you won’t be disappointed.