Meet our new Math Teacher in Residence, Shannon!

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

How long have you been a teacher?

I’ve been teaching high school mathematics for 28 years. My career began at Thomas More High School, a private Catholic school in Milwaukee, WI, where I taught for four years. I then joined Waterford Union High School in Waterford, WI, where I’ve had the opportunity to teach a wide range of courses—from introductory Algebra 1 to Advanced Placement Calculus BC. In addition to teaching, I’ve enjoyed serving in a variety of roles, including cheerleading coach (a role I took on with no prior experience but quickly embraced), bowling coach, and student council advisor.

Which subject is your favorite?

My favorite class to teach is AP Calculus AB. I enjoy how it brings together concepts from previous math courses, creating a cohesive and meaningful experience for students. What I find especially exciting is how Calculus AB connects abstract ideas to real-world applications—particularly in exploring area and volume. While in Geometry we focused on finding the areas of basic shapes like rectangles, triangles, and trapezoids, the real world presents us with much more complex, irregular curves. Calculus provides the tools we need to analyze and understand these shapes, making the mathematics come alive in a practical and engaging way.

Why did you choose to join the NumWorks team?

As I approached retirement from classroom teaching, I knew I wasn’t ready to slow down. I still feel energetic and passionate about education, and I couldn’t imagine simply staying at home without a meaningful way to stay engaged. In the last few years of my teaching career, I began looking for opportunities to stay connected to the world of math education. When I discovered the NumWorks calculator, I was immediately impressed by its potential to enhance both teaching and learning. I knew right away that I wanted to share this innovative tool with other educators.

What is your favorite NumWorks app?

The Grapher App is my favorite application because it makes graphing equations in any form incredibly simple. I especially appreciate how effortlessly it identifies key features such as minimums, maximums, and intercepts—without the need for additional calculations.

What is your favorite feature of the calculator?

I really appreciate the additional features available through the “three dots” when entering an expression like $\sin\frac{2\pi}{3}$ in the calculation app. The visual of the unit circle with the angle clearly marked—alongside its equivalent degree measure—is incredibly helpful. It’s also great that the cosine and tangent values for the same angle are displayed as well.

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

During my first year at NumWorks, my goal is to help educators discover the full potential of this powerful calculator. Its intuitive, app-based design aligns well with how today’s students interact with technology. The calculator’s ability to seamlessly connect equations, tables, and graphs supports deeper conceptual understanding and creates more opportunities for meaningful exploration and application.

What has been your favorite part of working at NumWorks?

Collaborating with fellow math educators who share my enthusiasm for the NumWorks calculator has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Engaging in thoughtful conversations, exchanging ideas, and learning from one another has not only deepened my own understanding of the calculator’s capabilities but has also reinforced the power of community in advancing meaningful math instruction.

What do you want to tell teachers?

When our math department was considering a transition to the NumWorks calculator, one of the most compelling factors in our decision-making process was its approval for use on both AP exams and the ACT. We recognized that not incorporating this tool into our instruction could place our students at a disadvantage, as the NumWorks calculator offers a broader range of features and facilitates deeper connections between mathematical concepts and real-world applications.