Teachers

KBAY Teacher of the Month

Nominate teacher for KBAY’s Teacher of the Month

Click here to see who was named KBAY’s Teacher of the Month in prior months

The KBAY Teacher of the Month for May is Lynn Walton, who teaches math at Westmont High School in the Campbell Union High School District. Lynn has taught in Campbell for seven years after 26 years of teaching in Maryland and in the San Jose Unified District. Lynn is a graduate of Marietta College in Ohio and also has a degree from Alliant University.  Lynn is a deacon in her church, is actively involved in Katrina relief in the town of Pearlington, Mississippi and represents her colleagues on CTA’s State Council. Lynn will receive a Teacher Innovation Grant for her classes from the Silicon Valley Education Foundation.

When asked what she liked most about being a teacher, Lynn replied, “The students.  I genuinely enjoy working with my high school students and I like to attend their sporting events, drama productions, etc.  Wherever I have taught, the best part has always been in my classroom with the kids.  I am currently supporting the drama program by appearing in their production of “High School Musical—Teacher Edition.”

Lynn will use her SVEF grant to purchase graphing calculators for her classroom. She says, “The primary purpose was to ensure that all of my students have equal access to graphing calculators in my classes.  They will be used in my classes, particularly with our work in pre calculus with credit and interest, sequences and series, and next fall with my Geometry classes as we work with linear equations. The grant will enable me to use activities that require this type of calculator with all classes and it will challenge me to investigate new activities as well.  I am also learning how to use TI software that interfaces with the calculator.

Lynn says that the biggest challenges she faces every day in teaching are, “Large class sizes –which prevent the one-on-one contact that a lot of my students would benefit from.  I speak with every student every day and I have some peer tutors that come in to help. The other challenge is  the student that feels no connection to the school or a future goal.  I do a COW project (College of the Week) that all students must do to start them thinking about the future.  I try to suggest a club or activity that a student might enjoy and introduce them to someone in the group or to the advisor.”

Congratulations to Lynn Walton, KBAY’s Teacher of the Month for May.