Kelly Beleckas

This is my 7th year working as a remedial math at a wonderful public school on Long Island. I push into K-5 classrooms to teach whole-class lessons, and I also work with small groups of students in pull out sessions to help them understand and conceptualize math better. I also have presented at various math conferences around New York, including NCMTA and NCAMS’ “How to Make Math Count” conference at Molloy College; NCMTA & SCMTA’s “LIMACON” conference at SUNY Old Westbury; AMTNYS’ “Math Rocks” conference in Rochester; and NCMTA & NCAMS’ “Family Math Day” at Long Beach High School. I have also taught two math methods graduate courses at Fordham University.

When teaching mathematics in grades K-5, I find it crucial to create lessons and activities that help students master basic facts and conceptualize mathematical procedures. My lessons also require students to solving real-world problems by applying mathematical strategies. I strive to align my lessons with state standards and make sure I have clear, obtainable objectives. During lessons, I act as facilitators, scaffolding learning and providing prompts that stimulate thought-provoking discussions and student learning opportunities. A great lesson might include a combination of spiral review, cooperative learning, hands-on or virtual manipulatives, student discovery, mathematical literature, independent practice of new concepts, reinforcement of new concepts through songs or games, problem solving activities that require higher-level thinking, and journal writing or talking journals that require students to explain their thinking and support their ideas on paper or verbally. In order to reach various types of learners and to help all students succeed, I find that differentiation of instruction as well as differentiation of assessment are necessary on a daily basis. I am always planning, self-assessing, and working on my classroom management skills. My goal is to help all students should develop a deeper understanding of mathematics as well as a positive attitude towards math.

My students were Nassau County Sumdog champions!

Undergraduate: Georgetown University - Math & Sociology Major Graduate: Fordham University - MST Childhood Education, 1-6

I have the most adorable Dachshund named Frank! His favorite activities include sunbathing and snuggling.