Four questions with Sharon Vestal, Associate Professor at South Dakota State University

• What is special about your GeT course? In 2-3 sentences, describe your GeT course.

The GeT course at South Dakota State University is unique in a couple of ways—it is actually called Geometry for Teachers, and it only includes students planning to teach secondary mathematics. My course includes both content and pedagogy, with a large emphasis on best practices for teaching geometry.

• Who are your students?

My students are typically sophomore or junior majors in our department, seeking a Mathematics with Teaching Specialization degree. Frequently students are taking the GeT course at the same time as they take our Logic, Sets, and Proof course. Since I teach both courses in the fall semester, many students have me as their instructor for 6 credits of mathematics.

• What are you most interested in learning/achieving through participating with the GeT: A Pencil community?

I was among the group to attend the conference in Michigan in June 2018 so I have had the privilege of being involved in this group since it began. One of the best parts of this group has been building relationships with colleagues teaching GeT courses at institutions across the country. These relationships have led to other opportunities and projects that have helped in my professional development.

The GeT: A Pencil community has helped me grow as a teacher and scholar and has provided me with a group of people who have similar beliefs and struggles. I find myself looking forward to our meetings as we have meaningful conversations, and we all listen with an open mind. These thoughtful meetings happen because of mutual respect.

• What is your favorite book you have read in the last few years?

I have read a lot of books on teaching in the past few years, but one of my favorites is Instant Relevance by Denis Sheeran. I coordinate an NSF Robert Noyce Scholarship Program so each summer we have a conference and bring in an outside speaker, usually an author of some book on teaching. We invited Denis to come during the 2017 summer conference, and I have continued to stay in touch and communicate with him.  Instant Relevance is about using current events or trends to teach content in your classroom. For example, one of our sessions was on how we might be able to use fidget spinners in the classroom because they were popular at the time.