Fisher College Faculty
Willem J. Wallinga
- Assistant Professor, Mathematics
- B.S., Mathematics, Clarkson University
- M.S., Teaching, State University of New York
- M.S., Mathematics, Clarkson University
- Office: 108 Beacon Street, 5th Floor
- E-Mail: wwallinga@fisher.edu
I have been teaching mathematics, in one capacity or another, since 1998. During this time, it has been my pleasure to work with a wide variety of students from the New England area and beyond. It has always been my goal to become a full-time mathematics professor at a college in Boston. I am happy to say that I am now realizing this goal at Fisher College.
Teaching mathematics at any level is a challenging prospect. Each classroom represents a diverse range of skills, previous experiences, and attitudes toward learning mathematics. At the college level, the challenge is increased as each student begins developing a unique career path. My main goal is to present mathematics in a way that is both relevant and interesting to each student, regardless of their background or future endeavors. I also focus on making mathematics less intimidating by building important connections from elementary to advanced topics.
In addition to my position at Fisher College, I am also completing doctoral work at the University of New Hampshire. My area of research is formative assessment in secondary-level mathematics classrooms. The past decade has seen a marked change in how students are assessed in mathematics at the state and national levels, and this has had a profound impact on the environment in which teachers operate. I will be studying how secondary-level teachers navigate this environment and balance the needs of their students with the pressures of externally based testing requirements.
When I'm not playing the roles of educator and researcher, I am usually spending time with my family. My wife and I will be celebrating our tenth anniversary this year. We will also be welcoming the arrival of our third child in the spring.