McAnany becomes the first William Peace University student to win the award
It all adds up for Megan McAnany, and it always has.
Math always came naturally to McAnany, but she really can’t explain it. Perhaps it was because she always had good teachers, or maybe it was because she never got in her head about how challenging math is.
She says she never took higher-level math, just “typical classes,” but the subject has always been one of her best.
Now she’s one of the best young stars headed to the classroom next year and has been recognized for her talents.
Each year, the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCCTM) picks one college student as their “Outstanding Mathematics Education Student.” This year’s winner was McAnany.
McAnany will accept the award at a ceremony on Nov. 14 at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem.
The NCCTM started recognizing college students in 2012, and winners have come from schools such as East Carolina, North Carolina State, and Elon. McAnany is the first-ever winner from William Peace University.
“I was surprised,” McAnany said. “Being from a smaller school, sometimes we don’t get opportunities. You look at the bigger schools and it just feels like they kind of just get it, so it feels very honorable. I’m very happy about it, and I couldn’t have done it without the professors pushing me.”
Professor Kitty Rutherford nominated McAnany, an Elementary and Special Education major from Simi Valley, California. Rutherford teaches McAnany in her Math Methods Course at William Peace University.
“Megan comes to class well prepared and welcomes any math challenge, always willing to move outside her comfort zone,” Rutherford said. “Megan consistently demonstrates outstanding academic engagement, contributing thoughtful and reflective questions that enrich class discussions.”
McAnany is currently in placement at Green Elementary in Raleigh. She’ll start her student teaching in the spring. Her skills in teaching math to the second-grade students at Green, and their ability to process and practice what McAnany taught them, is what secured her the award.
Because math comes so naturally to her, McAnany was worried she wouldn’t be able to teach it. She figured how she solves problems might not easily translate into showing others the steps.
“It’s not easier, but more fun and doable than I thought,” McAnany said.
McAnany added math always made sense in her head and making it make sense to a group of second graders was the challenge. Part of her duties (she will also make a presentation on Nov. 14) is showing some activities she used to engage her students.
“It’s all about research-proven math tasks and shown to get your students interacting and enjoying math,” McAnany said.
An outfielder on the Peace softball team, McAnany was named to the NCAA Division III Academic All-District Team last spring. McAnany also serves as a peer mentor, working with first-year students at Peace.
“Beyond her academic achievements, Megan possesses an intrinsic motivation to teach, which is evident in her proactive involvement in educational settings,” Rutherford said. “She will be an excellent Mathematics Teacher and future NCCTM Outstanding Educator.”
When she steps on stage to accept her award later this month, she knows she’ll represent the entire William Peace University community.
“I’m very proud and honored,” McAnany said. “I feel like our school, a lot of people don’t know about it, but I look around our campus and the number of people involved in leadership roles, the amount of clubs we built, and the relationships we have not only with each other but our professors, it’s amazing. You really don’t find that anywhere. I feel like we have such a special school that has so many people that do so many impactful things.”
