Dr. Keary Howard
Dr. Keary Howard, winner of the 2013 President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at SUNY Fredonia, will offer a celebration of former students in “Fredonia for Life: A Transformative Learning Experience for All,” on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 2 p.m. at Rosch Recital Hall. The award, established in 1986, honors a teacher-scholar for innovative and highly effective teaching.
“Together, as a university we, simply put, transform lives,” Howard explained. “Instead of spending time focused on my research, I wanted to talk about students, taking a look at them when they were with us, and then take a look at where they are now.”
From his vantage point in the mathematics education program, Howard begins working with students as freshman and stays connected to them through to the conclusion of their senior year or even at the end of their graduate program. “Often I see them on their first day and often on their last day, which is the beauty of my position,” Keary said.
“I want to talk about these students when they were with us, and take a look at where they are now,” he explained. “We see them when they are with us, but we often don’t see where they are a few years later.” Keary will present a “baker’s dozen” of students in both pictures and stories. He also promises a few surprises by revisiting a few faculty members in past years.
Upon his arrival at SUNY Fredonia in 2000, Howard has been an integral part of the mathematics education program, working with future teacher candidates starting out as freshmen in their first field-based education course and culminating with graduate students entering their master’s thesis phase. He directs the Mathematics Education and master’s program in Mathematics Education and also supervises senior student-teachers placed in Chautauqua County schools.
Mathematics curriculum development and instruction, teacher preparation and professional development are the focus of Howard’s research. Howard has also served as vice president of the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State and associate editor of the New York State Mathematics Teachers’ Journal. He also served as co-chair of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee which developed the 2012-2017 Power of Fredonia plan.
A prolific writer, Howard is the author or co-author of 16 articles published in the New York State Mathematics Teachers’ Journal. He belongs to the National Council of Teachers in Mathematics, the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State, the Association of Mathematics Teachers Educators and Mathematics Association of America and has been invited to give presentations at numerous Mathematics Education conferences.
Before his SUNY Fredonia appointment, Howard was an assistant professor of Mathematics at Alfred State College. Howard earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics/Statistics and New York State Public School Teaching Certification, Secondary Mathematics from the University of Rochester, and his M.S. and Ph.D. -- both in Mathematics Education -- from Cornell University.
Past honors that Howard has received include the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Clarence F. Stephens Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Seaway Section of the Mathematics Association of America.
President Virginia Horvath will introduce Howard at Tuesday’s program. Closing remarks will be offered by Dr. Joseph Straight, chair, Department of Mathematical Sciences. An informal reception in the Rosch lobby will follow.
