考特尼·库斯勒博士.D.

Working with students who spoke 20 different languages and represented 40 countries was a life-changing experience for Dr. 考特尼凯斯特勒 and has led Koestler to focus on issues of 股本, diversity and social justice in 数学教育. 自1999年以来, Koestler has served as a K-8 public school teacher working both as a classroom teacher and a mathematics specialist and instructional coach. More recently, they have been a university-based teacher educator and researcher and currently serve as the director the 俄亥俄州 Center for 股本 in Mathematics and Science and an Associate Professor of 教师教育 at newbb电子平台. They have written and conducted research about teacher preparation and professional development (especially in regards to diversity, 股本, 与正义), developing critical literacy and supporting student and teacher agency, and the Mathematics 共同核心 Standards.

Koestler says that their experience working with culturally, linguistically and economically diverse students as a public school teacher in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area informed their work as a researcher and teacher educator. They are committed to work towards more welcoming, 公平的, and just educational opportunities for children and teachers.

They have participated in and led several research projects funded by the National Science Foundation and other organizations on math education, 教师教育 and the 共同核心. 最近的一个项目, 连接ing Mathematics to the Real World centers on making mathematics relevant and meaningful by 与老师合作 to connect to social and political issues. During the 2022-2023 academic year, they worked as a third grade teacher in a local Appalachia school district researching the design and implementation of lessons and units that connected mathematics tasks to real world issues.

An active member of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, the Ohio Council of Teachers of Mathematics and Ohio 数学教育 领导 Council, Koestler is often asked to speak about early childhood and elementary education, and has given numerous presentations about the 数学教育, 教师教育, creating safe and 公平的 spaces for education, and teacher professional development.

“I’m really interested in thinking about education from a justice perspective,” Koestler says. “A lot of people think that neutrality should be a goal in education, but there are always decisions you make as a teacher or policy maker that can shape the way that they (students) experience the classroom or schooling in general.” Koestler works to help prospective teachers understand that neutrality is achievable and that they all have practices and perspectives that impact their work in the classroom. Koestler says teachers must understand the social, cultural and political contexts in which they are educating students.

Koestler directs the 俄亥俄州 Center for 股本 in Mathematics and Science (OCEMS), a center in the Patton College of Education. OCEMS strives to be an integral part of supporting mathematics and science education projects that aim to enrich and improve the teaching and learning of PreK-16 mathematics and science in southeast Ohio and beyond. This vision is achieved by strengthening collaboration, 协调, and communication among Patton College of Education faculty, newbb电子平台其他学院的教员, PreK-16教育者, 和其他人.

In addition to their work researching and teaching prospective teachers, Koestler serves as a resource and partner for local school districts where they are available to model lessons, 观察, 咨询, co-teach and work with committees. They are also active in LGBTQ education, 与老师合作, both prospective and practicing, and families to help create warm, welcoming classroom spaces for all children.