Jan Szymaszek

Jan is a recently retired third grade teacher from the Campus School of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, which is the laboratory school for the Smith College Department of Education and Child Study, where she taught for forty years. In addition to working with college interns and elementary students at the Campus School, Jan has also been involved with mathematics education in the wider community for many years. She facilitates DMI seminars at Mount Holyoke College and has contributed to various National Science Foundation projects and local initiatives involving teacher-written cases and looking closely at student thinking. Several of these projects focused on the algebraic thinking of elementary students. She also facilitated summer workshops for TERC (Investigations in Number, Data, and Space) and presented at local and national mathematics conferences. In retirement, Jan is currently exploring new professional pursuits as a math coach and consultant for districts in Massachusetts. Through this work, Jan is able to pursue her passion and curiosity about all things related to teaching and learning and to continue her commitment to connecting all learners to the joy and promise of learning mathematics.

Being a grandparent has brought new joys to Jan’s life, and she loves taking trips to visit her grandchildren in Washington state and in southern Virginia. Jan also enjoys spending time camping along the coasts of New England and North Carolina, taking time to walk by the river or to relax in her backyard with a great book in hand, listening to sports broadcasts and podcasts about teaching, learning and math.