Dr. Rachelle Rogers brings “unmatched energy and genuine warmth” to the teaching of her mathematics courses, inspiring her Baylor students to dream of becoming just the kind of effective teacher that she is.
Now Baylor University has recognized Rogers’ outstanding classroom abilities by awarding her the Outstanding Faculty Award in Teaching for 2018. A clinical associate professor in the School of Education’s (SOE) Department of Curriculum & Instruction, Rogers began teaching at Baylor in 2003 when she was a doctoral student.
Middle school math major Jamie Wong, BSEd ’18, said that her Baylor experience would not be the same without Rogers’ work ethic, energy and warmth. “Dr. Rogers’ passion for teaching and mathematics has been contagious,” Wong said in a letter supporting Rogers’ nomination. “Even while I was anticipating becoming a teacher, the way she engaged us in the classroom made me love being a student.”
Rogers, EdD ’05, is a member of the SOE graduate faculty and also serves as a University Liaison for Midway Middle School Professional Development School, teaching courses on the school campus and supervising juniors and seniors who are gaining field experience there. In addition to supervising candidates in their extensive field experiences, she teaches the middle school mathematics methods courses.
Dr. Larry Browning, chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, said of Rogers, “Students find her passion and interest in their careers as teachers a unique characteristic of her role as Baylor faculty. Further, she executes a robust research agenda and has successfully connected research and scholarly endeavors with the work in the field.”
Wong said that Rogers constantly modeled taking theory into practice in preparing future teachers. “She ensured that everything she taught in our methods courses could be directly applied to our classroom experiences and often asked for feedback on the topics we covered,” Wong said.
Rogers’ research interests include clinical experiences through web-based case scenarios, lesson study, instruction in mathematics, and action research. Recent publications relate to the integration of literature and mathematics and clinical experiences. She has presented over 40 research papers at national meetings since 2013. Dr. Rogers has also been awarded various grants to support students and teachers in the field of mathematics and was recognized for her participation in a GEAR-UP grant by receiving the 2013 School Science and Mathematics Association Award for Excellence in Integrating Science and Mathematics.
Rogers said she takes seriously her role in preparing future teachers, because “effective teaching is an incredibly complex and multifaceted venture. Teachers must understand content and pedagogy, and they must have developed interpersonal, relational and decision-making skills.”
She added, “Teaching is my passion, and I am dedicated to building relationships with my students while maintaining very high expectations and holding students accountable for knowing their content and content pedagogy. I am blessed that my students realize that I care about them and their successes and that my colleagues recognize my dedication and commitment to helping develop the best educators possible.”
Rogers is an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) and was a 2017 ATE Clinical Fellow. Among her other professional activities, she serves as a board member of the Texas Council of Teacher of Mathematics and associate editor for its journal, Texas Mathematics Teacher, and as vice-president for Universities and Colleges for the Central Texas Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
For more news from Baylor School of Education, visit the Instant Impact home page.
ABOUT BAYLOR SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Founded in 1919, Baylor School of Education ranks among the nation’s top 20 education schools located at private universities. The School’s research portfolio complements its long-standing commitment to excellence in teaching and student mentoring. Baylor’s undergraduate program in teacher education has earned national distinction for innovative partnerships with local schools that provide future teachers deep clinical preparation, while graduate programs culminating in both the Ed.D. and Ph.D. prepare outstanding leaders, teachers and clinicians through an intentional blend of theory and practice.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.