Lindsey Arceci
Equinox Staff
There is a difference between succeeding for one’s own benefit, and succeeding for the good of others. With her recent award honoring New Hampshire’s outstanding educators and schools at the State Department of Educators, Beverly J. Ferrucci continues to expand her knowledge of how other cultures teach and understand mathematics, to use to broaden her student’s understanding of math around the world.
With a nomination from the Keene State College administration, Ferrucci won this award for teaching excellence at the post-secondary level in New Hampshire. This award was open to nominations from all professors from the New Hampshire colleges and universities, in all academic departments.
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Ferrucci has participated in several conferences overseas involving the study of ethnomathematics. According to Ferrucci, she recently traveled to Morocco for a conference about African perspectives on mathematics and mathematics instruction.
“I have also recently participated in a mathematical technology conference in Turkey where the mathematics teaching was a blend of both Asian and European perspectives since Turkey is part of both continents,” Ferrucci said.
What drives her to explore other culture’s perspectives is her belief that students should be culturally well-rounded. “I think it is very important for my Keene State College students to become knowledgeable about other culture’s perspectives on the teaching and learning of mathematics,” she said.
Ferrucci said she feels honored to have received this recognition, especially when she considers all the outstanding professors she was nominated alongside.
“One of the things that made this award very special is that there were two ceremonies associated with it,” Ferrucci described. “During the first ceremony my family, my dean, and fellow faculty members accompanied me to Manchester where we all participated in a statewide event that honored outstanding faculty at all levels of education. It was a privilege to have been there and to represent in a small way, KSC, at this interesting and delightful event.”
Ferrucci added that after this ceremony, there was also another special event at the New Hampshire Dept. of Education, where all the recipients received plaques noting their achievements.
In looking towards the future, Ferrucci said she will continue to develop her research and teaching by emphasizing ways to improve the preparation of future mathematics teachers at KSC.
“Particularly, I look forward to continuing to mentor pre-service mathematics teachers as well as those who are just beginning their mathematics teaching careers,” Ferrucci said.
She also plans to use her research and understanding of ethnomathematics in hopes to continue the strong reputation KSC has for mentoring and sponsoring outstanding mathematics teachers in New Hampshire.
“This has been documented by the fact that nine of the past 16 winners of the Fernand Prevost Mathematics Teaching Award for Beginning Mathematics Teachers have been graduates of our mathematics department here at KSC,” Ferrucci added.
Some of the other awards Ferrucci has won include the Keene State College Distinguished Teacher Award for 2011, the Keene State College Faculty Award for Distinction in Research and Scholarship, the Keene State College Outstanding Woman of New Hampshire Award given by the KSC Commission on the Status of Women, the Richard C. Evans Distinguished Mathematics Educator Award given by the New Hampshire Teachers of Mathematics, and the Balomenos Award for Outstanding Contributions to Mathematics Education given by the New Hampshire Teachers of Mathematics.
Along with these notable awards, Ferrucci said she has also been an invited presenter, lecturer, and researcher in over 70 countries, and has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles in numerous international journals. She also stated that the prestigious National Institute of Education in Singapore has invited her to serve as an invited faculty member two times.
The list goes on; she is also the first female editor of the New England Mathematics Journal, which she said is one of the largest publications for mathematics and mathematics education in the United States. Ferrucci is also currently an advisor to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) on its Educational Materials Committee where it reviews recommend publications for the council.
With such strong goals for her students, and the greater good of the KSC community, Ferrucci is one professor who will keep learning, so that others may learn as well.
Lindsey Arceci can be contacted at larceci@keene-equinox.com.