Tanya Vik Blais

2111 87th Street, Lubbock, Texas 79423

Education and Certifications

Master of Arts in Teaching

Grand CanyonUniversityMay 2001

Cross Cultural, Language, and Academic Development (CLAD) Certificate

ChapmanUniversityJuly 1996

California Professional Clear Multiple Subject Teaching Credential

Fresno State UniversityJune 1994

Bachelor of Arts in English, Minor in Business Administration

Fresno State UniversityJune 1993

Professional Experience

Instructor – Math Methods2007-present

TexasTechUniversity

  • Teach the math methods course required of student teachers earning a Texas Early Childhood Education Teachers Credential for grades K-4.
  • Supervise and support part-time student teachers in their field experiences at the elementary (EC-4) level.

University Supervisor

Texas Tech University2007-present

  • Supervise, evaluate, and support full-time student teachers at the middle (4-8) and secondary (9-12) levels.

Independent Contractor - Presenter of Cognitively Guided Instruction 2001-present

Arkansas Educational Cooperatives

San Diego County Office of Education

  • Design and presentapproximately 20 seven-day Cognitively Guided Instruction math workshops for K-3rd grade teachers.
  • Consult with math specialists at seven educational cooperatives in Arkansas.

Teacher-in-Residence - Primary Math Specialist Certificate Program2005-2007

San DiegoStateUniversity

  • Developed and taughtcourses for teachers earning a Primary Math Specialist Certificate.
  • Established and maintained university partnerships with local school districts by collaborating with principals, superintendents, and teachers.
  • Delivered math professional development focused on the partnerships’ goal of improving student mathematics achievement through the use of effective teaching practices.
  • Mentored a K-5 mathematics coordinator at a local school district.
  • Collaboratively developed online teacher education courses.

Instructor - Math MethodsFall 2006

San DiegoStateUniversity

  • Taught the math methods course required of student teachers earning a California Multiple Subject Preliminary Credential for grades K-8.

Professional Experience - continued

Teacher - First, Second, and Third Grade

EncinitasUnionSchool District, Encinitas, CA1996-2005

Morgan Hill Unified School District, Morgan Hill, CA1995-1996

San Bernardino Unified School District, San Bernardino, CA1994-1995

  • Taught all subjects to first, second and third grade students.
  • Refined my math instruction by incorporating current research from professional readings, state and national standards, and Cognitively Guided Instruction techniques.
  • Deepened my understanding of student mathematical thinking through monthly discussionswithK-6 teachers participating in a math study groupover a nine year span.
  • Conducted action research on linear measurement, geometry, and fractions with a university professor.

Publications and Awards

  • Contributing authorforTeachers Engaged in Research: Inquiry into Mathematics (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics)
  • Wrote article, “Collaborative Cycle: A Mentoring Tool for Changing Practice” (submitted for publication)
  • Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers AwardRecipient, 2005-2006
  • Ocean Knoll Teacher of the Year AwardRecipient, 2001

Professional Math Conference Presentations

Mathematical Reasoning in Problem Solving: Access for All

California Mathematics Council-Asilomar Mathematics Conference, Monterey, CA, Dec. 2007

California Mathematics Council-South Annual Conference, Palm Springs, CA, Nov. 2007

Addition and Subtraction Computation Using True Place ValueUnderstanding

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, Mar. 2007

California Mathematics Council-South Annual Conference, Palm Springs, CA, Nov. 2005

Making Sense of the Constructs of Linear Measurement and Fractions

National Cognitively Guided Instruction Conference, Raleigh, NC, Mar. 2007

Looking Deeper into Attributes of Geometric Shapes

Greater San Diego Math Council Conference, San Diego, CA, Feb. 2007

California Mathematics Council-South Annual Conference, Palm Springs, CA, Nov. 2006

Building Partnerships between School Districts and a University to Increase Equity and Access

National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics Conference, St. Louis, MO,Apr. 2006

Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL, Jan. 2006

Understanding the Complexities of Linear Measurement and How It Can Provide a Foundation for Many Mathematical Topics

Greater San Diego Math Council Conference, San Diego, CA, Feb. 2006

Beyond Basic Place Value Understandings

Greater San Diego Math Council Conference, San Diego, CA, Feb. 2005

CGI Mini-Conference, San Diego,CA, Jan. 2003

Cognitively Guided Instruction

Elementary School Principals and Superintendents Forum: “Superintendents’ Achievement Gap Task Force”, San Diego, CA,Dec. 2004

Geometry

National Cognitively Guided Instruction Conference, St. Louis, MO, Oct. 2004

Using a Kid’s Perspective to Rethink Math Tasks

Greater San Diego Math Council Conference,San Diego, CA,Feb. 2002

Exploring Children’s Mathematical Thinking

EncinitasUnionSchool District Starfire Conference, Encinitas, CA, Jun. 1999

Professional Affiliations

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics

Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Local Arrangements Committee 2007

References available upon request