By Sophia Ling
Creekside Middle School teacher Angela Snyder is among 107 recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. She was nominated by her peers who appreciate and recognize her impact on student achievement.
Snyder has taught at Creekside for 11 years. Previously, she taught at Clinton, Berry, Carmel and Lafayette Jeff high schools and served as an administrator at Carmel Middle School and Carroll Junior-Senior High School.
Snyder said her favorite part of teaching is the “relationships (teachers) build with students, helping them find out what their dreams are, what they truly enjoy in life, helping them put that information with a career, and helping them connect their passion to something that can help them make money and survive in the world.”
Snyder wants to make mathematics relevant for her students and develop their critical thinking skills to become problem-solvers who can “make the world a better place.”
Snyder is president of the Indiana Council of Teachers of Mathematics and serves on state STEM leadership teams. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Mississippi College and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Indiana Wesleyan University.
As an educator for more than 30 years, Snyder has a few words of wisdom for fellow teachers.
“First, love your students. Help them recognize their abilities and help them believe in themselves,” she said. “Second, go with the flow. Make the educational experience for students the best it can be, and always keep a positive attitude.”
