GHS teacher named Oklahoma Math Teacher of The Year

Monetta Fields, a Guthrie High School math teacher, has been selected as this year’s Mathematical Association of America Oklahoma Teacher of the Year at the high school level by the Oklahoma/Arkansas Section of the Mathematical Association of America (OK-AR MAA).  

Fields was recognized at the annual section meeting banquet of the OK-AR MAA held at the University of Central Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas on Friday.

Fields is a secondary math teacher at Guthrie High School. After being widowed at the age of 21, she found the strength to be the first one in her family to graduated college. She attended Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City before transferring to the University of Central Oklahoma and graduating in 1995.

Fields has taught all mathematic levels from remedial Algebra to Advanced Placement Calculus.

Throughout her career, she has taught in the public as well as private sectors. In addition to her teaching, she has been instrumental in implementing Advanced Placement classes, serving on boards, research teams, interviewing teams, committees, class and club sponsor and teaching ACT readiness classes.

Monetta married David Fields, of Guthrie, and says he has been her anchor and largest supporter and has been found helping her moving classroom desks, repairing pencil sharpeners, hanging class decorations to the construction of the Freshman class Homecoming float.

OK-AR MAA annually recognizes three teachers in Oklahoma and three in Arkansas for their outstanding contributions to the mathematics education of their students.  The honorees are selected from the pool of nominees on the basis of written submissions which include a description of a special project or enrichment topic they have developed, their personal philosophy of teaching mathematics, and recommendations from a supervisor, a peer, and a student or parent.  The MAA Teacher of the Year Award is presented to one teacher from each of three levels—secondary, middle school, and elementary—from each of the two states.

Since 1915, the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) has provided a forum for educators, students, professionals, and mathematics enthusiasts to share ideas, keep abreast of developments in the mathematical community, enhance their careers, and make new friends.  Today, the MAA is the largest professional society that focuses on mathematics accessible at the undergraduate level with more than 25,000 individuals and institutions taking advantage of its publications, programs, and resources.   The membership of OK-AR MAA consists of members of the MAA residing in Oklahoma or Arkansas.  Its membership is made up of educators, students, as well as others inside and outside of academia who are devoted to the advancement of the mathematical sciences, especially at the collegiate level.