At a time when the nation's brightest mathematical minds are not choosing education as a profession, a teacher like Ellen Fallon is a rare treasure to her students and colleagues. Not only is she a gifted mathematician, but a highly effective educator as well. Fellow teachers have observed her skill in spotting a struggling student and prescribing the exact activity to help that student make a learning connection. It's no surprise that 100 percent of her students achieved proficiency in math on criterion-referenced tests two years in a row. In addition to chairing the math department, Ms. Fallon serves as a professional development trainer of standards-based education. When she presents a workshop, teachers rush to enroll. A proponent of the Visual Math concept, which promotes the learning of math through hands-on activities, Ms. Fallon has transformed her classroom into a learning center in which students master math through a highly structured problem-solving format. To help students understand patterns, space, constancy and other mathematical properties, Ms. Fallon has them build three-dimensional structures. At the same time, thanks to Ellen Fallon, they're building their futures as well.
