David Gray

Academic Degrees:

B.A. New England College,

M.Ed. Plymouth State College,

M.S., Ph.D. University of New Hampshire

Philosophy of teaching:

I consider it my responsibility to create a supportive environment in which all students have optimal opportunities to discover and identify for themselves the meaning of the material they are studying.

Traditionally, mathematics learning has been associated with learning a collection of skills and procedures. I believe that it is important for students to know and understand the "why" behind a particular mathematical concept as well as knowing how to do it. I also subscribe to the belief that all students can learn mathematics.

Additionally, I try to show students that mathematics is interesting and relevant to their everyday lives by having them work on individual and group projects with data or problems they create themselves and by working on applications of the material to a variety of areas of life.

My research interests include: student understanding of mathematical proof, the transition to higher order thinking in mathematics, calculus learning and calculus reform, and quantitative literacy.

Teaching background:

While I was completing my graduate degrees, I taught part time at New England College as well as Colby-Sawyer College and the University of New Hampshire. As a full time professor since 2006, I am pleased to have more opportunity to confer with departmental colleagues about mathematics and pedagogy. I have taught a variety of courses over the years including mathematics for general education such as applied mathematics and statistics, the calculus series, courses for mathematics majors such as linear algebra, advanced geometry, and abstract algebra, and courses in mathematics education for secondary mathematics education majors.