Courtney Kimball decided to be a math teacher when she was in sixth grade. She understands that math may not be every student’s favorite subject, but she sees the curriculum as a way to actively engage her students. In the 10 years that she has been teaching, Kimball has devoted time and effort to strengthening her understanding of mathematics and developing her skills as an educator.
“There’s a lot of beauty in mathematics, a lot of logical thinking, which is something that I’ve always enjoyed,” Kimball said.
Her decision to become a math teacher was shaped by a difficult classroom experience in sixth grade.
“I had a horrible teacher that year… [and] when it was math time, she would say, ‘Okay, here are the pages in the book,’” Kimball said. “So I spent time figuring out how to do stuff and then teaching my fellow sixth graders how to do it.”
That early experience not only deepened her love for math but also inspired Kimball to teach it in a more engaging and supportive way.
“My teaching style is very question-driven,” Kimball said. “I like to ask a lot of questions, and model myself asking questions and answering questions to try and get my students engaged in asking themselves questions.”
As a Dos Pueblos High School alumna, Kimball said she was excited to return to her high school after teaching in Utah for two years following the completion of her teaching credentials. She described coming back as a meaningful experience, explaining that the positive and supportive community at DPHS has allowed her to truly embrace herself.
“I am such a planner, an organizer, and I’m very strict with myself … [when] I started teaching, I wore dresses and skirts … I was super professional, wearing my nice shoes. Now I can’t imagine putting on anything other than a pair of pants and a pair of tennis shoes,” Kimball said. “Letting some of those things go, and letting myself be myself in the classroom [is something that DPHS has allowed].”
Kimball has taught a variety of math classes over the years, including Math 1, Math 2 Enrichment, and Advanced Placement Calculus AB. Out of all of them, Kimball said that she prefers teaching Math 2 Enrichment.
“We get so much more flexibility in that class,” Kimball said. “We’re very structured, and we move very fast in that class. But it’s also fun, because it’s finally a different type of math. We do a lot more geometry in that class and, for some students, that really clicks.”
In addition to her passion for math, Kimball has recently earned her credentials to become a school counselor. Through counseling, she hopes to bring the school community together and “support students as individuals.” Though Kimball sees this option as an exciting opportunity, she is not quite ready to leave the classroom behind.
“I’ve spent the past 10 years thinking ‘Oh yeah, there are too many limitations [in the classroom],’” Kimball said. “But then the more I’ve thought about not getting to see the same students every day after day … that’s scary.”
