The influence of a great teacher resonates far beyond the classroom—shaping students, schools, communities, and beyond. Knowles recognizes the profound importance of teachers and actively invests in the development of science and math teacher leaders. I am proud to serve as a Knowles Trustee.
Joel Amidon started his career as a high school mathematics teacher at Sauk Prairie High School, in Prairie Du Sac, WI, where he was a field test teacher for the revision of Contemporary Mathematics in Context (Core+). Joel earned his PhD at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and currently serves as Professor of Teacher Education at the University of Mississippi and the coordinator of the PhD program in the Department of Teacher Education. There he prepares teachers of mathematics, mentors doctoral students, and conducts research on the improvement of pedagogy toward more equitable outcomes in the mathematics classroom and mathematics methods classroom. Twice he was awarded the University of Mississippi School of Education’s Teacher of the Year (2012 & 2017) and Scholar of the Year (2015 & 2020). Joel has published in the journals Mathematics Teacher Educator, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, Kappa Delta Pi Record, and Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12 among others. In addition, he hosts a website (amidonplanet.com) and hosts/co-hosts several podcasts (Teaching Math Teaching, Amidon Planet, and The Road to Better Teaching) on the improvement of teaching. Overall. his goal is to lead people to love others through teaching.
He has served as a Knowles selection advisor numerous times and was elected to the Knowles Board of Trustees in May 2024.