Riley Germanis

We create tasks for students to engage in mathematics authentically and empower them to participate as mathematicians; my role is to facilitate how students engage in these learning opportunities.”

Riley’s Story

Teaching Discipline

Mathematics

Why Mathematics

“I believe mathematics is a tool to explain the world we live in and should be taught as such. I am interested in improving my teaching within the context of the world of students and helping them see the utility of the mathematical principles they learn.”

Professional Experience

Riley has focused his work on developing and sharing cognitively demanding tasks for his students and using structured group work to improve accessibility for his students. He pushes to think about how to support the most vulnerable students in his classroom and models perseverance. Riley has taken the initiative to implement standards-based grading in his classes to increase the correlation between lessons and outcomes. His colleagues describe him as open, honest, and passionate, which leads them to think deeper and feel more open about discussing their practice.

Hobbies/Volunteering

Since 2016, Riley has sung with the Seattle Men’s Chorus. The choruses work with local middle school choir classes to teach the importance of showmanship and etiquette in the performing arts. Within this group, they work with students and families to address bullying and acceptance in school. Additionally, Riley enjoys skiing in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Academic Background

• Seattle Pacific University (Master in Teaching Mathematics and Science)
• Western Washington University (Bachelor of Science in Mathematics)

Knowles Academy Courses Taught

Designing Instructional Tasks to Increase Student Engagement and Learning in Math