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Vanzant said, \u201cBack when I was in high school and college, and even my first 10 or 12 years of teaching, there was no easy way to see the graph of an equation because you had to crunch a bunch of numbers and then plot a bunch of points just to see the graph.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Early on, he recognized math is not about learning formulas but about understanding the reasoning behind the solutions. He placed himself in the shoes of a student that might struggle to find sense in a mathematical concept. He also considered the student who would be thirsty for more challenges in the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI walked into the classroom with 25 or 30 students in each class with varying levels of appreciation and understanding of math. It was a challenge. So I would work really hard at trying to get the mathematics to speak to the students,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As he planned his lessons, Vanzant broke the problem or formula into small bits and pieces from where it would build, then added activities that would spark student interest. His biggest goal was to make the lesson relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was a plan in line with Charles Caleb Colton\u2019s belief that \u201cthe study of mathematics, like the Nile, begins in minuteness but ends in magnificence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the technology evolved, the theories behind calculus became more dimensional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said, \u201cComputer technology came onto the scene and made mathematics blossom. You not only had the analytical aspect of it, but now you had the visual. You could easily see the mathematical pattern through the graph.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That technology took the understanding of mathematics to new levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vanzant said, \u201cTechnology has really opened up the realm of understanding science and math, like the Hubble telescope. With the telescope\u2019s technology, we can see deeper into what\u2019s in space. Similarly, technology has helped the understanding of math. It\u2019s created that deeper look, and we have a greater understanding because of the deeper look. All these advances with the Hubble telescope came out of little things built up over time that got us to this point.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vanzant continued, \u201cAs my eyes were opened to certain things about math that I was not exposed to before technology, I was never quite satisfied with how I taught the year before. I kept tweaking and changing my lesson plans, making them more relevant. As I did, I tried to put students first and teach them about mathematics, not teach mathematics to them. My goal was always to teach, to inspire, help them understand, and not be afraid of mathematics because mathematics is a foundation course in many careers. I\u2019ve had students become math professors, scientists, medical doctors, medical researchers, or go into some type of trade.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vanzant is responsible for the first advanced placement calculus program at Tullahoma High School and worked with the late Ronny Murray, who formed the independent research program in science. It\u2019s an after-school program providing students with the resources needed to research, investigate, conduct experiments, and develop new theories connected with their ideas. Several students went to the International Science Fair, one winning first place in engineering for his robotic snake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The greatest surprise of his career came in 1993, when the Milken Family Foundation presented him with their educator award. Pulled from an afterschool math lab and summoned to the central office, Vanzant was placed on the phone with the commissioner of education and told he was heading to Los Angeles to Milken\u2019s national conference and awarded $20,000 for use in his teaching as he saw fit. It was an honor and by far the best part of his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Working with the Tullahoma High School family and all of his students was a wonderful experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe math program at Tullahoma is excellent. Many of my students participated in statewide math competitions, and several placed among the top students in the state, including placements among the state\u2019s top three math students,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAt both Franklin County and Tullahoma schools, I worked with outstanding teachers. My experiences were remarkable. I enjoyed teaching and encouraging students through projects that involved mathematics. I kept changing what I was doing every year to make it better. My heart and soul have been in teaching the students. I\u2019ve been very blessed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vanzant retired in 2018, but has stayed busy. He is a consultant to Tullahoma High\u2019s teachers when calculus questions arise. He is active in his Estill Springs community, where he was part of a group that petitioned the city and TVA to turn a wasteland into a walking trail and greenway. And like most who retire, he has time to enjoy a new hobby, stained glassmaking, and traveling with his wife, Sylvia. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Math, in general, may not have been your favorite subject. Calculus, in particular, may have been your nemesis, but Frank Vanzant\u2018s students may have a better appreciation for it thanks to their time with him. Vanzant graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a bachelor of science in electrical engineering but decided to try […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":12452,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cover"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/DSC_2276-1024x683.jpg\")
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