The Cupertino Courier
Education
Teacher shows students the 'beauty' of mathematics
By ERIN HUSSEY
If someone had told Pallavi Shah as a child growing up in India that one day she would be teaching mathematics in the United States, she would have laughed.
"I certainly liked science and math, but I never imagined I would become a teacher," she says.
Shah, who moved to the Silicon Valley in 1991, has been teaching seventh- and eighth-grade math courses at Miller Middle School for nine years. She is also the coach of the Miller MATHCOUNTS math team. But it wasn't until after she had her first child that Shah realized she wanted to teach.
Shah, who studied computer science and mathematics at De Anza College and San Jose State University, was working as a part-time programmer before she decided to become a stay-at-home mom.
"After staying home for a couple of years, I said, 'I get along with kids, and I like children,' " she says. "I also had a godmother who was a teacher herself, and she said, 'Why don't you give teaching a try?' So, to make a long story short, I decided to become a teacher."
Today, she couldn't be happier with her decision.
"I don't think I would have lasted very long in that cubicle," she says. "That was part of my decision--either live in that cubicle or go out and interact with people and make a difference."
In 1993, Shah gave birth to her daughter, completed her bachelor's degree in childhood development, received her teaching credential and found her true calling: teaching math.
For Shah it's more than just showing kids how to solve the Pythagorean theorem. It's about providing them with critical life skills.
"Math and science are the foundations of life," she says. "Math helps you look at patterns, it helps you make decisions and develops logic--these are skills you want to have no matter what job you do. You have to be able to think critically and logically and make choices."
Miller assistant principal Mary Fey-Zenk, who has been working with Shah for more than seven years, says the school is fortunate to have her on staff.
"She is really thorough, really enthusiastic and very dedicated," says Fey-Zenk. "She takes a lot of time developing higher-level thinking skills to help students do their very best work."
This dedication to critical thinking skills is perhaps one of the reasons why the Miller MATHCOUNTS team has excelled at both the state and national levels, including the prestigious top-rank finish in 2003.
MATHCOUNTS is a national math enrichment, coaching and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement in every U.S. state and territory. According to Shah, making it to the national competition takes more than just talent; it takes a lot of hard work and dedication.
"I tell my students, 'You see all those basketball players and stars that are at the top? Well, they have to work even harder to stay there,' " she says.
In addition to spending time after school, the students meet at each other's homes and even practice according to the time zone where the competition will take place.
"These children are very motivated and work hard," says Shah. The students are currently preparing for the state MATHCOUNTS competition in March.
Despite her busy teaching and coaching schedule, Shah still finds times to be a volunteer for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Santa Clara Valley Mathematics Association, the California Mathematics Council and in her Indian community and temple. Shah also enjoys traveling to India, where most of her family and husband's family still live.
Whatever Shah is doing, she says she always finds what she calls "the beauty of math. For example, cooking measurements, crochet stitches, dance patterns and art pieces."
"It's sounds very corny, but the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics says, 'If you can do math you can do anything,' and I believe that," says Shah.
