TEACHER

Kim F. Collier, BIOGRAPHY

I earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree in 1986 and a Master of Science in Mathematics degree in 1988, both from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. I worked as a teaching assistant during my graduate studies in order to help pay for my education. At that point I had never thought of teaching as a career, but I loved it from the first day that I stepped into a classroom!

In 1989 I helped establish a Mathematics Tutorial Center for Christian Brothers University and taught there part-time for several years. From 1989 to 2001 I taught at State Technical Institute at Memphis (now called Southwest Tennessee Community College, STCC). When I left, I was an Associate Professor specializing in Remedial and Developmental Mathematics.

As a faculty member at STCC, I did a great deal of committee and grant work. I was extremely active in the American Mathematics Association of Two-Year Colleges, speaking at two national conferences, at five state and regional conferences, and at many in-service training seminars. My presentation topics included student and program assessment, teacher evaluation, critical thinking, collaborative learning, reaching at-risk students, technology and manipulatives in the classroom, countering math anxiety, and teaching strategies for math teachers and tutors.

Dr. Cleaves, my department chairperson, and Dr. Hobbs, my mentor, are credited with teaching me how to teach while at STCC and providing me with numerous opportunities to learn and grow as a teacher. As writers of national math and business textbooks, they also introduced me to what would become my next job.

In 2002, a call from a friend opened up the world of textbook writing and test development. I worked at home for Words & Numbers, a company in Baltimore, Maryland, from 2002 until summer 2007. As a contract writer for educational software, test banks, and teacher editions of textbooks, I wrote that from which I now teach! However, I was ready to get back to teaching.

I have two children – a son and a daughter. My son graduated from Brighton High School in 2015 and from Middle Tennessee State University in 2019 and is now teaching math at Covington High School.  My daughter graduated from Brighton High School in 2020 and currently living in North Carolina and working for a pet day care.

I have taught geometry, Algebra II, Discrete Math, SAILS math, dual enrollment Statistics, SDC PreCalculus, dual enrollment College Algebra and College Trig, dual enrollment calculus, and AP Calculus AB & BC for BHS. They are all interesting classes, but the students are what keep it fun! I have become very involved at BHS and enjoy working with my students in a variety of areas. Currently, I am BHS Mu Alpha Theta (math club) sponsor, BHS Knowledge Bowl sponsor (shared with Mr. Matthew Harrell-Morris), and math competition coordinator. The Lord led me through many life changes over the years. I am excited to see what happens next as I start my 18th year with Brighton High School.