This year, the Math Department welcomed a new teacher, Kaylee Weatherspoon, who stepped into the role after Carolyn Licata’s retirement. She currently teaches advanced statistics and linear algebra. Even though she is new to the school, she’s making great impressions on both students and colleagues with her passion and intellect.
When asked what drew her to Poly, Weatherspoon said it was the students who stood out to her in her demo lessons: “I was really impressed with how engaged the students were,” she said. “Students are asking interesting questions… so I was really excited to move into that kind of environment.”
Weatherspoon views teaching math as a way to help students build confidence; “Learning math is really empowering, because a lot of people are so afraid of it… being able to build other people’s self-confidence and ability, I think, is a big part of the work that I do.”
Weatherspoon’s teaching style “really tries to emphasize discovery-based learning,” she said. “When you’re just handed something in a lecture setting, it’s so easy to forget it quickly, and you don’t really have to care about it.”
Weatherspoon also has a background in research. She studied math at the University of South Carolina, Yale University, Auburn University and abroad in Budapest, Hungary. Those experiences shaped both her understanding of mathematics and her approach to teaching it. She devoted time to working on unsolved problems and made significant progress. Weatherspoon wants her students to develop the same deep, creative problem-solving skills in her own classroom.
Mathematics Department Chair Maria DiCarlo said that Weatherspoon stood out during the hiring process. DiCarlo said, “From a math perspective, she’s really, really smart… she’s super enthusiastic, and her interactions with students she didn’t even know left everyone smiling.” DiCarlo also hopes Weatherspoon will serve as a role model for students. “Because she’s young and a woman in math, I hope she really motivates students who feel like they’re from an underrepresented group in math, that they can do this.”
Weatherspoon’s transition to Poly has been smooth thanks to the support from the Math Department. “The department has been super helpful in making sure that I have what I need and helping me… my first couple weeks, I had meetings with students just off the hook, which I really like.” With support from DiCarlo and fellow teacher Linda Russo, Weatherspoon has had a great transition from the college scene to a teaching role at Poly. She will continue to grow.
As Weatherspoon settles into Poly, she’s already inspiring students with her curiosity, creativity and passion for learning. With her experience abroad, deep research background and student-centered approach, she’s bringing new energy to the Math Department. Weatherspoon focuses on engagement rather than memorization, working to make math both engaging and less intimidating. So far, she has begun building connections with her classes and has created a space where students can be both curious and confident at the same time.
