Part-Time Faculty June Spotlight: Susanna Sunn

By Liz Feldman on Behalf of the Part-Time Faculty Institute

Part-time faculty member Susanna Sunn's life experiences have provided her with a world view of education. The math and statistics teacher grew up in China. She earned her bachelor's degree in economics from Peking University. She later moved to Britain in 2001. She completed her teacher training at the University of Oxford and earned a post-graduate Certificate in Education. Sunn then obtained a Master's degree in Mathematics Education from the University of Cambridge.

She moved to Maryland in 2013 when her husband, Laixiang's job changed. She worked as a math teacher and instructional coach at several middle and high schools in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. She joined Montgomery College in 2018 where she has taught Statistics, Algebra, and Mathematics for Elementary Teachers. She teaches at the Rockville and Takoma Park/Silver Spring campuses.

Sunn said she became interested in the education field because "teachers can have an extraordinary impact. The influence of teachers goes beyond the transmission of knowledge; it involves the shaping of citizens."

"I am lucky to have had the opportunity to participate in different major educational systems-Eastern, European, and American--in different roles (student, teacher, or teacher trainer), and at different levels (from basic education to higher education). Teaching challenges me, and prompts me to reflect. It also facilitates my personal growth while I assist others," she added.

She said countries in the East such as China and South Korea have a different approach to teaching math than countries like Britain, Canada, and the United States. Sunn said the approach in Eastern countries emphasize the mastery of fundamental knowledge, including concepts and skills. These countries believe a solid foundation is essential for development and innovation.

While the Anglo-American approach "focuses more on fostering students' interest in mathematics learning and their comprehension of mathematical concepts, thereby encouraging critical thinking," she explained.

Sunn is one of three part-time faculty members to receive the 2024 Shoenberg Fellowship. Her research will focus on helping students evolve their skills from learning basic arithmetic to understanding algebra.

"Mathematics learners worldwide often face the challenge of transitioning from arithmetic to algebra. Solving this problem is an undeniable responsibility for every mathematics teacher. By observing different countries' experiences and reviewing the latest academic research in this field, I hope to find effective methods to assist students as well as elementary and secondary education teachers tackle the problem," Sunn said.

She hopes her research will benefit some of her students at the College who hope to become elementary school teachers. She also plans to share her findings with her colleagues and provide an additional teaching tool for them.

"It would be gratifying to disseminate this knowledge through academic conferences and professional journals so it can reach a wider audience," she said.

Sunn knows teaching is hard. When she is in the classroom she tries to "engage students from diverse backgrounds in intellectual development." She said she tries to foster her students' confidence while challenging them. Teaching becomes the most gratifying to Sunn when her students suddenly make sense of a mathematics concept in class and when students achieve their goals for the semester.

"I expect my students will develop rigorous and logical thinking habits through studying math. I hope my students will develop a passion for math and skills for independent learning," Sunn said.

Besides teaching her own classes, Sunn has worked as an embedded coach through the Achieving the Promise Academy (ATPA) at the College. She also has tutored students at the Math Learning Center on the Takoma Park campus.

When she is not teaching, Sunn is involved in other educational projects. She is a chief lecturer for an online course, Shanghai Maths, associated with East China Normal University. She has reviewed articles for a peer-reviewed mathematics education journal. She also serves as a Lead Reviewer for the 2024 Excellence in Education award given out by the Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics. In addition, Sunn has translated a book called 'Numericon' which offers extra-curricular math readings for students attending middle school, high school, and college.

While Sunn's career in education keeps her very busy, she does have time to enjoy some other interests. She especially loves listening to music, reading poetry, and traveling.