Glen Rock welcomed new mathematics teacher Ms. Kristen Bradley at the beginning of the school year.

“In my time here, the students have been great. I really enjoy teaching them,” said Bradley, who has acclimated to the new school culture.

While in process of getting to know her new surroundings, Bradley mentioned that, during orientation, she and a few other new teachers took a bus trip around Glen Rock.

“We went all over. We went down town, and we saw the library. We’ve been all over,” she explained.

Bradley participated in high school and college sports, including basketball, soccer, and track and field.  She attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey as a student and currently coaches track for Rutgers.

“I’m a coach,” she said. “I coach track at Rutgers University.”

Bradley has an M.A. in math education and a B.A. mathematics.  According to Bradley, her favorite class in college was “Abstract Algebra,” an upper level math cource.

“Growing up I was a really big critical thinker,” Bradley said. “Math was intellectually stimulating in that area for me and that’s just something I really enjoyed and wanted to pursue further.”

Bradley did her student teaching in Tabernacle, New Jersey at Seneca High School.

“I knew that I wanted to teach something, a field or school in education,” she said. “I really enjoyed tutoring my peers, wanted to develop those communication skills, the presentation skills.”

Bradley teaches Algebra 1 and Geometry. Her students vary from freshmen to sophomores.

Like most of the teachers here, she does give homework. The amount, however, “varies on the student level and topic,” according to Bradley.

When setting her expectations for her Algebra 1 and Geometry students, there is a lot to consider.

“There’s a lot you can expect from academic standards,” she said.  “You can expect things from them as far as their development to their educational goals.”

For Bradley, the main vision for her classroom involves open discourse and the sharing of ideas.

“I really like to invite students to participate, contribute what they understand in class and build off of their ideas,” Bradley said.