Math, science teacher now part of WHS history

Chemistry, physics and math may never be the same at Wahkiakum High School. Sharon Dennis, who has been teaching there for at least 31 years, has decided to put away her protractor, at least for now.

In the beginning of her career, most math teaching jobs were connected to coaching sports like basketball and football. There weren’t many women in the field.

Graduating from Anchorage High School in Alaska and Greenville College in Illinois, Dennis was the first woman to graduate from her college with a major in physics. That was in 1964.

When Dennis was nearly done with her degree in math, she took general physics. “I found out that physics made a lot of sense out of math, and I’m a person that likes for math to makes sense,” she said.

California schools tried to lure her to them because of her major in the mathematics field. At that time, they were trying to equalize their male/female teacher ratios. However, she had already decided to teach in Washington state.

Dennis began student teaching chemistry and physics at Cascade High School in Everett, but moved to Cathlamet to teach all three courses at WHS in 1984.

Some people are afraid of math, but it actually does help in real life; math helps people process things in a reasonable manner, Dennis said. It helps in problem solving skills and logical thinking.

In her years in the classroom, Dennis said she found that students find how important math is, “the year after they graduate.” However, she said, it is a normal trend. The students who understand the importance of math are the ones who intend to attend upper level education, like trade school or college.

“I think students are surprised about how many things require math,” she said. “In general, I think it takes until kids get to at least their sophomore year, maybe their junior year before they realize, ‘oh yeah, I need to really to pay attention.’” Of course there is always the exception. “A lot of students, it just takes a while.”

A struggle with math is much more acceptable than a struggle with reading, at least for adults. “There is a huge amount of stigma attached to that,” she said. “But not being able to do math is almost a status.”

Sometimes, the groundwork isn’t laid out in math like it is in other subjects. Inability to do math is often reinforced when a child comes home and tells their parent they don’t understand math. Many parents will say they didn’t get it either.

Dennis said intervening early with child who say they don’t like math can change the course. For example, when a child wants a candy bar, tell them they can have 1/3 of the candy. “They’ve got a big interest in knowing what that fraction means!”

Just because someone doesn’t understand math, doesn’t mean they aren’t smart, Dennis said. Sometimes people just aren’t given the keys they need to do well.

“I think that another important skill that math teaches, hopefully, is to be confident of yourself,” she said. So many people are shaky about themselves, but if they can get to a place where they feel like they know what they are doing, it can help them stick with an answer, regardless.

Despite retiring, Dennis says she will be spending time with her grandchildren and volunteer in their classrooms. She said she may even like to return to teaching as a substitute, because it is so hard to find subs these days. “I really miss the relationships with the students,” she added.

However, because it is still summer break, she hasn’t really decided what she will do with all of her free time. “Talk to me in a month, and I’ll tell ya!” she said.