Sarah Ryan

Sarah is a part-time Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Delaware where she teaches HDFS 412: Early Childhood Inclusive Math Curriculum and Assessment. Sarah is a former elementary school teacher, who has spent over twenty years working as a professional developer with PreK-8 teachers to develop teachers’ mathematical content knowledge, understanding of children’s mathematical thinking, and strategies for teaching math in ways that are equitable, that elicit, respond to, and develop children’s mathematical ideas, and that foster children’s identities as sense-makers. Recently, Sarah has become interested in working with families, as well as teachers, to nurture young children’s curiosity about and understanding of mathematics. Sarah’s research interests are in 1) how parent-child interactions foster children’s mathematical development, 2) how to support families in developing positive and playful interactions around math that respond to and build on children’s interests and infuse mathematics into everyday life, and 3) teacher professional development practices that support teachers’ capacity to facilitate classroom discourse that elicits, responds to, and develops children’s mathematical ideas. Sarah is currently working with Lynsey Gibbons, a math education professor at the University of Delaware, on two grant-funded projects that study teacher professional development. Sarah plans to conduct her own research that applies principles of teacher professional development to working with parents.

Professional Experiences

• Adjunct Professor, University of Delaware, 2019 – present
• Mathematics Professional Developer, Sarah Ryan Education Consulting, LLC, 2014-present
• Mathematics Professional Developer, Math and Science Education Resource Center, University of Delaware, 2008-2013
• Advisor, Leadership in Mathematics Education Program, Bank Street College of Education, 2006-2008
• Math Coach, New York City Public Schools, New York, NY, 1999-2005
• Elementary School Teacher, PS 234, New York, NY, 1995-1998

Publications

• Ernst, K & Ryan, S., (2014) Success from the start: Your first years teaching elementary school mathematics, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Recent Presentations

• Ryan, S. & Werner, S. (April, 2016). The power of representations: Coaching new teachers to focus on mathematical concepts and relationships. National Council for Supervisors of Mathematics Annual Conference, Oakland, CA.
• Ryan, S. (October, 2015). Supporting Young Children in Solving Story Problems. National Council for Teachers of Mathematics Regional Conference, Atlantic City, NJ.

Professional Memberships

• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
• National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics
• Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Past Education

• M.S. Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Bank Street College of Education, 1996
• B.A. English, Williams College, 1989