Michelle.Breaux
About Michelle
I have been at EMCC since August 2007 and currently teach primarily mathematics with some introductory engineering thrown into the mix from time to time. Prior to teaching, I worked for Verizon Communications gaining experience as a telecommunications network engineer, an engineering project manager, and as a supervisor of facilities administration in the Outside Plant Construction department. I also worked as an intern in the Optoelectroncis Division at Hewlett-Packard in San Jose, California between my junior and senior years of college.
General Teaching Philosophy
My classes embrace creativity and require critical thinking, collaboration, and active student engagement on a daily basis. Students in my classes learn by doing. I challenge students to discover and construct their own learning, to think for themselves, and to work together to understand concepts in the classroom as well as outside the classroom. I help my students connect the math they learn to the real world through projects and examples. Though many students struggle with math, I firmly believe that all students can succeed in mathematics if they are willing to put in the hard work required to understand and master the concepts.
The classes I teach are:
- MAT141: College Mathematics
- MAT206: Elements of Statistics
- MAT256: Investigating Quantity: Number, Operations and Numeration Systems (previously Math for Elementary School Teachers I)
- MAT257: Investigating Geometry, Probability and Statistics (previously Math for Elementary School Teachers II)
- MAT217/MAT218: Mathematical Analysis for Business
- MAT221: Calculus I (Learning Community with Physics 121)
- MAT298AB/ECE104: EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service)
- ECE102: Engineering Analysis Tools and Techniques
- ECE103: Engineering Problem Solving and Design
- ECE105: MATLAB Programming
Developing Critical Thinking Skills Adjunct Workshop at EMCC, September 22, 2018
Creative Stoking, Mindfulness, and Brain Breaks Adjunct Workshop with Sarah Lockhart & Lyle Bartelt at EMCC Spring 2018
Failing Foward workshop on failure at Estrella Mountain Community College with colleague Erin Blomstrand, January 2018
Nontraditional Faculty Panelist, Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Regional Conference, February 2018
Re-design the educational structure and/or experience so that 60% of Arizona adults, ages 25–64, have either a professional certificate or a college degree by 2030, Design Thinking Summit Facilitator for West Valley Educators, June 2017
“Show What You Know!” - Using Thinking Strategies to Demonstrate Understanding, co-presenter at Improving Teaching Quality K-12 Educator Professional Development Conference, February 2017
When Am I Ever Going to Use This? co-presenter at Improving Teaching Quality K-12 Educator Professional Development Conference, February 2017
2019 winner of the Estrella Shines Faculty Award, given to a faculty member who champions innovation, promotes student success, and exemplifies the Institution’s Core Values.
2009-2010 winner of the NISOD (National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development) Excellence Award for employees who demonstrate the importance of teaching and leadership excellence in higher education.
Human-Centered Systems Thinking online course completed through IDEO U, May 2022
Mastery Grading: Promoting Student Success & Deeper Learning Through Grading Practices course through College Bridge, September 2021
Mastery Grading Conference, June 2020 & June 2021
Build Math Minds Virtual Math Summit August 2018 & 2020
Arizona Association of Teachers of Mathematics (AATM) Annual Conference 2019
The Teaching Professor Annual Conference, 2018 & 2019
Exploding Dots with James Tanton at Global Math Week Kickoff, October 2018
Mindset Mathematics Workshop with Jo Boaler, September 2018
GeoGebra does THAT? Using GeoGebra in Statistics and AP Statistics, October 2, 2018
Maricopa Math Modules Training, July-August 2018
How Understanding Probability Helps Us Make Better Decisions presentation by Stanford Professor Mehran Sahami in April 2018
Course Design Institute at Estrella Mountain Community College, May 2018
What Mathematicians Do Now that Machines Can "Do the Math" presentation by Stanford Professor Keith Devlin, October 2018
Breaking Codes and Finding Patterns presentation by Stanford Professor Susan Holmes, October 2018