FGCU Mathematics faculty and students strengthen middle school mathematics education

August 18, 2025

This past spring, Tanya Huffman, Mathematics Instructor III and Co-Director of the FGCU Mathletes Circle, and Dr. Daniel Kern, Associate Professor of Mathematics, were awarded the Seidler Student/Faculty Collaboration Fellowship Grant for an innovative project aimed at strengthening middle school mathematics education.

Thanks to the generous support of Lee and Gene Seidler, the College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Office funds summer collaborations between faculty and undergraduate students focused on research and creative projects. These partnerships foster student learning while providing hands-on, marketable experience that will have a lasting and transformative impact on students' real-world preparation in their chosen disciplines.

Alongside Huffman and Kern, FGCU students Kayla Kerr, a Software Engineering major, and Mason Huffman, a Mathematics and Physics student, spent the summer collaboratively developing a specialized math workshop to prepare middle school students for the prestigious AMC 8—the American Mathematics Competition for eighth grade and below.

The workshop aims to boost students' mathematical problem-solving skills, confidence, and interest in advanced math topics.

What makes this initiative unique is its focus on undergraduate leadership. Kayla and Mason are not only co-developing the math lessons but will also take the lead in teaching them to students this fall.

Their efforts will be paired with ongoing research that measures the impact of the workshop on student learning and problem-solving development.

Tanya Huffman, Mathematics Instructor III, collaborating with Seidler Teaching Assistants Kayla Kerr and Mason Huffman, in Seidler Hall, Room 224.

Above: Tanya Huffman, Mathematics Instructor III, collaborating with Seidler Teaching Assistants Kayla Kerr and Mason Huffman, in Seidler Hall, Room 224.

This project represents an exciting model for education that blends academic outreach with undergraduate mentorship, offering future educators and STEM professionals hands-on experience while supporting the next generation of mathematical thinkers.

To learn more about undergraduate research opportunities, visit the Undergraduate Research Fellowship site.