PSU alum Gennie Brougham, M.Ed. ‘25, was a freshman studying environmental engineering at Oregon State University (OSU) when she realized that she might be better suited for teaching.
She wasn’t enjoying her engineering courses. But it was when she started tutoring calculus for extra income that she gained clarity. “I realized that I really liked math and I really liked helping people understand it,” she remembers. She changed her major to mathematics with a secondary teaching emphasis and didn’t look back.
After graduating from OSU, Brougham wanted a fast-track to licensure. She was drawn to PSU’s one-year Graduate Teacher Education Program (GTEP) and began the program in 2024 — just days after finishing her undergraduate degree.
Despite her love of math and her experience working with youth as a tutor and camp counselor, she still felt some reservations about her career choice. But with her student teaching placement at Westview High School, her confidence grew.
“I had never had experience teaching in a classroom,” she says. “But once I began student teaching, I just realized that this is totally perfect for me.”
Finding Her Place at Westview
A year later, Brougham was thrilled when Westview hired her as a math teacher. The school is not only where she completed her student teaching but also part of the Beaverton School District, where she grew up.
“It's so nice coming here because it feels like it's my second year teaching, even though it's really only my first,” she says. “I know everybody, and I've been able to make even more connections with staff and students. I feel very lucky that I get to be in the same building that I was last year.”
Having her own classroom has been a welcome change. “I get to do things the way I want to do them and experiment with different strategies that I learned last year,” she explains.
Brougham now teaches AGS 2, an integrated algebra, geometry and statistics class. Most of her students are sophomores, and classroom management has been smooth — a contrast to her “boot camp” experience teaching AGS 1 to freshmen last year.
“I had to learn how to manage the most unmanageable students in a way that doesn't dampen their spirit — figuring out what works for them and what motivates them,” she says.
Her sophomores are more motivated and self-directed, she says. “The difference is crazy. A kid that wants to do math versus one who doesn't want to do math is very different.”
I realized that the way that it is taught can make you hate it or love it. Learning how to teach it in a way that kids understand makes it way better and more approachable.
Teaching Math Her Own Way
The culturally responsive teaching strategies she learned at PSU have also made a difference. Her methods courses helped her design instruction that supports students who need additional guidance while still challenging those who are ready to advance.
“It's like it's a balancing game, and having that support in the actual theory behind it was helpful,” she says.
Brougham strives to make math engaging and interactive for all students. Her biggest challenge, she says, is in finding creative ways to teach that go beyond traditional lectures.
Lessons From the First Year
Reflecting on her transition from PSU to her first year of teaching, Brougham encourages new educators to invest in building relationships at their student teaching placements.
Gennie offers sage advice for new and aspiring teachers: "Make sure you go to all staff development days, because sometimes they bring PUPPIES!"
“Making connections with staff and students was the biggest part of last year that made me think, ‘Oh, this is gonna be fun. I'm excited I have support, I'm making friends at my placement,’” she recalls.
She also recommends getting involved in school activities, even if you're not sure you'll be hired there. “I went to all sorts of events last year,” she says. “Seeing the student culture and going to choir concerts and football games and stuff like that makes it way more meaningful and rewarding because you feel like you're building something. It's really cool.”
Brougham also encourages new teachers not to panic if they don’t secure a full-time role immediately. She says substitute teaching can be a valuable way to gain experience, meet students and administrators and discover the right fit for your teaching style.
“Getting your foot in the door, even if it's just by subbing, is super valuable.”
The Joy of Teaching Math
Brougham’s love of math — and her belief that every student can find joy in it — keeps her energized in her new classroom.
“Math is so fun and satisfying for me to do,” she says. It's a subject that I struggled with when I was in high school. But once I understood how to do it, it was really fun.”
She realized that the difference between students loving or hating the subject can come down to instruction style.
“Learning how to teach it in a way that kids understand makes it way better and more approachable,” she says