Arielle’s Story
Arielle Pool grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, and graduated from Emory University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and biology. At Emory, she participated in PRISM (Problems and Research to Integrate Science and Mathematics), a program that utilizes case-based learning in Atlanta schools to spark student interest in math and science classes. As a PRISM fellow, she explored the intersection between learning math and learning science.
After taking a job as a campus tutor, Arielle realized that she loved helping people learn the two subjects and consequently decided to pursue education. She received her MEd in mathematics education from the University of Georgia. Choosing the right teaching environment was important to Arielle. “Given my background with the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, I was interested in joining a school with an international focus. I wanted to be part of a community that embraces diversity, emphasizes the importance of global perspective, and seeks a holistic approach to student development.” She is working hard to extend Riverwood High School’s IB program to the mathematics department for the first time.
Arielle utilizes a KSTF-funded Ellison Machine in her classroom to create 3-D figures to better explain concepts to her students. Making mathematics accessible to all students was a main theme of her presentation on differentiation at a Georgia Council of Teacher of Mathematics meeting. Subsequently, she was asked to develop summer professional development courses for teachers in two counties with part of the work funded by KSTF. Arielle is an amateur botanist and volunteers at the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia.