Rookie Teacher of the Year Gradys Tinoco!
Ms. Tinoco is an educator at Robert Morgan Educational Center where she prepares students to navigate the realm of Algebra I confidently. Her rigorous curriculum challenges them to think critically, be thorough and justify their methodology. Ms. Tinoco emphasizes perseverance and encourages students to pay close attention to their mistakes—not to be discouraged by them, but to grow from them. She helps students overcome their fear of math by maintaining a respectful environment in which questions are always welcome and progress is always celebrated.
Ms. Tinoco believes everyone deserves to experience success in a math class, and she devotes lots of time working individually with those who need extra support, both during class and during RMEC’s free after-school tutoring program. Last year, as a first-year teacher, her students had the highest passing rate on the FSA Algebra I End-of-Course Exam compared to the rest of the school. This year, she is exploring new ways to continue improving her craft and therefore broadening her students’ horizons by learning best practices from excellent colleagues and attending relevant professional development workshops. She is also the co-sponsor of Mu Alpha Theta, the National Mathematics Honor Society.
Ms. Tinoco earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics education with a minor in psychology from Florida International University in 2016 and is a proud RMEC alumna from the class of 2012. She became a certified yoga instructor in June 2018 and is fascinated by holistic lifestyles.