Congratulations Donna Curry!

Dear heroes, 

I just saw an announcement on Twitter that after 40+ years of work in our field, Donna Curry is retiring. After 40+ years, I know that many people know Donna Curry, but I imagine there might be some folks who don't. But if I were to start saying mentioning some of her work, like...

... you would probably start nodding your head enthusiastically and have a story about how one or all of them impacted your teaching, such is the impact that her 40 years of work have had on the fields of adult education in general and adult numeracy in particular.

If you don't know her, and are unfamiliar with the resources and communities mentioned above - start clicking on the links! - here's a link to a brief talk Donna gave in 2018 entitled "I Guess I Don't Know as Much as I Thought I Did!"  as a way of introduction. 

To celebrate her retirement, I'm wondering if anyone had any stories about (1) the personal impact Donna has had on your teaching or (2) about the impact that the resources and communities she worked on and developed have had on your teaching. 

yours in productive struggle, 

Mark

 

Comments

Okay, so I will start this thread...

I met Donna for the first time at an Adult Numeracy Network Institute held during the pre-conference of COABE.  I was a new adult education instructor and unfamiliar with techniques that pushed for conceptual understanding. I remember arriving at a solution to a task she'd had given us to work out.  I was feeling rather proud of myself for quickly finding the solution when she walked over and asked me questions about my thinking, the process of arriving at the solution, etc. she really pushed my thinking.  Donna opened my eyes to the idea that the answer isn't that interesting.  

This story is just one of many that I have where Donna pushed me beyond.  She inspires me to look beyond.  Enjoy retirement Donna!  

I know of Donna's work because of the Adult Numeracy Network, the organization she founded along with a group of other visionary teachers. Their work created a way for math teachers in adult numeracy to find each other, to learn how to teach for understanding, to find support and comfort in this difficult work, and to collaborate in building up our profession. My life would be less bright without all the wonderful people I have met through ANN, and none of this would have been possible without Donna's work. Thank you!