Erin O'Halloran Shares Earned Wisdom: Teacher Education, Math Happiness, and Undesired Behaviors

Every person has a story that teaches valuable lessons. Here is the Earned Wisdom of Erin O'Halloran. She educates future teachers, is a STEM instructor, and is a co-founder of The Math Happiness Project.

Tell us a little about yourself, including your experience in education/lifelong learning and anything else you’d like to share.post-bacc

After graduating from college, I briefly worked as a financial analyst but quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit. I had always been passionate about teaching, so I made the difficult decision to change careers. I returned to school to complete a post-bacc teacher preparation program, earning certifications in both special and regular education.

I began my teaching career as a special education teacher, supporting students in grades K-5, and later became a fourth-grade classroom teacher. My time in the classroom opened my eyes to the significant changes I believe are needed in our education system to ensure all learners have meaningful and equitable experiences. This realization led me to pursue a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction, with the goal of making a broader impact beyond my own classroom.

While working on my doctorate, I transitioned to teacher education, supervising future educators at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in their clinical placements and teaching a math methods course. Although I love working with future educators, I missed teaching young children. To stay connected to classroom instruction, I also work part-time as a STEM Instructor at the MSOE STEM Center, which allows me to engage with younger learners while keeping a pulse on best practices in STEM education.

After earning my doctorate, I co-founded The Math Happiness Project with Liz Cutter-Lin, a colleague and friend whom I met during my doctoral studies. Our mission is to provide families with the knowledge and tools they need to support their children in rich mathematical learning that aligns with current best practices. In our experiences, too many families have negative associations with math and feel overwhelmed by the idea of helping their children with math. Our hope is that families come to enjoy and understand math in a different way and feel empowered to support their children.

What have you learned from someone you know that has made you a better person?

I have learned so much from Dr. DeAnn Huinker. She has served many roles in my life including educator, doctoral advisor, and mentor. She has taught me a great deal about the teaching and learning of mathematics and has inspired me to share this knowledge with families through the Math Happiness Project. Her passion for mathematics teaching and the way she engages with others reminds me of the importance of approaching ideas through a lens of curiosity, valuing the contributions of others, and continually seeking to grow as an educator.

I have also learned from my late mother in law that it is best to be my authentic self. She has inspired me to present the person I am rather than the version of myself I believe others want me to be. Although this is still an ongoing challenge, being my authentic self has allowed me to approach my work with greater confidence, find joy in my work and daily life,  and stay true to my values. It has helped me navigate challenges with integrity and has shown me that the right opportunities and relationships come from being genuine, not from trying to fit an expected mold.

What “earned wisdom” do you have that others can benefit from?

One piece of “earned wisdom” I’ve gained throughout my various experiences in education is that children’s unexpected or undesired behaviors typically stem from an unmet need or underdeveloped skill. Instead of viewing these behaviors as defiant or disruptive, I’ve learned to reflect on what might be driving the behavior.

For instance, a behavior may be driven by underdeveloped skills in self-regulation that a child needs explicit instruction and support to develop. As another example, behavior may stem from frustration or overwhelm that a child may be experiencing due to struggling with a specific academic skill required of them in a given lesson. Providing the child with a targeted support or modification to help them be successful with the content of the lesson can help to eliminate unwanted behaviors. In my experience, taking time to identify what is truly driving an unexpected or undesired behavior has been the most effective way, as well as the most compassionate, for addressing these behaviors.

What personal or professional development book (or both) would you recommend? Why?

If you want to develop your abilities as a math educator, I recommend any book by Jo Boaler. For personal development, I love all of Brene Brown’s books.

What is your favorite song on your morning commute to work? (or in general, if you’re retired)

“Lovely Day” always puts me in a great mood. I also love the song “Glorious” by Macklemore. It is another upbeat song, and I had a fourth-grade class that loved to start their day by listening to it. Every time I hear it, I think of them and the joy it brought to our mornings.

Keep up with Math Happiness Project:

https://www.mathhappinessproject.com/

https://www.instagram.com/math_happiness_project

https://www.youtube.com/@mathhappinessproject

Are you interested in sharing some of your “earned wisdom.” If so, let’s get in touch. I look forward to sharing your story with the Why Edify community.

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