TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012
PAGE 17 THE SPOKE
FEATURES
Karen Mull The Spoke: How many years have you been teaching at Conestoga? Karen Mull: This is my 11th year at Conestoga. T.S.: What is your favorite mathematical symbol and why? K.M.: Pi of course, who doesn’t love Pi? It’s fun to write and features prevalently in one of my favorite math things: the Unit Circle. T.S.: What is your new baby’s name, and how old is he now? K.M.: Ryan is my youngest and he will be one year old on the 29th of January. Kathryn, my daughter, will be sad if I don’t give her a shout out too. She will be five in March. T.S.: What is the most surprising or difficult thing about being a mother?
Algebra 2 & Calculus
K.M.: The lack of time and sleep. Kids are fun but really exhausting. They don’t care if you are tired and feel like taking a nap. It’s always time to play.
So naturally, I would say I am left-handed.
T.S.: What is a memorable teaching moment of yours? K.M.: Calculus Carols are T.S.: What is your favorite something I look forward to thing about being a mother? each year. Singing the joys K.M.: The smiles my kids of Calculus with my students give me when I walk through right before the holidays always the door. It’s the best feeling warms my heart. ever when someone is always excited to see you. My kids T.S.: If you could be any fadrive me to the brink of insanity mous mathematician, who some days, but they are also the would you be and why? greatest joys of my life. K.M.: Joanie Brier. She used to teach at Conestoga and retired T.S.: I understand you are in 2005. She taught Calculus ambidextrous. How does this for many, many years, since affect your daily life, and what the start of the AP Calculus things does it make easier? Do program. you classify yourself as righthanded or left-handed? T.S.: If you didn’t teach math, K.M.: Well, I’m not really what could you see yourself ambidextrous. I can only write doing? on the board and erase it at the K.M.: I would probably be a same time. If I try to write with stay-at-home mom, but I would my right hand, it looks terrible. also love to do something cre-
ative like party-planning or interior design. I’m currently obsessing over Ryan’s first birthday party. Managing all the little details like the decorations and menu and invitations is just so much fun for me. T.S.: What were you involved in in high school? K.M.: Choir, National Honor Society, student council, a program like REACH and I played the handbells and sang in the choir in my church. T.S.: What are your hobbies? K.M.: I love to run and read and cook. I think I’m a pretty decent cook, although my daughter cries most days when I tell her what’s for dinner. Interview by Natalie West, Features Editor.
Bottom right: Math teacher Karen Mull is known for her ambidexterous talents. During class, Mull frequently erases the whiteboard with her right hand while simultaneously writing with her left hand.
Favorites
Book “Charlotte’s Web.”
Such a sweet and magical story made all the more poignant after reading it to my daughter.
Quote
“Don’t count the days. Make the days count.”—Muhammad Ali
Movie
Mind”
“A Beautiful
Food My Grandma’s Thanksgiving stuffing. I just recently acquired the recipe. Beverage
Starbucks skinny cinnamon dolce latte
Song “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds. It’s the song my husband and I danced to at our wedding.