2021 Susan Gay Travel Scholarship Recipient
Ash Kizer
Auburn University
Biography
Ash Kizer is a Ph.D. candidate at Auburn University pursuing a doctorate in Elementary Education. His primary research interests include improving teacher-student relationships by building specific pedagogical content knowledge and integrating course of study objectives with the use of agriculture as a theme. He has been a National Board-Certified Teacher since 2014, and he currently teaches fifth grade mathematics and science at Adamsville Elementary School. Mr. Kizer has been a teacher for over 21 years, earning several awards including Adamsville Elementary School Second Mile Teacher (2017) and Jefferson County Elementary Teacher of the Year (2019).
As the recipient of several grants, Kizer has leveraged community resources to build a teaching farm at his school, complete with raised bed gardens, chicken coops, and a solar-powered barn. Using agriculture as a theme, Mr. Kizer has been able to engage students in applied mathematics, project-based learning, and collaborative STEAM activities that inspire students to continue learning mathematics. He also serves as one of the school’s teacher mentors, working to support new mathematics teachers and regularly serving as a cooperating teacher for preservice, student-teachers.