Academic Excellence in Mathematics

My name is Amber Strain and I was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, but I spent part of my childhood in Hastings, Minnesota. I returned to Arkansas and I have been living in Conway, Arkansas since 2003 where I attended the University of Central Arkansas and earned a B.A. in Applied Mathematics and Economics with specializations in international trade, and an M.A. in Mathematics Education.

A Heart for Teaching

I graduated from Abundant Life School in Sherwood, Arkansas where my mother is a middle/ high school mathematics teacher. I began tutoring her students after classes when she would have a crowd and discovered I have a heart for teaching. I have been tutoring mathematics for about twenty years and teaching mathematics for about ten years.

My Teaching Experience

I first taught College Algebra as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Central Arkansas. At Pulaski Technical College I worked as an academic advisor, math tutor, testing center coordinator, and developmental mathematics instructor. At Arkansas State University – Beebe I worked in the Learning Center as a full-time mathematics tutor and then as a full-time mathematics instructor. At Arkansas State University – Beebe I taught emporium style developmental mathematics and technical mathematics, the co-requisite course College Algebra with review, and Quantitative Literacy. I began teaching Mathematics at Central Baptist College in 2017. I am currently teaching, Beginning Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, Elementary Statistics, Trigonometry, Business Calculus, and Calculus I.

I Am Here to Help

I encourage my students to have a growth mindset, not a fixed mindset. A person with a growth mindset believes that anything can be accomplished through hard work, while a person with a fixed mindset believes that a person’s intelligence is fixed and unchangeable. I tell my students every day that even though math is a challenging subject, they are capable of doing anything they set their mind to and that I am there to help them any time they get stuck. Any new skill requires practice and guidance. There are no, “I can’t do it” statements allowed in my class only, “I can’t do it yet.”

I Will Help You Succeed

I present my lectures with a handout. After completing the examples, I have my students work on problems together as I guide and assist. In addition to being available during class work, my office is open to students. I know math can be an intimidating subject, so I try to make my office as welcoming as possible. I keep a bowl of candy available to make the experience more enjoyable. If a student is unavailable during my office hours, I will gladly meet them when their schedule allows, even on weekends. If a student is unable to meet in person, I communicate with them through email and the video chat program, Zoom. I will do everything in my power to help my students succeed!

Join the Mustang Family

Do you want high quality math teaching and tutoring from an actual professor, who cares about your success, and not just from a graduate student? We can help!

Schedule your visit to meet Amber Strain and apply for admission at cbc.edu/WhyCBC.