Math teacher Elizabeth Slaughter shares her story and passion for teaching

Elizabeth Slaughter is one of Lynbrook’s new Pre-Calculus Honors and AP Calculus AB teachers, but she is also a familiar face to students and teachers on campus. Known for her cheerful and encouraging personality, Slaughter is elated to be teaching at Lynbrook after working as a student teacher with math teacher Vivian Frazita.

After graduating from college with a degree in math, Slaughter worked at UC Santa Barbara’s nanotechnology lab where she ran lab experiments and maintained the equipment. However, Slaughter wanted to explore something else, so she started tutoring math in the Bay Area. 

“Teaching just reminded me how much I liked math, especially high school math,” Slaughter said. “I really liked working with students, so I decided to get my teaching credential.”

After earning her credential, Slaughter became a student teacher. She wants to make her class fun and engaging, so students can enjoy learning math. One of her favorite memories is when her fifth grade teacher taught the class how to divide fractions.

“When we learned how to divide fractions, she took a kid, and she flipped them upside down.” Slaughter said. “She was really fun and animated, so I always looked up to her.”

Last year, Slaughter was a student teacher, but halfway into the year, she took on the tough yet rewarding responsibility of teaching her own classes.

“Adjusting to less prep time and getting to know new students in the middle of the year was challenging,” Slaughter said. “But it came together pretty well. I think it was great.”

Other than teaching, Slaughter really enjoyed Lynbrook’s Homecoming week.

“I had never experienced a Homecoming like that at my high school,” Slaughter said. “Nobody really cared about Homecoming. There was a dance people kind of went to, but it was not even close to the level of school spirit at Lynbrook. So the Lynbrook Homecoming makes me feel like I’m on a TV show. Where is this? Riverdale?”

Slaughter cannot wait to see what students have planned for Homecoming and is looking forward to working with students from all grades, ranging from freshmen all the way to seniors.