Dr. Abi Ruiz is a fourth grade teacher at Hidden Oaks Elementary with nine years of teaching experience. Ruiz earned a doctorate degree in Curriculum and Instruction, with her dissertation titled Exploring Contextually Relevant, Cognitively Demanding Mathematics Tasks: A Critical Ethnographic Inquiry of the Instructional Practices and Beliefs of Elementary Teachers Who Serve Economically Disadvantaged Students. She also earned a master’s degree in K – 8 Mathematics and Science Education and a Bachelor of Science in Early Education. Ruiz is a proud Triple Knight, having earned all three degrees at the University of Central Florida.
Ruiz is a passionate advocate for equitable mathematics teaching practices and a champion of promoting math joy. She takes pride in leading a district wide initiative to foster cohesive and rigorous mathematics instruction through a book club. Ruiz has presented on the intersection of rigorous and joyful mathematics experiences at state, regional, national, and international conferences. She serves on the Board of Directors for NCSM, a national leadership mathematics organization, as the Regional Director Southern 1. Additionally, Ruiz is working in partnership with the UCF Department of Mathematics Math Circle to develop innovative and joyful sixth grade mathematics lesson plans.
What Dr. Ruiz finds most exciting about being a Noyce Fellow is the opportunity to work with this cohort, and partners like the National Science Foundation, OCPS, and City Year to foster innovative mathematics education in the community.