Dr. Maria Porras Monroy is a fourth grade teacher and team leader at Pineloch Elementary School. She has been an elementary teacher for 14 years. Dr. Porras Monroy earned a doctorate degree in Curriculum and Instruction, from the University of Central Florida, where she also earned her master’s degree in K-8 Mathematics and Science Education and bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She is a proud Triple Knight. Her dissertation, Impacts of Professional Development on Elementary Mathematics Teachers’ Implementation of Cognitively Demanding Tasks, examined how her created professional development impacted teachers’ identification and implementation of cognitively demanding tasks. She also explored the aspects of the professional development that benefited the participants’ understanding of cognitively demanding tasks. She has also presented on building conceptual understanding with manipulatives at a state conference, as well as presented her dissertation during a national webinar.
At the local level, Dr. Porras Monroy is currently leading Pineloch Pioneers, a group of teacher leaders with a shared goal of making positive impacts schoolwide. Some of Dr. Porras Monroy’s other accomplishments include Team Lead, Math Lead, Saturday School Coordinator, Panther of the Week, Panther of the Month, and Teacher Mentor. She enjoys working with Go Full STEAM on the district’s mathematics competition. Dr. Porras Monroy continues to seek ways to grow as a teacher leader while also building a community of support for her school and beyond.