9questions with... Andi Whiteford
What's the best advice you’ve been given? What do you do at Severn? I am the math department chair in the Middle School and I teach 6th and 7th grade math. I also coach Middle School girls soccer and lacrosse.
Summarize your teaching philosophy. I have always taught math, and so I am a firm believer in practice and routine. I feel that students seek structure and the more we can provide, the better we serve them. Severn is so unique because we are able to provide smaller class sizes so that we can truly work with individual children.
9
What’s your proudest teaching moment?
questions with...
Andi Whiteford
My proudest teaching moment has always been while giving extra help to students and they say, "This makes so much sense now!"
When you're not working, what do you like to do? I love the outdoors and spend most of my time on the water. I enjoy sitting in the sun and reading a book, or enjoying the river on a boat! Before my injury I was an avid runner (I had my knee replaced last summer).
Who had the greatest influence on your career? Chair of the Middle School math department, super star lacrosse player, coach, and mom, and the 8th of 9 children
I am the 8th of 9 children and 3 of my older sisters are teachers, so teaching seemed a natural choice. I learned so much from them by seeing the amount of work they put in and witnessing the relationships they developed with their students. I often helped grade papers and read stories students had written, and developed a love of the profession before I entered college.
Growing up in such a big family, we were always playing competitive sports. Before I went off to Loyola to play college lacrosse my dad said, "Play to be your best, but always enjoy the game!” It was crucial advice that I have continued to share with my own children.
What’s the toughest challenge facing educators today? The balance between technology and practical teaching. Students are so tech-savvy, which is awesome, but skills such as handwriting and the ability to read a clock seem to be weakened. I worry about students staring at a screen all day and whether they are engaging in conversation enough.
What would you title the autobiography of your life? Life can be Tough, so Greet it with a Smile!
What’s your favorite no homework excuse? “I left it on the kitchen counter.” I have had students who have had their mom take a picture of their homework on the kitchen counter and send it to me. A Severna Park native, Andi earned both a bachelor’s and master’s in education from Loyola University in Maryland. As an undergrad there, she played lacrosse and holds the number three position in Greyhound history for points (184 goals/62 assists). Andi was inducted into the Baltimore Chapter of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2007. Andi met her husband Todd right after college. Their two daughters are both Severn alums: Lydia ’11 and Cami ’13. Lydia graduated from Brown University and is now working in Boston. Cami, a junior at Loyola, also plays lacrosse for the Greyhounds. Andi has been with Severn School for 10 years.
Summarize your teaching philosophy. I have always taught math, and so I am a firm believer in practice and routine. I feel that students seek structure and the more we can provide, the better we serve them. Severn is so unique because we are able to provide smaller class sizes so that we can truly work with individual children.
9
What’s your proudest teaching moment?
questions with...
Andi Whiteford
My proudest teaching moment has always been while giving extra help to students and they say, "This makes so much sense now!"
When you're not working, what do you like to do? I love the outdoors and spend most of my time on the water. I enjoy sitting in the sun and reading a book, or enjoying the river on a boat! Before my injury I was an avid runner (I had my knee replaced last summer).
Who had the greatest influence on your career? Chair of the Middle School math department, super star lacrosse player, coach, and mom, and the 8th of 9 children
I am the 8th of 9 children and 3 of my older sisters are teachers, so teaching seemed a natural choice. I learned so much from them by seeing the amount of work they put in and witnessing the relationships they developed with their students. I often helped grade papers and read stories students had written, and developed a love of the profession before I entered college.
Growing up in such a big family, we were always playing competitive sports. Before I went off to Loyola to play college lacrosse my dad said, "Play to be your best, but always enjoy the game!” It was crucial advice that I have continued to share with my own children.
What’s the toughest challenge facing educators today? The balance between technology and practical teaching. Students are so tech-savvy, which is awesome, but skills such as handwriting and the ability to read a clock seem to be weakened. I worry about students staring at a screen all day and whether they are engaging in conversation enough.
What would you title the autobiography of your life? Life can be Tough, so Greet it with a Smile!
What’s your favorite no homework excuse? “I left it on the kitchen counter.” I have had students who have had their mom take a picture of their homework on the kitchen counter and send it to me. A Severna Park native, Andi earned both a bachelor’s and master’s in education from Loyola University in Maryland. As an undergrad there, she played lacrosse and holds the number three position in Greyhound history for points (184 goals/62 assists). Andi was inducted into the Baltimore Chapter of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2007. Andi met her husband Todd right after college. Their two daughters are both Severn alums: Lydia ’11 and Cami ’13. Lydia graduated from Brown University and is now working in Boston. Cami, a junior at Loyola, also plays lacrosse for the Greyhounds. Andi has been with Severn School for 10 years.
