Jackie Sack, Ed.D.
Associate Director for Curriculum Development,
Rice University School Mathematics Project
I grew up in South Africa in a small gold mining town east of Johannesburg. I received my B.Sc. degree from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in 1973 (Mathematics and Chemistry) and B.Sc.Honors in 1975 (Chemistry). I worked as a development chemist in the personal care industry for about 5 years after which I pursued my Masters in Library Science at Sam Houston State University in 1985.
I became an educator in 1986, when I joined the faculty at the Hebrew Academy (now Beren Academy) in Houston as their librarian and part-time mathematics and science teacher. In 1992, I taught middle and high school mathematics full-time for 1 year at Saint Johns School, Puerto Rico. On returning to Houston in 1993, I taught mathematics at Lanier Middle School, Houston Independent School District (HISD). Following 18 years in the classroom, HISD's Curriculum Department invited me to join their writing staff to develop a high school Geometry program. In 2005, I was hired by the Rice University School Mathematics Project (RUSMP) to serve at the Manager for the Mathematics Leadership Institute, an NSF-funded Mathematics and Science Partnership among HISD, Aldine ISD and Rice University. I earned my Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction in Mathematics Education from the University of Houston in 2005. I am RUSMP's Associate Director for Curriculum Development and Clinical Assistant Professor of Mathematics in the Wiess School of Natural Sciences and a Texas Certified Master Mathematics Teacher (8 - 12).
My teaching responsibilities include
RUSMP Academic Year Courses:
- Geometry for Elementary School Teachers (several sections since 2002)
- Geometry for Middle School Teachers (several sections since 2001)
- Topics in Algebra (Fall, 2007)
University of Houston, College of Education:
- CUIN 6397: MORE Math Program for Teachers. Informal Geometry from a Problem-Solving Approach (Summer, 2003)
- CUIN 6375: Classroom Management (Fall, 2007)
- CUIN 6340/CUIN 4349: Teaching Geometry Concepts in Grades 6-12 (Fall, 2008)
My research interests include teacher leadership, teacher development and geometry.
After graduating from Wits in 1975, my husband, Ian, and I left South Africa to travel for 6 months and then settled in the U.K. near London for almost 5 years. After our son, Paul, was born (in the U.K.), we moved to Houston, TX, our permanent home since January, 1981. Our daughter, Adrienne, is a native Houstonian. Ian and I enjoy bicycle riding together and are committed to completing the MS-150 every April from Houston to Austin. We also love to travel, hike in the mountains and pat our cats whenever they will allow us.