Navigating the Challenges of Math with Professor Wendi Dass

Dr. Wendi Dass, professor of mathematics, began teaching at PVCC in 2010. Originally from Northern Virginia, Dass said she was drawn to mathematics because she felt comfortable with it. Her interest was solidified by what she described as some great experiences with her math professors. She received her Bachelor of Science in mathematics and Bachelor of Arts in music from the University of Mary Washington, her Master of Science in mathematics from the University of Virginia, and her Doctorate of Education in mathematics education from the University of Virginia. 

Dass described her teaching style as stressing conceptual understanding and active learning. These fundamentals are tied together in what she considers to be the most important aspect of her teaching style: collaborative work. She said, “I like to be creative with my assignments and make them fun.” Her students are familiar with moving chairs and pushing tables together to work on group assignments. Some students benefit from active explanation of certain concepts, and others from having concepts repeated to them from a student’s perspective.

Just as important as her teaching style is how she develops relationships with her students. MTH 154: Quantitative Reasoning, a course commonly used to fulfill one of the mathematics requirements for humanities majors, presents her with the challenge of connecting with less math-oriented students. 

“It’s interesting. I guess it’s like teaching any other course in some respects; there are a lot of people in that class who don’t like math or who you have to work with more to improve their confidence with it. It’s a matter of confidence in that class, more so than with other classes,” Dass said. 

The same can be said for students that struggle in her courses. “I try to work with them one-to-one, more personally. I think I give them more attention to be honest,” Dass said when asked about her approach to challenging students.

Serving as the chair, Dass has also been faced with challenges unique to the math department. “I think we’re trying to work more on entry-level courses, particularly entry-level courses like precalc, both at the system level as well as with things like placement,” she said. 

The recent removal of the Virginia Placement Test (VPT) from PVCC admissions has changed the way students are placed in mathematics courses. “We’re definitely seeing more issues with underprepared students,” Dass said when asked about any issues that arose with this change. 

Another challenge has been advertising the difficulty of MTH 167: Precalculus with Trigonometry, a five-credit course with a high fail rate. As it is a critical component for many STEM major requirements, ensuring the success of the many students that take the course has been difficult. Dass said, “Right now, we’re advising more students to take it in two semesters as MTH 161 and MTH 162.”

As for the courses she enjoys teaching the most, Dass loves any components of the calculus series. “I think I like the content; for many students, it’s completely new, and it’s fun to introduce something to them the first time. Whereas in the precalc I know many have seen the course content before. It’s nice to get them interested in something,” she said.

In her free time, Dass, a published author, enjoys writing. She said, “I mostly write women’s fiction and general fiction. I also like to write short stories. Those are more literary short stories.” Dass also stays connected with her interest in music, as she recently returned to singing in The Oratorio Society of Virginia choir. She has a daughter, Sabine, from whom her students occasionally receive constructive feedback in crayon and colored pencil.

Those interested in taking a course with Professor Dass in the future can contact her directly at wdass@pvcc.edu for more information. Currently, she is set to teach MTH 154: Quantitative Reasoning and MTH 267: Differential Equations in the upcoming fall semester of 2023.