Following her education in orthopedagogy and work as teacher in special education and SEN coordinator in another primary school, Karen has continuously developed herself in the area of mathematics and numeracy. Within the master programme ‘Educational Needs’, Karen taught numeracy, primary mathematics education, learning difficulties in mathematics and dyscalculia, and mathematics for immigrant-students.
When a numeracy curriculum was introduced in Dutch secondary general and vocational education (VO & MBO), professionalization of vocational teachers became one of Karen’s core tasks within the minor Mathematics Teacher for secondary general and vocational education of the Archimedes Institute. Karen contributed to the further development of this specific minor and taught modules from the minor within community colleges and the teacher education of the HU.
In primary teacher education, Karen is currently active as teacher trainer in mathematics education, with a focus on numeracy as a professional competence of teachers.
Within the research group Mathematics Education Karen contributed to research in numeracy in vocational education, together with Kees Hoogland and Paul Drijvers.
In addition to her work for the Hogeschool Utrecht, Karen is an employee of a regional Inclusive Education Network.
"
It would be wonderful if teachers could inspire students that mathematics is more than just doing calculations. Math is fun and, without even knowing it, you’re applying math a lot more on a daily basis than you think!
"
Expertises
- Mathematics education in primary education
- Mathematics and numeracy education in secondary general and vocational education
- Remedial teaching with mathematical learning difficulties and dyscalculia
Publications
- Numeracy and mathematics education in vocational education a literature review, preliminary results