Meet Mr. Clinch
Hello, my name is Adam Clinch and I am a mathematics teacher at Capital High School. I am extremely excited to be teaching at the school I graduated from and be a part of the Helena community in which I grew up. From 2011 until 2014, I had been a teacher at Hellgate High School and an instructor at the University of Montana for Math 115 - Probability and Linear Math and Math 121 - College Algebra.
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Montana in 2011 with two Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in Mathematics and one in Physics.
In December of 2012, I graduated from the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Montana with a Master's of Education in Curriculum Studies, where my master's project focused on creating a chapter of a geometry textbook for the iPad. During this time, I obtained my professional teaching certificate that allows me to teach mathematics and physics.
In May of 2014, I completed my Master's of Arts in Mathematics where I created the curriculum for Math Seminar - a senior capstone course that focuses on a holistic view of mathematics by studying its history and topics outside the normal curriculum.
I also spent a summer doing plasma physics research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The webpage I put together for my work there can be found here.
During the 2015-2016 school year, I began the Math Colloquium at Capital High School. The second Tuesday of every month someone from the Math Department (usually) shares something mathematical that interests them. For example: a creative extension in Algebra 2, an interesting math article, mathematical suggestions for solving newspaper puzzles, a historical presentation of when/why the square root algorithm was taught in schools, a terrible mathematical misconception in a news report, or how math can be used to improve basic strategies in sports, etc.
Outside of school and teaching I love to stay active. I enjoy soccer, disc golf, golf, basketball, reading physics and mathematics books, floating the river, hiking local trails, and being an avid Griz fan!
Mathematics and physics are a big part of my life and it has become my passion to share that enthusiasm with others. Whether it is learning how these subjects explain the world around us or how they influenced the lives of thousands throughout history, I can't learn enough about them.
Perhaps Einstein said it best, "The only incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible."
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Montana in 2011 with two Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in Mathematics and one in Physics.
In December of 2012, I graduated from the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Montana with a Master's of Education in Curriculum Studies, where my master's project focused on creating a chapter of a geometry textbook for the iPad. During this time, I obtained my professional teaching certificate that allows me to teach mathematics and physics.
In May of 2014, I completed my Master's of Arts in Mathematics where I created the curriculum for Math Seminar - a senior capstone course that focuses on a holistic view of mathematics by studying its history and topics outside the normal curriculum.
I also spent a summer doing plasma physics research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The webpage I put together for my work there can be found here.
During the 2015-2016 school year, I began the Math Colloquium at Capital High School. The second Tuesday of every month someone from the Math Department (usually) shares something mathematical that interests them. For example: a creative extension in Algebra 2, an interesting math article, mathematical suggestions for solving newspaper puzzles, a historical presentation of when/why the square root algorithm was taught in schools, a terrible mathematical misconception in a news report, or how math can be used to improve basic strategies in sports, etc.
Outside of school and teaching I love to stay active. I enjoy soccer, disc golf, golf, basketball, reading physics and mathematics books, floating the river, hiking local trails, and being an avid Griz fan!
Mathematics and physics are a big part of my life and it has become my passion to share that enthusiasm with others. Whether it is learning how these subjects explain the world around us or how they influenced the lives of thousands throughout history, I can't learn enough about them.
Perhaps Einstein said it best, "The only incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible."
Books I Am Reading or Have Read Recently Regarding Math, Physics, and/or Education
List of Professional Development Conferences Attended
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Honors
2023 Distinguished Educator
A Celebration of Excellence recognizes exceptional students who have demonstrated their efforts in the classroom, school and in the community day after day, year after year. Distinguished Scholars were selected on the basis of criteria developed by high school students, teachers and administrators, including grade point average; number of honors, advanced placement and other higher level courses; total credit hours and activities and community service.
Each student identified an educator who has had a significant, positive impact on his or her life and wrote a short message about why that educator was selected.
John wrote, "Since middle school, I've struggled in math. But when I asked Mr. Clinch for help, he committed to help me. Mr. Clinch uses resources like videos of him doing the practice tests and filmed lessons to help students understand material. He encouraged me to take AP Calculus my senior year. This year I've studied more than any other. In the hardest class I've ever taken, I finally did well in math - getting the highest grade I've ever had in the subject. Mr. Clinch says it's because of my studying, but it's all because he ensures his students understand and enjoy math.
Each student identified an educator who has had a significant, positive impact on his or her life and wrote a short message about why that educator was selected.
John wrote, "Since middle school, I've struggled in math. But when I asked Mr. Clinch for help, he committed to help me. Mr. Clinch uses resources like videos of him doing the practice tests and filmed lessons to help students understand material. He encouraged me to take AP Calculus my senior year. This year I've studied more than any other. In the hardest class I've ever taken, I finally did well in math - getting the highest grade I've ever had in the subject. Mr. Clinch says it's because of my studying, but it's all because he ensures his students understand and enjoy math.
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2022 Distinguished Educator
Rachael wrote, "Mr. Clinch immediately became one of my favorite teachers because of the way he created connections with each of his students in a personable and genuine way. Not only is he a great math teacher, he is a friend to all. He is responsible, making sure his students meet specific expectations, which aren't the same for every student. For me personally, he pushed me in all the right directions and made sure he helped in any way possible so I could continue being successful, not only in my math classes, but also in life.
COE Distinguished Educator 2022.pdf | |
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2020 Distinguished Educator
Dani wrote, "Throughout high school, Adam Clinch has been a role model and a mentor. As a teacher, he cultivated a sense of pride in my learning that allowed me to become excited for each new day of class. His phenomenal teaching allowed me to conceptualize difficult topics. Outside of his passion for knowledge, Mr. Clinch also dedicated himself to finding the best in every student and thoughtfully created learning opportunities that allowed students of every level to come together and succeed as a group."
Distinguished Educator 2020.pdf | |
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Publication in the 2020-2021 Handbook of the Mathematics of the Arts and Sciences
I wrote a piece that was accepted for publication in the Handbook of the Mathematics of the Arts and Sciences. My chapter is titled, "Ancient Greek Methods of Measuring Astronomical Sizes," and details the historical development of ancient Greek methods for measuring the size of the Earth, the distance to the Moon and the Sun, and the size of the Moon and the Sun.
ancient_greek_methods_of_measuring_astronomical_distances_online_version.pdf | |
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National Board Certified
In December of 2019, I earned my National Board Certification in Mathematics for Adolescence and Young Adulthood. National Board Certification (NBC) is a voluntary, advanced teaching credential that goes beyond state licensure. NBC has national standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do.
Developed by teachers, it is a four-component comprehensive profile of your teaching practice.
It involves three written components focusing on your pedagogy through multiple video recordings of your teaching, unit design, differentiated instruction, colleague collaboration, parental involvement, and in-lesson decisions. Those entailed upwards of 100 pages of documentation and reflection in the final typed submission to the Board. Then there's a four-hour exam for the final component.
Educationworld.com said in a survey of applicants, people spent between 200-800 hours on their application, with the average around 400 hours.
The pass rate is between 40%-50% and only about 3% of teachers nationwide are board certified. It is the highest designation a teacher can achieve.
Developed by teachers, it is a four-component comprehensive profile of your teaching practice.
It involves three written components focusing on your pedagogy through multiple video recordings of your teaching, unit design, differentiated instruction, colleague collaboration, parental involvement, and in-lesson decisions. Those entailed upwards of 100 pages of documentation and reflection in the final typed submission to the Board. Then there's a four-hour exam for the final component.
Educationworld.com said in a survey of applicants, people spent between 200-800 hours on their application, with the average around 400 hours.
The pass rate is between 40%-50% and only about 3% of teachers nationwide are board certified. It is the highest designation a teacher can achieve.
Helena's "20 Under 40"
Link to Article: HERE
In July of 2019, I was selected as one of Helena's top 20 most impactful citizens under 40 years of age in regard to outreach and helping move the community forward.
Adam Clinch, a born and raised Helenan, is always looking for ways to give back to the community that raised him.
Clinch is a math teacher and coach at Capital High School. For him, teaching was the most obvious way to give back and make a better future.
"I probably became a teacher because I like working with people," Clinch said. "Our time here is short and rare. If I can spend that time helping someone better their lives then I want to."
Clinch is a graduate of the University of Montana. He holds master's degrees in education and mathematics. He spent two years teaching at UM before moving back to Helena. When CHS had an opening for a math teacher, the former Bruin jumped at the opportunity. For the past five years, he had taught honors algebra, algebra I and college statistics at CHS. He said the smorgasbord of different classes he teaches helps keep the job interesting.
Never content doing just one job, Clinch also is the soccer coach at CHS. This summer, he is teaching disc golf to middle school students at Carroll College. He has also spent the past five years as a member of the Knowles Teaching Fellows Program, which Clinch described as a way to interconnect ideas about teaching across the Untied States.
The program has helped Clinch get insight into behind-the-scenes aspects of teaching.
"I love math and wanted to teach it because I think it gets a bad rap," Clinch said. "Humans at their hearts are storytellers. I think if you can make math a story you can find success."
Clinch is fascinated with the theories and concepts behind mathematics. He sees beyond the "number-crunching, algorithm-obsessed, soul-crushing field of high school curriculum" to the history behind mathematics and the people who discovered many of its concepts.
"The moon revolving around the earth obeys the same mathematical equation as an apple falling; an inverse square law," Clinch said. "Mathematics predicted the existence of black holes decades before we observed them within the past year."
Clinch's impact on his students is hard to measure, but he spends time teaching soft skills beyond the scope of math. For him, it's all an effort to make Helena a better place.
Adam Clinch, a born and raised Helenan, is always looking for ways to give back to the community that raised him.
Clinch is a math teacher and coach at Capital High School. For him, teaching was the most obvious way to give back and make a better future.
"I probably became a teacher because I like working with people," Clinch said. "Our time here is short and rare. If I can spend that time helping someone better their lives then I want to."
Clinch is a graduate of the University of Montana. He holds master's degrees in education and mathematics. He spent two years teaching at UM before moving back to Helena. When CHS had an opening for a math teacher, the former Bruin jumped at the opportunity. For the past five years, he had taught honors algebra, algebra I and college statistics at CHS. He said the smorgasbord of different classes he teaches helps keep the job interesting.
Never content doing just one job, Clinch also is the soccer coach at CHS. This summer, he is teaching disc golf to middle school students at Carroll College. He has also spent the past five years as a member of the Knowles Teaching Fellows Program, which Clinch described as a way to interconnect ideas about teaching across the Untied States.
The program has helped Clinch get insight into behind-the-scenes aspects of teaching.
"I love math and wanted to teach it because I think it gets a bad rap," Clinch said. "Humans at their hearts are storytellers. I think if you can make math a story you can find success."
Clinch is fascinated with the theories and concepts behind mathematics. He sees beyond the "number-crunching, algorithm-obsessed, soul-crushing field of high school curriculum" to the history behind mathematics and the people who discovered many of its concepts.
"The moon revolving around the earth obeys the same mathematical equation as an apple falling; an inverse square law," Clinch said. "Mathematics predicted the existence of black holes decades before we observed them within the past year."
Clinch's impact on his students is hard to measure, but he spends time teaching soft skills beyond the scope of math. For him, it's all an effort to make Helena a better place.
moving_helena_forward__here_are_the_irs_20_under_40_winners_for_2019___business___helenair.com.pdf | |
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Publication in the May 2018 edition of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Journal "Mathematics Teacher"
I wrote an article based on my classroom inquiry work that focused on developing a new technique for teaching factoring of trinomials when the leading coefficient is not 1. After my first year where I did the standard approach, I became very aware I needed to find another way to increase my students' access to opportunities to learn the concept.
I developed a new technique called "factoring for roots" that focuses on tying together procedural fluency and conceptual understanding in a manner unlike current strategies.
My feature article was published in the May 2018 edition of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics journal "Mathematics Teacher." Some excerpts are below. The full article can be found at the PDF below as well.
I developed a new technique called "factoring for roots" that focuses on tying together procedural fluency and conceptual understanding in a manner unlike current strategies.
My feature article was published in the May 2018 edition of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics journal "Mathematics Teacher." Some excerpts are below. The full article can be found at the PDF below as well.
Clinch Factoring for Roots NCTM Article.pdf | |
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