Teaching taught me that confidence and curiosity grow from clear, thoughtful learning experiences. I create curriculum, assessments, and stories that help students see what they’re capable of one idea, one question, one spark at a time.
Emily Montez
Hi, I’m Emily Montez — a math and science educator, curriculum designer, and former Navy Nuclear Power technician with more than a decade of teaching experience. I specialize in making complex ideas clear, joyful, and accessible for learners of all backgrounds.
I’ve taught grades 5–9 in virtual and in-person settings, supported struggling students as a math interventionist, and trained new teachers in effective, student-centered instruction. My work focuses on building strong foundations, designing meaningful learning experiences, and crafting assessments that illuminate student thinking.
Over the years, I’ve created lessons, videos, practice activities, and comprehensive units that support learning in a variety of settings. While I enjoy designing original materials, my greatest strength is collaborating with teams to develop, refine, and align curriculum to standards and organizational goals. I love the process of turning big ideas into clear, intentional instruction that helps every student grow.
Across every role, my goal is the same:
to create learning experiences that spark curiosity, build confidence, and help students believe in their own ability to understand and achieve.
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I believe learning should feel like discovery: joyful, inviting, and rooted in deep understanding. My goal is to help students feel capable and curious, giving them the foundations and confidence to explore the world with wonder.
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I design curriculum that feels like a journey: clear, connected, and full of wonder. I believe learning should unfold in meaningful steps, building strong foundations while leaving room for curiosity and joy. My goal is to create materials that help students make sense of the world and feel capable within it.
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I see assessment as a way of listening to students thoughtfully and without judgment. A good question doesn’t just check for the right answer; it reveals how a student is making sense of the world. I design assessments that illuminate understanding, honor different ways of thinking, and guide both teacher and learner toward the next step with clarity and confidence.
Assessment Samples
My assessment samples reflect my commitment to designing math tasks that are clear, meaningful, and accessible for all learners. Across grades 1 through Algebra 1, each item is crafted to reveal student thinking—not just whether they can perform a procedure. I design assessments that invite reasoning, illuminate misconceptions, and help students feel capable as they grow. These pieces also demonstrate my ability to align tasks to standards, write clear rationales, integrate error analysis, and build assessments that support learning as much as they measure it.
Raven Steals the Sun
Raven Steals the Sun is a fully developed, interdisciplinary unit built from my “story-first” teaching philosophy. This lesson set blends mythology, math, science, writing, and cultural studies into a cohesive learning experience that invites students to wonder, question, and make meaningful connections across subjects. Designed with multiple entry points, scaffolded supports, and rich extension opportunities, the unit demonstrates my ability to create curriculum that is both deeply engaging and highly accessible. It showcases my strengths in narrative-driven instruction, creative problem-design, and thoughtful differentiation that allows every learner to feel successful and inspired.
