About Me

Michael Serra has been teaching math for over 40 years. He was a high school math teacher for San Francisco Unified School District from 1969 -2001. During his early teaching career Michael wrote his own geometry material using familiar objects like patty paper, tennis ball cans, and string. These early presentations/writings eventually became the innovative textbook “Discovering Geometry’.

Michael also served as a master teacher and mentor to student teachers annually from 1983 through 1999. He retired from teaching high school and now does professional development workshops with school districts. Michael can often be found speaking at the many regional and national math conferences throughout the world. He has expanded his teaching experience to include teaching at San Francisco State University and volunteering weekly at a San Francisco elementary school. Michael often says working with the fifth grade class is the “highlight of his week.’

Publications

- Discovering Geometry: An Investigative Approach, Fourth Edition, Kendall Hunt Publishing (2008) a high school geometry textbook;
- Mathercise A, Mathercise B, Mathercise C, Mathercise D, and Mathercise E, Playing It Smart (1992) five books of classroom warm-up activities;
- Patty Paper Geometry, Playing It Smart (1994) a middle school/high school geometry textbook;
- What’s Wrong With This Picture? Playing It Smart (2002) a high school geometry reasoning skills workbook
- Numerous articles in SFMTA's Exponent, the Discovering Geometry Newsletter for Key Curriculum Press, NEXUS Network Journal, The California Math Council (CMC) Communicator newsletter, and NCTM’s Journal The Math Teacher.

Professional Organizations and Awards

- President of the San Francisco Mathematics Teachers Association (SFMTA) (want year/s)
- Editor of the SFMTA newsletter
- California Finalist Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching (1997)
- San Francisco Math Teacher of the Year (1996)

Presentations

- Speaker at state, regional, and national math conferences (1991-present)
- Mathematics and Science Conference, San Jose, Costa Rica (2002, 2006)
- AMESA Conference, Durban, South Africa (June 2002)
- Australian Math Teachers Association (May 2002)
- Tasmanian public schools in Hobart, Tasmania (May 2002)
- International Schools in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing, China (2004)

Partial List of Past Projects and Clients

- California Department of Education
- Consortium Mathematics Project
- Department of Defense Schools
- Discovering Geometry Adoptions
- Golden State Exam Committee
- Math For America
- Math Leadership Project