Bio

Dr. Andrew Paulsen currently serves as the Regional Director of Professional Services for the Midwest with Agile Mind, an organization that is transforming the teaching and learning of mathematics and science throughout the United States. Before joining Agile Mind, Paulsen was the Lead Math Teacher and an Instructional Coach at East Side High School, the largest comprehensive high school in Newark, New Jersey

Education
  • Doctor of Education in Leadership & Learning in Organizations from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College
      • Doctoral Thesis: The Impact of Model Lessons on Teachers’ Perceptions of High-Quality Instructional Materials
      • Advisor: Laura Booker, Ph.D.
  • Ed.M. in Public School Leadership from Columbia University’s Teacher’s College 
  • M.A. in Educational Leadership, Management, and Policy from Seton Hall University
  • B.A. in Mathematics/Adolescent Education & Communication from Marist College 
Resources
Certifications
  • Central Office Endorsement – Michigan Department of Education
  • School Administrator Certificate – Michigan Department of Education
  • Supervisor (Standard Certificate) – New Jersey Department of Education
  • Professional Teaching Certificate (Mathematics 6-12) – Michigan Department of Education
  • Teacher of Mathematics (Standard Certificate) – New Jersey Department of Education)
Biography

Dr. Andrew Paulsen started his career in the Newark Public Schools as a special education teacher, working primarily with students with specific learning disabilities in self-contained settings. Over the course of his teaching career, Paulsen has taught hundreds of students in self-contained, inclusion, bilingual, honors, and general education classrooms, and has taught Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. At East Side High School, Paulsen was also named as a teacher representative to the School Improvement Panel, chaperoned numerous overnight college visits, and was the faculty advisor for the Public Speaking club and Math Olympics team. Paulsen has also taught adjudicated adults in correctional facilities through the Petey Greene Program and led the academic programming effort on behalf of Hockey in New Jersey.

During the 2014-15 school year, the  Coca-Cola Foundation named Paulsen as a Joseph B. Whitehead Educator of Distinction. The following school year, Paulsen was named Teacher of the Year at East Side High School, and was a proud recipient of the Teach For America Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching, partially because he had the highest student passing rate in the entire Newark Public Schools for high school math teachers and taught the only Geometry students in the entire district who scored in the ‘exceeded expectations’ range.

In 2017, Paulsen had an even higher percentage of students demonstrate college readiness on the Algebra II PARCC exam, and was the only math teacher at East Side to have students score in the ‘exceeded expectations’ range. In 2018, Paulsen’s Algebra I class had a 67.9% pass rate, beating the state average on the rigorous exam by over 20 percentage points. As a result, Paulsen was a national finalist for the Fishman Prize for Superlative Classroom Performance, and was recognized by the Newark Teachers Union for his dedication to the students and families of Newark.

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During the 2018 school year, Paulsen traveled to Asia as a Fulbright ‘Distinguished Awards in Teaching’ Scholar to research eastern mathematics pedagogy. Conducting most of his research in Taiwan, Paulsen had the chance to observe hundreds of classes in 12 countries throughout Asia, lead presentations for teachers in Singapore, and even had the opportunity to teach English at a small school for students with special needs in rural Cambodia.

After returning to the states at the end of 2018, Dr. Paulsen joined Agile Mind, an organization that looks to transform the teaching and learning of mathematics and science throughout the country. Paulsen initially served as a Senior Advisor and was tasked with supporting Agile Mind partner schools throughout the country. In 2021, Agile Mind recognized Andrew with a Going Above and Beyond the Call of Duty award for his work in helping teachers and school leaders get through the pandemic.

After completing his doctorate, Dr. Paulsen moved to Detroit, Michigan, and was promoted by Agile Mind to lead the Midwest region as the Regional Director of Professional Services in 2022. In his current role, Paulsen oversees the recruitment, training, and support of a vibrant cadre of consulting professionals to deliver face-to-face seminars, advisor services, and ongoing virtual support to meet the needs of partner school districts throughout the Midwest.

Personal

Originally from Levittown, New York, Paulsen has traveled to dozens of countries all over the globe, and is an avid scuba diver. He currently lives in Detroit, Michigan with his girlfriend, and speaks conversational Spanish. He aspires to change the world, one student at a time.

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