Muske to teach college and high school level math
By MELISSA DUNN
Staff Writer
Math teacher Randy Muske might be new to the district, but he comes with 27 years of prior teaching experience; most recently at USC (one year), GFW (one year), and Truman (nine years). Muske completed his bachelor of science degree in mathematics at St. Cloud State University and his master degree in mathematics at the University of New Hampshire. He lives in Mankato with his wife and “the cutest Havanese dog in the world named Shama (rhymes with ‘mama’).”
Muske says that in college he wasn't sure what to do with a math major. “I decided to take a couple of education classes to see if I would like teaching. One class had us out in schools and I decided I liked it; my professors thought I had a knack for it. So I added the education major to my mathematics major to get licensed.” One of Muske’s specialties is the teaching of college-level and advanced math courses; exactly what NRHEG was looking for.
Outside of school, Muske says he’s into both video and board games, as well as listening to music, reading, and watching TV and movies. “I could talk for a long time about my favorite TV shows. I am a big-time Trekkie and a Whovian. However, there are at least ten other shows I could talk at length about (Quantum Leap, Law & Order (all iterations), Briscoe County, Jr., My So-Called Life, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and others).”
When asked what he hopes is the number one thing students leave his classroom with, Muske says, “In my college courses, I hope that they will leave my classroom learning and understanding enough advanced mathematics to earn those college credits. In my other courses, I hope they leave with the desire to continue their mathematics education beyond the minimum requirement to graduate.”