Becks Olthoff, Engineering and Science University Magnet School, New Haven Public Schools

Becks Olthoff is an accomplished mathematics educator with 17 years of experience teaching grades 6–12, from Pre-Algebra through AP Calculus BC. He currently teaches at the Engineering and Science University Magnet School (ESUMS) in New Haven, where he has been since 2020. Becks holds a master’s in mathematics for teaching from Harvard University and began his career teaching at an international school in the Dominican Republic (2011–2017), where he ultimately became the lead math teacher. A Yale Teaching Fellow and mentor teacher (2025- present), Becks has also participated in the Yale Partner Teachers Program (2022 – 2025). Fluent in conversational Spanish and a guitar player and teacher, Becks is deeply committed to creating safe, collaborative, and confidence-building learning environments where students can thrive. These commitments are reflected in his many leadership roles and constant innovation of his practice.  

Becks has adopted the Building Thinking Classroom model extensively and has adjusted assessment processes in his classroom to help students understand their own engagement, the non-math skills they are developing (e.g., collaboration, communication), with documented impact on achievement and students’ identity. Dedicated to inclusion and equity, he has written curriculum, presented district-wide professional development on Building Thinking Classrooms, developed lessons for multilingual learners and co-presented at major mathematics education conferences such as ATOMIC and ATMNE in 2024. Beyond the classroom, he has served as a TEAM Mentor for other math teachers, junior class advisor, SAT prep instructor, Lunch Bunch advisor, and middle and high school soccer and basketball coach. This fall, Becks was honored with the 2025 Yale Educator Award after being nominated by a former student who joined Yale’s class of 2029. 

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