Stacey Burchette
e-mail: sburchette@wpcc.edu
Stacey Burchette began teaching as a mathematics instructor at Western Piedmont Community College in the spring semester of 2020. Prior to coming to WPCC, Stacey has taught at the high school level as well as at Catawba Valley Community College as an adjunct instructor and at the University of West Florida as a graduate teaching assistant.
Stacey earned an Associate in Arts degree from Caldwell Community College and Technical institute in 2012. From there he went to Appalachian State University where he earned the degree of Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Secondary Education in 2015. After teaching high school mathematics for a year, he went to the University of West Florida and earned the degree of Master of Science in Mathematical Sciences in 2018. His research project for the master’s degree was titled “Hybrid Metaheuristic for the Traveling Salesman Problem.” Stacey is a member of the North Carolina Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges.
Stacey’s philosophy of teaching and learning has been shaped largely by his own experiences as a student. While in high school, the subject he struggled with the most was mathematics. Stacey had the good fortune to encounter many excellent teachers and instructors in the years to come, and it is to those experiences that he credits his decision to teach mathematics. The goal of any classroom experience is the building of understanding and forging connections between what students know already and what they will be learning. The instructor serves as the guide, facilitator, and supporter as students engage the concepts and ideas of the course. As learning progresses, students transition from passively receiving knowledge to actively constructing their understanding and mastering of the ideas and concepts.
Outside of the classroom, Stacey enjoys running and hiking in the gorgeous NC mountains and foothills. He also plays a variety of instruments as a hobby including the piano and guitar. Stacey lives in Hudson, North Carolina, with his wife Valerie.