Taxes Abroad

This project uses a comparison between Boston and Lisbon to help students explore how taxes fund public goods, highlighting how effective tax policies can promote sustainability, equity, and community priorities.

​

Summary

In July 2025, I traveled to Lisbon, Porto, and Madeira Portugal to have conversations with locals and expats about taxes and their experiences with public goods. I spent time exploring the city alongside making deep connections with people regarding their history, culture, and present day economic situations.

​

Short term effects of this project are a deeper gratitude for encouraging community care and implementing culturally sustaining pedagogy within my percents unit.

​

Long term effects of this project is getting students to see how they can do more good in their communities using math. Math tends to be a place where students do not feel as though it is super important. When there are contextual concepts, it is important to dive deep and include it in things that matter. My personal goal has always been to found a school in Haiti that empowers students and transforms communities. In widening my own personal knowledge it will help me to design educational systems and curricula that focuses on restorative justice, community care, and leadership. By combining practical skills and my passion for global knowledge, the hope is to continue to inspire students to use what they learn in school to make actionable change.

 

Experience Reflection

This fellowship has been life-changing. Not only did I get to learn so much about another culture through stories, but I was also granted an incredible opportunity to learn more about myself.

​

How have your knowledge, skills, and capabilities grown?
As a math teacher and former economics major, I’ve realized how much I enjoy connecting math to real-world economic concepts. Through this fellowship, I deepened my understanding of how history and culture shape what communities and governments value. I’ve become more aware of how economic systems reflect cultural priorities—something I hadn’t fully appreciated before.

​

As a result, in what ways will your instructional practice change?
In our percent unit, my students learn about taxes, simple interest, discounts, and scaling. I plan to expand this by incorporating global examples that connect math to cultural values and public goods. I want students to see how math goes beyond the classroom—it’s a tool to understand the world and to think critically about fairness, equity, and sustainability.

​

What is the greatest personal accomplishment of your fellowship?
My greatest personal accomplishment was visiting Madeira, Portugal. It’s a stunning island that is well cared for and deeply valued by its residents. Tourism is high, yet it’s managed in a way that benefits local communities and honors the island’s history and natural beauty. Exploring Madeira with local guides who shared their pride and traditions helped me see the beautiful connections, and differences, between their community and my own.

​

How will your experience positively impact student learning in new ways?
This experience has helped me see my students through a broader, more empathetic lens. Their family and cultural backgrounds may not directly shape the public goods they have access to, but they absolutely influence how they view community, responsibility, and fairness. I’ll use this awareness to make lessons more inclusive and relevant, encouraging students to think about how math connects to their lived experiences and values.

​

What are your plans to work collaboratively with colleagues?
I plan to collaborate with colleagues in both math and social studies to create cross-curricular lessons that explore how numbers, economics, and culture intersect. Together, we can design projects that highlight how data and math help tell the story of our communities—locally and globally.

​

Are there issues or challenges you feel better prepared to address with your students?
I feel better equipped to address issues related to equity and sustainability. Understanding how Portugal invests in sustainable transportation, healthcare, and urban renewal has given me new examples to discuss with students about how public policies can shape a community’s quality of life.

​

How has your fellowship changed your personal or professional perspective?
If I were describing this to a friend, I’d say this fellowship fundamentally changed the way I see the world. It reminded me that teaching math isn’t just about numbers, it’s about helping students connect those numbers to real stories, values, and systems that impact their lives. I now approach both teaching and life with a greater sense of curiosity, cultural awareness, and purpose.

​

​