Cory Bennett Named Chair of the Teaching and Educational Studies Department

In the Fall 2022 semester, Dr. Cory A. Bennett took on the role of department chair for the Idaho State University College of Education’s Department of Teaching and Educational Studies. 

Bennett joined ISU in 2011 after teaching mathematics and serving as an instructional coach in Hawaii for six years. Since joining the College of Education, he has worked closely with local teachers and school districts, state leaders in mathematics education, and nationally with some of the leading organizations in mathematics education to advance the work of teachers and teacher leaders. 

Bennett earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Western Washington University and went on to earn his master’s and doctorate degrees in curriculum and instruction from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Additionally,he is a National Board Certified Teacher, the only professor in the state of Idaho to hold this level of certification. Bennett also holds certification in secondary mathematics, instructional coaching, and K-12 administration, which he recently earned in order to better understand the duties and responsibilities of school principals.

Bennett has extensive experience teaching in diverse settings and supporting schools, teachers, and principals across the globe. Despite moving into a leadership role, he still identifies as a teacher. 

“I'm a teacher first and foremost. I've always loved teaching. I've always been a teacher in my heart, and so I'm often thinking about creating student-centric ways of approaching what we do and how we do things in the department,” he said. 

 In his free time, Cory enjoys traveling the world with his family, experiencing new cultures and places, and spending time outdoors. He believes that there is something amazing about the things that bind us together as people across cultures, and he loves to share this passion and experiences with others as much as he can.