Dr. Rebekah Mattison - '24
A Formula for Success: SWU Graduate’s Research Drives Mathematical Achievement
In a fifth-grade classroom at Cooley Springs-Fingerville Elementary, Dr. Rebekah Mattison watches as a teacher pauses her mathematics lesson to ask students a simple question: “How do you feel about your success level today?” The students respond by holding up fingers—one, two, or three—or jotting notes on sticky papers, providing immediate feedback about their understanding.
This far-from-routine scene in most elementary classrooms exemplifies the innovative approach that earned Mattison national recognition. Her doctoral research at Southern Wesleyan University, which she completes in December 2024, revealed that such self-regulatory feedback can increase student achievement by as much as 75%.
“When you think about an elementary student, you might wonder if they can really go through all those metacognitive processing cycles,” Mattison says. “But the evidence shows they can—and they thrive on it.”
For Mattison, who began her career in special education, the journey to this discovery spans more than two decades of working with struggling students. Now serving as math coach at Cooley Springs-Fingerville Elementary, she’s transformed her experience into groundbreaking research that’s caught the attention of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, where she’ll present her findings this spring.
Her approach moves beyond traditional mathematics instruction. “I joke with my students all the time,” she says with a smile. “Don’t tell me you’re going to use this math in the grocery store, because I’ve never seen your mom whip out a worksheet there. Math is about thinking and problem-solving in the real world.”
This philosophy has yielded remarkable results. Despite serving a rural, Title I population where 78% of students live in poverty, Cooley Springs-Fingerville has become the only school in South Carolina to achieve “super stretch growth” two years running. More than half their students exceeded a full year’s academic progress.
“If you’re looking for educational utopia, it’s Cooley Springs-Fingerville,” Mattison says, quickly adding that such success doesn’t come easily. Working alongside principal and fellow SWU doctoral graduate Dr. Stephanie Blanton, Mattison helps lead a team that “demands excellence from our students while putting super high expectations on ourselves as instructional leaders.”
The path to her doctorate wasn’t solitary. When Mattison decided to pursue her Ed.D. at Southern Wesleyan, she convinced Blanton to join her. “I told her I was doing it whether she did it or not,” Mattison recalls with a laugh. “She said, ‘Oh, why did you do that to me?’”
Their collaborative journey exemplifies the spirit of their school, where challenges become opportunities. With a significant population of English as a second language learners and students with disabilities, the odds might seem stacked against them. Yet, Mattison insists, “We’re just not going to miss a day, and we’ll do the very best we can.”
The support of Southern Wesleyan's faculty proved crucial to their success. Dr. Nathan Street became a lifeline during challenging moments. 'There were multiple days I would reach out to him discouraged, seeking feedback, and almost immediately my phone would ring with him ready to talk me off the ledge,' Mattison recalls. She describes herself as a 'reflective visionary,' an approach that found strong support from Dr. Paul Shotsberger, who served on her dissertation committee. 'He gingerly nudged me to think deeper and more critically,' she says. 'His support, while expecting excellence, was exactly what I needed to complete the dissertation journey successfully.'
Looking ahead, Mattison will bring her expertise to Southern Wesleyan University as an adjunct professor teaching Math Methods for elementary educators. While excited about this new role, she remains committed to her position at Cooley Springs-Fingerville. “You learn in real time as a practitioner,” she explains. “That’s something I’ll never give up.”
For Mattison, success in mathematics education isn’t just about numbers—it’s about understanding where each student stands in their learning journey and helping them take the next step forward. As she puts it, “When students know where they are and are engaged in growing, that’s a beautiful thing.”
The impact of her research extends far beyond her classroom. As vice president of the South Carolina Council for Teachers of Mathematics, she’s positioned to influence educational practices statewide. But her heart remains in the daily work of helping students discover their mathematical potential.
“It’s one thing to think you have a great instructional strategy,” she reflects. “But when there’s evidence and data to back it up, then you’re really onto something that can change lives.”