My Math Story

I was always considered a "math kid." I vividly remember figuring out how to divide my first-grade class into two equal groups. There were 22 of us, and I remember thinking, “10 + 10 = 20, and 1 + 1 = 2,” so there would be two groups of 11 kids.

I learned my facts quickly and had a strong ability to work with numbers. I would fly through the pages of algorithms in math class, and when I got to the few word problems at the bottom, I would just pull the numbers out and perform the same operations I had already practiced dozens of times.

When I reached middle school, I was placed in the "high track" for math. But soon, I realized I couldn’t keep up. I didn’t know how to reason through the more challenging problems or problem-solve in a meaningful way because I hadn’t truly understood the algorithms I had been so good at completing. By seventh grade, I was moved to the "average track," and I was crushed. For the first time, I questioned myself and stopped seeing myself as a "math kid."

It wasn’t until I was in my teacher preparation program in undergrad that my relationship with math began to change. I was encouraged to think critically about what the basic operations actually meant and to reason through what was truly happening when completing traditional algorithms. This kind of reasoning reignited my joy for mathematics.

I felt empowered to think deeply and critically, connecting what I knew about numbers, operations, and patterns. It was incredibly rewarding to solve challenging problems and explain my reasoning to classmates.

This journey—from confident "math kid" to struggling student to reflective learner—helps me empathize with kids, families, and teachers. I understand the frustration of feeling behind, the confusion when procedures are disconnected from understanding, and the joy when the pieces finally make sense. It fuels my passion for supporting others as they build confidence, deepen understanding, and find their own joy in mathematics.