Like many students who are labeled as “math people” from a young age, I too had been led to believe that I was a “math person” who was lucky enough to have a natural gift. Fast forward to my 2nd year as a mathematics major and my algebra professor looked me straight in the eyes and said “you don’t know anything about mathematics and you do not belong in this program.”
That moment hit hard. Math, which had always felt like my strength, suddenly became a source of doubt. But instead of giving up, I continued to pursue my goal of becoming a high school mathematics teacher and now, wanting to be able to never make a student feel the way I did that day.
Over the next decade I began to realize that math wasn’t about being naturally gifted or born a “math” person, but instead learning how to think deeply, problem-solve, and make connections. Math wasn’t something to be memorized—it was something to be understood.
This journey led me to become a mathematics coach and consultant at a large school district and to create resources such as Make Math Moments, Tap Into Teen Minds, and Math Is Visual—all resources aimed at helping both students and teachers see math in a new light. By focusing on connections, visualization, and understanding rather than memorization, I want students to experience math as a tool to explore the world.
