Ever since I can remember, I have
been in awe of mathematics and its intricate details of its birth and how
everything works so perfectly in its world.
My journey to this present world of
mathematics has been filled with wonderful and unexpected adventures. My first language is Spanish, so learning the
English language was fun, but at other times just plain hard work. Upon entering college, neither my parents nor
I, had the means to pay for higher education. Both of my parents were not able to finish their high school
education. So, what's a girl to do?
I worked at various places (i.e.,
babysitting, child care worker, data entry, toy store) to pay for college and on top of that had college loans. Later, I was hired to teach part-time at a
private school as a Spanish teacher. 22 years old at the time and too many
dreams in my head! Two of my nieces, who were 6 weeks old and 18 months old at
the time, were now living with us (Mom, Dad and I). To make ends meet, I worked
2 jobs, continued with a masters program and came home to take care of my
nieces and somehow found the time to do my homework. I figured that the more I learned, the better
my students would be, so I took every opportunity that was given to me to
better my skills as a teacher.
One day, out of the blue, someone
placed a scholarship offer in my teacher mailbox to attend a masters teacher
math program at Stephen F. Austin State University! Why in the world would they even consider me
for this program?! I laughed and really
believed it was some kind of a joke! How
could this happen to me?!! But, I
managed to still turn in my application and to my own amazement; I was given an
opportunity to learn more about math! This was a dream come true!! With
lots of determination and hard work, I earned a masters in teaching
mathematics.
Creating math resources for
teachers to use in their classroom is just my way of putting into practice what
I have been dreaming about for so many years, the chance to help make a
student's academic life more enjoyable and a memorable experience.
I have taught for 17 years. Working with Pre-K through 6th
grade students in Title I schools has been a very rewarding experience.
My nieces are now finishing high school and we
have explored this great country of ours through different road trips. Attending my nieces sporting
events, reading, art, music and spending time
with family and friends are some of my favorite things to do.
Thanking God for His immeasurable
blessings!
