Teaching Math

25 + years ago; I was staying up late most school nights crying, because I couldn't understand the Algebra homework I had assigned to me. I would go in during tutorials and beg for help, but I could not "get it." My Algebra I & II teacher, Mrs. Stewart would get so frustrated with me because I couldn't "get it." I was so worried I would fail for the year; after all I had already failed at least 2 Six Weeks. Somehow I made it through High School Algebra and even squeaked through a year of College Algebra. I graduated High School and a College Degree. I even became a teacher; just not a Math teacher.

About 2 years ago I was hired to teach GED Math at Kilgore College to students who were trying to obtain a GED Certificate. One of the subjects I had to teach was Math (Pre-Algebra-basic Trigonometry). I informed my new employer that Math was not my best subject. I was told, "You will learn it and you will be good a teaching it within 3 weeks." Skeptical, I embarked on trying to teach Math. Much to may amazement, about 3 weeks later, something clicked in my head. Suddenly, all of this math that had been driving me to tears for years started to make sense. It was literally like a light bulb went off in my head and it all made sense. My students told me that I was one of the best Math teachers they had ever had; that I was helping them understand math for the first time. I became so confident in teaching Math that I took the teacher certification test to teach it. I passed!

Today, I start a six week teaching assignment, teaching 8th Grade Pre-Algebra. So far I am loving it.

I wonder if Mrs. Stewart (my HS Algebra teacher) is proud of me, or rolling over in her grave in amazement?