While teaching 8th grade Math at a Baltimore City Public School, I had to meet my students at a wide range of Math abilities. Some students, who had fallen behind in previous years of Math instruction, had trouble with adding and subtracting. Conversely, some of my students were ready to explore each topic beyond what was prescribed in the 8th grade curriculum. This meant that I developed the ability to both reteach lower level skills, as well as push advanced students to higher levels of rigor. More broadly, I understand that Math can be incredibly frustrating, and I made it a point to be very clear in my instruction. I also believe that students will shut down if the instructor neglects to encourage them positively. Being positive and remaining calm helped my students during moments of frustration. I never ridiculed my students for lacking prior knowledge, rather, I worked hard to make them feel comfortable enough to share their math weaknesses with me, so we could move towards comprehension. I don't think all students learn the same way, therefore, explaining concepts using several methods is essential for those students who aren't getting it. For example, my visual learners benefited from learning addition and subtracting with negative numbers by utilizing a number line and different colored counter chips.
I am currently seeking a Masters Degree in Economic Policy Analysis at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Through my teaching experience, and my current degree program, I enjoy tutoring Mathematics and both Micro and Macroeconomic topics. On the weekends, I referee youth soccer games in Maryland, and enjoy watch professional soccer games on TV. Soccer has been a passion of mine since childhood, and while I'm not as fast as I used to be, I play in an adult league and enjoy playing in an occasional pick up game. My undergraduate degree from Wheaton College (MA) was in Political Science, and I double minored in mathematics and Economics. I try to read the Baltimore Sun newspaper daily, as well as various news outlets on a wide variety of topics to stay current on world and local events. I enjoy listening to podcasts of political, economic and other interesting topics during my commute to my classes at UMBC. I have Graduate Research Assistantship at the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, through my degree program at UMBC. I realize I listed some serious hobbies, but I promise I have a sense of humor too! When time permits, I enjoy watching the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, because it's important to laugh every day!