“I think we need to shift our cultural perceptions to realize that we are all capable of being numerate and learning mathematics.”

Hometown

The Indigenous lands of the Lekwungen speaking peoples, also known as Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Department

Curriculum Studies

Where do you work?
I am co-founder of Educating Now, and I mentor math teachers and support students as an inclusive learning teacher at Cedar Hill Middle School. Educating Now is an online resource for math teachers who want to teach math more conceptually, hands-on and contextually. I create videos, lesson plans, and resources as well as offer professional development sessions and coaching in all areas of mathematics education for educators of K–12.

How has the Ethnomathematics program impacted or benefitted your career path?
It completely changed the course of my career because it inspired me so much that I had to keep learning, so I am now a PhD student focusing on culturally sustaining/revitalizing mathematics pedagogy. Until this program, I had not considered the role of culture in mathematics education, and so it has given me the knowledge, perspective, and tools to be more inclusive of all learners, which I now share with educators in PD and coaching sessions.

Is there anyone in particular who inspired you to pursue teaching as a career?
My dad is my biggest inspiration for becoming not only an educator but also taking on leadership roles within my work. He is an amazing educator and a life-long learner who has always been my role model as an educator.

How did you become interested in the field of education?
I’ve always loved learning and working with people of all ages, especially kids. I started coaching when I was 14 and was a tutor all through high school and university. After completing a few years of pre-med courses at university, I realized that my skill set and interests were far more aligned with education and am very grateful that I switched because I absolutely love all the work I do within the sphere of math education.

What are your future visions and goals?
My professional goal is to make math accessible for all people. Numeracy isn’t often given the same priority as literacy, but I believe it’s equally important and see far too many people who feel they are not capable of learning mathematics. I think we need to shift our cultural perceptions to realize that we are all capable of being numerate and learning mathematics. Incorporating ethnomathematics into all math classes is a fundamental part of making this shift.