Hey there, I’m Deirdre. I create math practice activities for upper elementary teachers, and my mission is to help teachers boost every student’s confidence in math.
Growing up in a single-parent home, my mom was always my source of encouragement. She made me believe I could do anything. In elementary school, math was a breeze for me, and I felt really good at it. But things changed when I got to middle school.
In seventh grade, I entered a bigger and more unfamiliar world with lockers, new friends, and different kinds of classrooms. I ended up in an honors math class that moved pretty fast. I felt lost, especially when my math teacher sort of joked about how smart we were based on where we sat. I happened to sit at the back of the room, which he called the “dumb” side. His words made me doubt myself, and math became something I feared.
A decade later, as a new teacher, I faced a problem. I had limited resources and the textbook I had rushed through skills, just like my experience in seventh grade. My students were frustrated, just like I had been. So, I decided to create activities to help them really understand math.
Surprisingly, despite my own struggles, I’ve come to enjoy teaching math the most. I know how tough it can be, so I make sure my materials are easy to use and help students learn. My resources go beyond the basics; they make students think and learn more.
At the heart of everything I do is a simple belief: that every student, no matter their challenges, should end the day feeling smarter than they did yesterday.