"I am a retired teacher who was lucky enough to spend 35 years of my life doing exactly what I love. Teaching is the only thing I really ever wanted to do. I was a struggling math student yet math is my favorite subject to teach, especially 5-8th grade levels. My first job was teaching middle school math and science. I literally stayed one lesson ahead of my students by working the entire lesson the night before. I had to find ways to help me remember what I was doing; ways to "trick" myself into learning. As a result, I became a very good math teacher especially for struggling students. I understood what it was that they didn't get, and I was able to show them ways to remember. I seldom used a textbook because that doesn't always work for struggling students. I taught them the process; then, they could work ANY problem including their homework.

My second favorite subject to teach is Language (what I grew up calling English). I used the Shurley method to teach parts of speech and Daily Oral Language to teach the mechanics of the English language. Writing comes along with this process. I love teaching both these subjects and I love for my students to learn to enjoy it, too, as we go along. It pleases me when they realize that they can be successful especially in the "dreaded math".

Through teaching myself math, I found many processes, tricks and devices to help me remember what to do, so I have passed all that on to my students. I have had many hours of continuing education classes in math along with an extensive Math Academy workshop.

Just as I spent 35 years in the classroom teaching math, I spent those same years in language class. I was placed in advanced composition classes in college because of my ACT scores. I had some private training in using the Shurley Method of teaching English. This program was used throughout our elementary school, and we found it to be very successful.

I taught a few years in other schools before settling into just one location. As a result, I have ta" less...