Influences of the Places of My Life

Abstract

The author is a math educator who has taken on several roles in education, primarily including classroom teacher and curriculum writing. This chapter is an exploration of the pivotal places in her life that shaped the gifted and talented educator she has become. The chapter starts with a look at the rural South Carolina county where she grew up and attended public school. Next, she describes a very significant life shift when she enters a specialized public boarding school called the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics for her junior and senior years of high school. She then describes the importance of her time as a student at the College of Charleston and all of the opportunities that were opened to her there. This chapter wraps up with her career experiences, and how they continued to shape her as a teacher.