What is your teaching discipline?
Mathematics
What brought you to the area?
I grew up in Williamsburg and moved from the area a few years after getting married. We left the area after a year or so and spent time in North Carolina, Japan, Maryland, and Bahrain before returning to the Williamsburg area. It is nice to be back near family and to be in my hometown.
What is your teaching philosophy?
Mathematics has always been fun to me and never seemed like work. I have always enjoyed the subject and try to impart this to my students. I like to say that it is my job to keep explaining and clarifying...finding new ways until the topic "clicks". There is no one that cannot learn the material that I teach, it just may take some longer than others. The key is to get the students "thinking" and problem solving. I love teaching and hope that some of my enthusiasm will "brush off" to my students. Learning is important and a lifetime endeavor. Students need to remember that the journey is more important than the destination and this is true, even in their education.
What do you hope your students take away from your courses?
I hope that my students understand that "mathematics is not a spectator sport" as George Polya once stated. It requires not only learning, but doing. Actively practicing the skills to build a strong foundation.
What do you like to do on the weekends?
On weekends, I like to spend time with my family. I enjoy gardening, reading. and just relaxing. I like to walk in half-marathons and travel several times a year to different locations to do so. I embrace the challenges.
What is the most memorable place you have traveled to?
I believe that the most memorable place I have traveled to was Sydney, Australia. I hope to one day return and climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge. It is on my bucket list because I did not have enough time to complete this challenge during my visit.
What is in your refrigerator right now?
It is full of food...the usual suspects: veggies, milk, fruit, eggs, bacon, yogurt (for my husband), juice, lemonade, lunch meat, cheese, and homemade salsa. Oh, and lots of broccoli for my canaries...they get a bit every morning.
What makes you laugh out loud?
Usually silly animal videos
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I consider my greatest achievement raising my four children and homeschooling them from K-12. My oldest daughter is now a veterinarian. My son is completing his master's degree in Computer Science and my twin daughters are finishing up their undergraduate degrees. One will graduate in December with a degree in Business Management and the other will complete her degree in Chemistry next May.
What is your greatest extravagance?
The purchase of a personal pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream that I keep as my own "private stock". It is a guilty pleasure and with the price per ounce, a bit extravagant.
Who is your hero?
My heroes are my mom and my dad. Their mentoring and love made me who I am today. My mom passed away almost ten years ago and faced a serious illness for several years before her passing. She faced that challenge with incredible strength. They were always been there for me and for my siblings.
My dad's quiet strength in good times and bad taught me the value of determination and perseverance. He taught me the value of a dollar, the importance of always doing my best, and maintaining integrity. Strength of family and family values has always been stressed and I hope that my children have those same strong values that were imparted to me by my parents.