During my undergraduate studies at Wofford College, I participated in three experiences that impacted my view of education. The first experience was my time as an adult education instructor of mathematics at a local community center. I worked with a diverse group of adults (My oldest student was 75 years young) in developing their mathematical knowledge so that they could obtain their GED. In talking with these adults, I heard their mathematical stories and the inequities they experienced (e.g., no access to qualified mathematics teachers). This heighten my awareness that everyone's mathematical journey was not the same.

The second experience was my time as a middle grades math instructor at the Montessori Academy of Spartanburg. As a new instructor, I implemented methods of instruction that were primarily traditional. While students did learn mathematical content to some extent, I noticed that their participation in my mathematics class was different than their others. For example, in their science classes, they were generating hypothesizes, designing experiments to test them, and writing about the results. In other words, they were engaging in authentic practices of what it means to do science. I wondered how I could engage these same students in authentic practices in mathematics such as mathematical argumentation and modeling.

Finally, the third experience was my role as a High Impact Fellow (HIF) at Wofford supported by the Arthur Vinging Davis Foundation. The HIF program brought classroom teachers, university professors, and undergraduates together to develop solutions to problems of the discipline. My team worked on creating a solution for Algebra 2 students to demonstrate their understandings in more authentic ways than traditional testing. We designed four modules that tied Algebra 2 content and practice standards to topics in personal finance. Observing the implementation of these modules in the classroom opened my perspective on how the mathematical activities students engage with afforded (or constrained) their development in mathematical understandings and practices.

After completing my degree in mathematics, I taught mathematics at James F. Byrnes High School. I taught a wide range of courses: Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Statistics, and Precalculus. During that time, I worked on developing my practice in leading mathematical discussions of what I saw as group-worthy mathematical/statistical investigations. While it was difficult at first, I slowly began to have meaningful conversations with my students about their mathematics. In those conversations, I began to realize that many of them did not view mathematics as coherent but rather a disconnected collection of ideas.

While teaching at Byrnes, I stumbled upon the MathEd Podcast hosted by Sam Otten at the University of Missouri. The podcast was my first exposure to research in mathematics education. In listening to the podcast, I learned about some of the research projects going on at the University of Georgia (UGA). I reached out to the faculty to discuss more about their research. From those conversations, I decided to apply to the doctoral program at UGA. My time at UGA has been challenging and rewarding as I have transitioned into the role of an educational researcher and teacher educator. I am grateful for the mentorship I received from the faculty and collaboration with my peers.