What people and events encouraged you from childhood to the present?

Before we ever decide to become teachers, we all have a long history in the field of education. Our experiences, be they good or bad, have helped to shape our perceptions of ourselves as learners first, then as potential educators. Each experience has also shaped our views about the subjects we’ve learned, and our abilities to teach those subjects. This can be especially true of math, science, and technology. When it comes to these subjects, there are many personal, academic, and cultural contexts that have influenced how we perceive our abilities. Some of these contexts we are very aware of, others we may think about rarely or not at all, but all have influenced us as students and will affect how we teach. For this reflection, you will think about and examine your personal experiences in math and science. Consider not only your academic experiences, but also your more informal exposure to these subjects at home and in your everyday life. Think and write about these experiences over time, from childhood to the present. What people and events encouraged you? Which experiences challenged you productively, and which made you just want to give up? Try to be as specific and as honest as you can as you explore how your experiences in these areas have affected your current view of yourself as either “good” or “bad” or “other” at math and science.