Emma Elizondo

Hello everyone! I am very excited to work with the amazing faculty at Well-Trained Mind Academy. I have been a High School Teacher, a College Professor, and a Mathematics Tutor. I’ve had the opportunity to teach a wide range of education levels with classes from traditional, hybrid, and online formats. I never knew I wanted to teach mathematics until a former teacher of mine offered me a job before I finished my BS degree. I was going to be an engineer, but I realized after the job offer that I had more math classes completed than engineering courses and that, from all the classes taken, what I enjoyed the most was learning the math part. But a teacher?

More than twenty years later, I don’t see myself doing anything else. I understand that students might find mathematics to be difficult, boring, or irrelevant. After all, the fun stuff happens in science or engineering, right? But just remember none of that fun stuff could happen without mathematics. I understand that maybe a student will never have to factor a quadratic equation in their daily life, but the ability to think logically and to clearly organize ideas, as must be done when solving mathematics problems, are qualities that will always have practical applications.

On teaching: Students in my classes can expect a supportive and engaging learning environment where understanding is valued more than memorization. I believe mathematics is more accessible when concepts are broken down into clear, manageable steps and students understand the reasoning behind the process. Through interactive lectures, visual demonstrations, and technology, I strive to make abstract ideas easier to understand and apply. My goal is to help students build confidence in their mathematical abilities, develop strong problem-solving skills, and feel comfortable asking questions and learning from mistakes. Above all, I encourage students to take an active role in their learning and recognize that success in mathematics comes through practice, persistence, and a willingness to grow.