I like to relate to students as much as possible. I share aspects of my life like my dance career and little anecdotes about my day so they see me as a real person. I also like to hear updates from them. I try to take note of the important things happening in their life so I can follow up on the events and build a true rapport. While I do have a warm, supportive approach with my students, each relationship is different. I know when to apply the pressure to students who aren't completing homework or who have checked out for some reason. But I also know when to take a step back since many students are placing an enormous amount of pressure on themselves. Some students like to hear their stats and discuss progress in numbers, while others like to work qualitatively. I would say I adapt my style to the student.

My favorite teacher was Mrs. Hicks in high school. I took Honors Algebra II, Calculus AB and Calculus BC with her. She was the perfect role model as a woman in STEM. Mrs. Hicks had so many tricks up her sleeve in terms of ways to explain various topics. She really nurtured individuality when solving problems, whereas some teachers insist on students completing a problem only their way. She also promoted learning in the most approachable way. She was a self-proclaimed nerd and encouraged each of us to embrace our love of learning in a similar fashion. Mrs. Hicks created a safe space for the intellectuals of our school amid the various social pressures of high school. Even the students who "hated math" liked Mrs. Hicks just because she was so unapologetically her.