Mathematics Autobiography

MATH 101
Mathematics Autobiography Assignment
My name is Casey Nicole Layton, and I am nineteen years of age. I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on January 20th, 1995. My parents used to call me an ice princess when I was little, and they always told me the same story when I’d ask how I had acquired that name. When they tried to bring me home from the hospital, we got stuck in the family car during a huge blizzard and the winter chill got to me, and they used this fairytale-like story to explain my nickname, as well as why my hands and feet were always cold. I am the third born out of six children. When I am not attending IUP, I live with my mum in Cheswick, Pennsylvania, with my step-dad and half siblings. At home we currently have 6 lizards, 5 cats, 3 dogs, and a bunny. In my spare time I breed snakes for a living with my mum, and we currently have over 50 snakes taking over our dining room. When I’m not doing that, I enjoy photography, painting, and crafting. Naturally, I am a busy-body who enjoys working hard and spending time with my family.
Math has always been a sensitive subject for me. I graduated from Fox Chapel High School, and the furthest I went in mathematics was Algebra II. I can remember in Middle School I had to take Pre-Geometry over again because I failed the first time. I would say as a consensus, I have always had trouble communicating with my teachers. My first Pre-Geometry teacher spent most of class trying to discipline the troublesome students instead of teaching, and I was deprived of my time and was confused in regards to the material. When I would approach this teacher, she would be so flustered from the class’s events, that she would dismiss me with just a “crash course”. Most of my math teachers have been like that. They would have you read the book, do the questions, and in class they would review what we did for homework. I do not work well with the whole “self-taught” method of teaching, and I often had to stay after class. I struggled, I complained, and I felt as though that I never really learned anything from my teachers. I was the one who had to ask a million questions because I didn’t fully grasp the materials in the book, or the examples on the board. I would love to have a quiet, enthusiastic environment, and have a teacher who I can connect with. Math is one of my least favorite subjects, and I know this because I’ve always had bad experiences in the class room. My ultimate goal is to walk away from Math 101 and have full knowledge of what the course entails, as well as feel like I got my money’s worth.
My future is bright and hopeful. I am an Art Education major, and I love every aspect of art. Art is everywhere; it is the chair you sit on, the cup you drink from, and the roof over your head. When I graduate, I want to be able to teach future generations the importance of art, and help inspire my students to follow their passions and dreams. Beyond college, it is my goal to be a lifelong learner, and to have the availability to teach the subject I enjoy most, art!