As an educator, I’m fortunate to be able to show you what a breakthrough in math looks like. All you have to do is watch and listen to Dawn’s story, a student at Irvine Valley College.

Like with so many students I have met before, Dawn came to see me because she needed assistance with her math skills. She came in wearing her badge of shame that she had earned for not being able to understand math. However, Dawn had decided to attend college and improve the quality of her life. The odds were stacked against her. 25 years had passed since the last time she was in an actual classroom. Now at 39, she knew that the only way she was going to achieve her goals, was to face her math fears and anxiety straight on.

Having been referred to the Student Success Center at Irvine Valley College is how I got to meet and work with Dawn. After hearing her story, I promised her that she would not only pass her math class with an A but also learn to see it as fun. All she needed to do was to be willing. In the next couple of weeks, we began to identify the negative patterns in her problem-solving skills and replaced them with a positive strategy.
Another big step involved her decision to get assessed in order to determine if she met the criteria of a student with a learning disability.

I enjoyed seeing her blossom into a confident young woman with the radiant smile that you see in the video above. Soon enough, Dawn arrived at a crucial realization. Getting the right answer wasn’t the end goal; understanding the process was. She noticed that instead of walking away from a math problem in horror she was now fueled by the desire and challenge of finding out the process of every problem placed in front of her.

She shared with me how a student that sat next to her in class seemed so confident in her ability to do the math. However, it became clear to Dawn that the student did not have a good study system in place. As Dawn continued to incorporate strategy after strategy, students in her class began to take notice, and one day she was surprised to see that the very same student that she had perceived as good in math ask for her help.

I watched Dawn’s confidence grow stronger and a transformation began to take place at an amazing speed. Once, I happened to be working with another student who was in another class with Dawn. He shared that he had made an effort to meet her because she just radiated positivity. What a beautiful way to describe someone!

Dawn’s hard work and perseverance paid off. She was one of the students honored in this year’s 28th Annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony at Irvine Valley College and the recipient of several scholarships.

If you ever find yourself crossing paths with Dawn, I encourage you to introduce yourself and ask her to share her story. I guarantee you that from the moment you experience her smile, you too will become a believer in math.