Sara Young Alumnus, Ms Teachalot They all ask, 'Do you go home and do math for fun?' No. I don’t. When I first started at Dal, I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do. Then eventually I started taking a stats class because I thought, maybe I want to do marine biology. I really enjoyed the stats class, and I really liked the idea of its application. Potentially I could work with all kinds of different people in the future, working on projects and things like that. I ended up being the keener getting all the assignments done ahead of time and everybody was coming to me for help. So I ended up finding a passion for helping others. My friend was saying ‘You’re really good at helping people, have you considered teaching?’ So I decided to take the program at the Mount, and I ended up teaching for a couple of years in the school system. There are so many demands on the teacher and there aren’t the proper resources. I just wasn’t feeling like I was performing my best. Those weren’t the right conditions for me to be the teacher I wanted to be. You get so much more out of tutoring. Not just me, but the student. One-on-one, I’m able to identify- right away where somebody’s issues are and address them. You can just see the look on their face, the relief. That’s really rewarding. The business side of things is difficult. I have things a little bit more under control with a contract. The most fun is getting to know the people. Not even necessarily doing the math together, getting to know people personally. My boyfriend is the one who came up with the Ms. Teachalot name. He’s just an ideas guy, and we were throwing things around. He said, Ms. Teachalot, and I just rolled with it. Honestly, it’s the best way for people to remember me. Sara’s such a common name. I’ll be putting up my posters around campus and I’ll overhear people talking about Ms. Teachalot. I’ve never met any of those people before in my life, but they’re talking about me as I’m putting up my poster. So, a little bit of fame with the name. They all ask, ‘Do you go home and do math for fun?’ No. I don’t. I think they’re imagining me pulling out the calculus textbook and doing practice problems. I do math in the hobbies I have. In quilting, I have to measure things. I’ve made jewelry in the past and sold my jewelry. So, I’ve had to unit price the materials to come up with a price. Things like that. I’m not cracking open the stats or calculus textbook at home. Just recently I had a student for the entire year. She gave me a gift and a card for our final appointment. The card simply said: ‘Thank you so much for your help. It meant that I had a stress-free year.’ I know that that’s happening for most of my students. I know that coming to meet with me on a weekly basis is just a huge relief. Knowing I’m easing their stress and anxiety really makes me feel good. ← Frederick ↑ Home Yannick →
