I decided to pursue education when I realized that I can either view education as a gatekeeper and reproducer of inequities for historically minoritized students, or, I can view education as the catalyst to opening doors for students when there are teachers that see the potential in students while affirming their identities and empowering them to use their voices.”
Michelle’s Story
Teaching Discipline
Mathematics
Why Mathematics
“In as early as the second grade, I was labeled as talented & gifted in mathematics, and I remember receiving multiple gold stars for each math test I took in eighth-grade algebra. While these were great self-esteem boosters, I started developing an identity about who I was as a student: strictly a “math” student. I also didn’t enjoy how I fell into the stereotype that “Asians are good math,” and wanted to change the narratives surrounding individuals’ identities and definitions of success in mathematics.”
Professional Experience
Before beginning her teaching career, Michelle tutored students in mathematics and reading at Kumon North America for two years. At the University of Oregon, she tutored students in lower-division math college courses for two years and served as an undergraduate mathematics teaching assistant for one year.
Michelle taught at a Hungarian mathematics camp in the summer of 2018 through the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics Education program (BSME), where she hosted a workshop about the Tower of Hanoi.
Michelle co-authored a paper for the Journal of Urban Mathematics Education with Dr. Jennifer Ruef, University of Oregon, titled, Student or Teacher? A Look at How Students Facilitate Public Sensemaking During Collaborative Groupwork.
Michelle began teaching during the 2020–2021 school year.
Volunteer Experience
Michelle received a Holden Center Service Grant from the University of Oregon to run her own Hour of Code for the local Boys & Girls Club. She served as president of the University of Oregon’s chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity. Also, during her time at the University of Oregon, Michelle participated in an alternative spring break, volunteering with Playworks at an elementary school in South San Francisco.
Hobbies
Michelle enjoys running. She is passionate about creating and sustaining communities for Asian American educators and learning more about how their experiences and identities influence their work as educators.
Academic Background
- Stanford University (Master of Arts in Education)
- University of Oregon (Bachelor of Science in Mathematics)