Can you relate to Karen's story
Hi, I'm Karen Wilding
I am so excited to welcome to the world of EYMaths
Let's get to know each other better with my 'Maths Horror to Maths Fairy Tale' story...Ā Ā š§š§āāļø
I began life believing in the 'Maths gene' and was convinced I didn't have itĀ (ably assisted - however unintentionally - by my mother, who was convinced it was an unavoidable affliction passed down on the female side of the family).
Life learning Maths was full of epic failure, daily humiliation and 'nearly wetting myself' fearĀ (and add in a good dose of regular tears as my dad tried to tell me 'the proper way' to do it - which was invariably not what my teacher had said).
I failed my Maths exams at 16 (twice) but somehow limped into teaching, where I hid for many years teaching younger childrenĀ (because I knew at least there I wouldn't have to do any 'hard Maths').
However, 12 years into my teaching career, I was asked to move to Year 4 (8-9 year olds) and I was utterly terrified. Some of them/most of them ABSOLUTELY would much better at Maths than me (not hard) and I was expected to teach them.
I'd been found out. And I had nowhere to hide. Ground swallow me up NOW.
My headteacher, sensing my panic no doubt, booked me on some local training and there, amazingly, I was offered the opportunity to change my mindset about Maths forever.
Something that was shared that day made me realise, for the first time in my life, that the problem wasn't me or Maths; it was simply the way I'd been taught.
That one thought changed the course of my life forever.
Ā
I began to believe that I could learn Maths given the right opportunities. I realised that when Maths was brought to life and shown as a meaningful subject that helped my children make sense of the world around them then a need for symbols made senseĀ (just like when we write a word to record something's name: the word is just a representation of the real thing). I began to see my children achieving results I never believed possible, and, as a consequence, was asked to join the local authority as become a Maths consultant.
Who would have believed it? (Not me!)
Finally, in 2009, I decided to go it alone and started my first business as an independent Maths consultant, training teachers and advising school leaders all over the world, from the Early Years through Primary and into Secondary education.
I LOVED it (AND I was really good at it!)
But, then...
Covid-19 took my 11-year-old business away overnight.
Not being able to pay the mortgage, and potentially losing our home in a world pandemic, turned out to be a fairly effective motivator and where you find me now, director of EYMaths, an online training company for educators of 3-5 year olds was born.
My next chapter? To evolve 'EYMaths 3-5' into 'EYMaths 3-7'!
The current transition for Early Years (3-5) to Primary (5+) is not as it needs to be. Both children and teachers suffer as a result and my focus is now on extending my supportĀ for to those who teach 3-7 year olds worldwide.
In the past four years - and achieved almost almost exclusively online - I have helped tens of thousands of educators feel successful, passionate and confident about their Maths teaching resulting in the transformation of hundreds of thousands of children's lives.
So, the question is, are you on, or ready to start, this journey with me? There's room for EVERYONE š„°Ā
Ā
Photo: BSME conference, Dubai as a key note speakerĀ alongside Greg Botrill 'Can I Go and Play Now/Drawing Club) and Ruth Swailes (International Early Years Consultant).
