Family tree

I taught. When I was in elementary school, I set up a one student schoolhouse to teach Memu (my fabulous grandmother) English. And, yes, I gave her spelling tests and recorded her grades. I enjoyed teaching backpacking skills to fellow college students. I chose to move to the Bay Area to teach marginalized students in an underserved school because I wanted to make a difference.

Both of my parents taught chemistry at the University-level. My dad set up countless tutorial sessions for me to practice my math skills on a white-board easel. My mom wrote a computer-game (for our Apple II GS), so I'd practice converting fractions to decimals. I think both of them have a passion for designing curricula.

My mom's mother and father were teachers. Memu was a high school teacher (history, I think) in Avignon and was very well respected by fellow teachers. My grandfather taught physics and inspired my mom to delve into the hard sciences (which seems extraordinary for a woman in 1960).

Today, there are more teachers in my family and in my circle of friends. I'd love to know more about teachers and the activities of teaching. I try to understand how schools work and what teachers do so we can help kids and adults.