I wanted to be constantly changing and growing and learning, and I felt like teaching was the perfect field to do that. My experiences working with kids both informally and formally helped me gain a unique perspective on the profession. I was most excited in high school when I was sharing my passions with other people, whether it was my friends or underclassmen, and watching the light bulbs go off in their minds.”
Swetha’s Story
Teaching Discipline
Mathematics
Why Mathematics
“I love the power of deconstructing something people think of as black/white and right/wrong and turning it into a nuanced problem that takes precision and communication skills and problem solving strategies to approach. I also recognize that math is an area that is such an automatic turnoff to many people, particularly women of color, that I wanted to change the way my peers and future students think about math.”
Professional Experience
While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Swetha worked as a Teaching Assistant for three years. She also mentored first through fifth grade students from Belmont Charter School with a group of peers and later coordinated the mentoring team from Bryn Mawr. She began her career as a math teacher at The Workshop School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the 2016–2017 school year.
Hobbies
Swetha enjoys playing the Indian classical violin, an instrument she’s played for the past 18 years.
Academic Background
- University of Pennsylvania (Master of Education in Secondary Education: Math)
- Bryn Mawr College (Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics)