SouLuminous Learning

Hi, I'm Keri! I create engaging, brain-friendly math resources grounded in joy, connection, and a touch of beautiful chaos. If you're into Socratic questioning, play-based learning, and giving kids the power to think deeply, you're in the right place. A Little About Me (And a Lot About Math) Math and I go way back. It came easily to me for most of my life—until I hit the big leagues: things like proofs by induction, infinite series, and other brain-bending concepts. That’s when it got challenging… and I fell even more in love with it. I latched onto the logical, almost philosophical side of math. I’ve always been drawn to the perfect blend of theory and real-world application. But here’s the twist: even though math was intuitive for me, my teaching journey has always centered around people for whom it wasn’t. Ever since my freshman year of college, I’ve been tutoring and teaching students who struggle with math. That experience pushed me to slow down, ask why math works the way it does, and figure out how to explain it in clear, approachable ways. Because let’s be real—being good at math isn’t the same as being good at teaching it. I had to make that leap. Over the years, I’ve taught in just about every setting you can think of: one-on-one tutoring, math labs, full classrooms—you name it. I’m a certified CRLA tutor, and I hold a Math Teaching degree with a level 4 math endorsement, along with a degree in Civil Engineering. Speaking of engineering, before I had my five amazing kids, I worked in missile development at Raytheon Missile Systems. (Yes, real missiles!) I was part of teams working on simulation testing, real-life flight tests, and even guidance algorithm development. But once my kids came along—and especially as I started navigating parenting with autism, ADHD, and various mental health challenges—I shifted my focus to home. Let’s just say parenting has been the most rigorous, heart-expanding education of my life. I homeschooled during some especially tricky seasons, which gave me deep insight into how children learn in real-world, not-so-standardized ways. When I returned to professional work, I joined Mathnasium—and though I no longer work there (and no, I’m not getting paid to say this), I have to shout out the brilliance of Larry Martinek’s curriculum. It’s hands-down one of the best instructional models I’ve seen, and I was lucky to learn and teach through it. I even helped launch their online “@home” instruction platform. Update 2026: I’ve also been trained in the BRIDGES curriculum for foundational math skills, and I’m seriously impressed—it’s fantastic too! I’ve also taught Business Calculus (Quantitative Analysis) at the Woodbury School of Business, where I got to connect economic theory with the principles of calculus—a fascinating mashup I truly enjoyed. But my heart? It’s with young learners. Especially those who can’t access expensive programs like Mathnasium. These days, I’m working in elementary schools as a substitute teacher and targeted math TA, supporting grades 1–6. I love helping students build confidence, curiosity, and joy in math—especially when they didn’t think that was possible.

Calm Meets Chaos: My Teaching Style in a Nutshell If calm and chaos had a baby, it would be my teaching style. On one hand, I create a space where students feel safe, valued, and respected—with clear expectations and boundaries. (That's the calm.) On the other hand, I believe learning should be joyful, lively, and full of laughter. (Enter chaos!) Especially when it comes to math, if we can make it fun, it sticks. It becomes something we want to do, not just something we have to do. Here’s a peek at the core principles that shape how I teach: ________________________________________ 1. Learning Happens Best Through Discovery Rather than just handing over the answers, I guide students with questions. Socratic-style. I believe in letting kids think and synthesize—and yes, sometimes struggle just a little—in order to really make those lightbulbs go off. In groups, I ask everyone to pause before sharing so every brain gets a chance to work. Then we explore multiple ideas before settling on the “aha!” moment. If a foundational skill is missing, we gently fill in the gaps and keep going. It’s about creating thinkers, not just answer-getters. ________________________________________ 2. Humans First, Concepts Second At the heart of everything I do is this: I’m not just teaching math—I’m teaching people. And people matter. Their names, their stories, their thoughts, their emotions. When a student feels seen, heard, and celebrated, their learning skyrockets. So we celebrate the wins—big or small—together. ________________________________________ 3. You're Probably Closer Than You Think So many students carry the belief: “I’m just not a math person.” I call nonsense. If something doesn’t click right away, it doesn’t mean you’re bad at it—it just means we haven’t found your path to understanding yet. My energy? It says, “You’re right on the edge of getting this!” ________________________________________ 4. Mistakes Are Just...Learning in Progress Mistakes? We love 'em here. They’re a natural (and necessary!) part of learning. Instead of jumping in to correct, I wait. I give space. And more often than not, students figure it out themselves with a little time and a gentle nudge. Then we cheer for the fix—and notice how they got there. Because that’s where the real magic is. ________________________________________ 5. We Learn With Our Whole Bodies The more senses we bring into learning, the more brain pathways light up. That’s why I’m big on color, movement, sketching, visualizing, and hands-on everything. Math becomes more than numbers on a page—it becomes something we can see, touch, and feel. ________________________________________ 6. Games Are Secret Learning Superpowers Want to learn 20x faster? Play a game. Seriously. Games bring in strategy, suspense, and satisfaction. I’ve watched kids transform their math skills simply because they were having fun while doing it. It’s challenge + reward = learning that sticks. ________________________________________ 7. Spaced Review = Brain Gold Cramming doesn’t work—but revisiting something over time? That’s how we really remember. I use spaced review to rotate topics, circle back, and reinforce learning naturally—kind of like planting seeds, watering them, and watching the understanding grow. ________________________________________ Learning can be both intentional and joyful. That’s the sweet spot I aim for in every resource I create.