Introduction: Hello!

     My name is Kay Allen. I am an elementary school tutor after serving as a classroom teacher. grades kindergarten through third,  support math advisor, gifted and talented teacher,  grades 1-5.  I have also been a math resource teacher for students with learning differences.

I formally retired from the system in North Carolina in June 2010.  I am married with two grown sons with the delightful blessing of a grandson aged three and one-half.  Can you imagine the interactive strategies I have been using with him since I could get eye contact?  Yes, I have bought fancy manipulitives and games, but we also make up math games and activities using sets of cars, trucks, dinosaurs or however I can produce a math principle.  Of course we move quickly because the attention span of his mind and imagination is fast paced and we are off to the next pretend place and event. 

Learning to make patterns with colored Goldfish

I have continued to work with children from ages one to ten years of age in math.  Out of 21 years of experience and devotion to teaching, there are obvious truths I have discovered.  Math is a naturally occurring phenomenon that when directed to children's attention becomes an exciting, mind expanding fact that bears repeating by them over and over again.  For example, patterns in nature observed while going for a walk, man-made products;  make it fun to make patterns with about anything (small objects, toys or items at home).  

We've made a great pattern, but now it is not complete without our tractor trying it our as a bumpy road.