A Conversation with Mrs. Crosby

Living in Missouri, Mrs. Crosby has been teaching math with TPS for twenty-four years.

Eliana: What subject(s) do you teach? How did you discover TPS, and how long have you been teaching?

Mrs. C: I discovered TPS over 25 years ago when I was tutoring a friend in math, and he was taking a TPS science class and showed me how it worked. I emailed Janna Gilbert the next day and was hired to teach math for the following year. I teach: College Math, AP Calculus, and PreCalculus (as well as some summer review courses).

Eliana: Can you tell me about your family? Do you have any pets? Where do you live?

Mrs. C: I live in Lampe, Missouri, near Branson and Table Rock Lake. Mr. Crosby and I have 3 adult children and 2 grandchildren (with one on the way!) We do have 2 dogs (Aspen and Marley) and one cat (Domino, who helps Mr. C in his classes.)

Eliana: Congratulations on the new grandbaby! What do you think is the most difficult branch or topic of math to teach?

Mrs. C: I love teaching all mathematical topics, and I especially love when students work on a difficult concept and are able to persevere through the struggle to reach that “lightbulb” moment when the concepts click into place with understanding. I like teaching all branches of math.

Eliana: If you could choose anyone, living or dead, to write and/or narrate your biography, who would you pick and why?

Mrs. C: This sounds like a question for a poet, not a mathematician! I would pick my dad to narrate my biography because he was there from the very beginning of my life; he knows me very well, and he has a great public speaking voice. A close second would be Mr. C because he has known me since 6th grade, has been a part of all of my momentous occasions, and also has a very nice public speaking voice.

Eliana: Do you have any pet peeves?

Mrs. C: I don’t have many pet peeves. But when people ask me about my profession and I share that I am a mathematics instructor, the common response of making a face and often mentioning their dislike for math does make me sad.

Eliana: What inspired you to become a math teacher? What advice would you give to a student who struggles particularly with it?

Mrs. C: I love mathematics, and God has blessed me with the ability to understand difficult math concepts and often translate them in a way that simplifies the process of communicating those concepts. My mom was also a math teacher, and it makes me happy that I follow in her footsteps. For a student who struggles in math, I would encourage them to seek out multiple resources like online videos, extra practice, and if they are my students, I would hope they would reach out to me for help.

Eliana: If you could only choose one, which is your favorite book of the Bible? What particularly about that book encourages you?

Mrs. C: I really like using verses of the Bible in my prayer life. Many of my favorite prayer verses are in Romans where Paul just does such a good job of focusing all aspects of life on the gospel and our freedom from sin in Christ Jesus. One of my favorites: Romans 8:38-39.

Eliana: That’s a great passage! What is your stance on Valentine’s Day?

Mrs. C: Are there stances on Valentine’s Day? I am all for chocolate.

Eliana: Apparently some people think it’s an over-commercialized holiday and an unnecessary expense, but, personally, I’m inclined to agree with you. If you were to wear a t-shirt or sweatshirt with one word (or catchphrase) on it for an entire year, what would you write on it?

Mrs. C: My t-shirt would be “Math Rocks.”