When I was a student, I was not a strong math student; my lowest grades were always earned in math class. I attributed this to the “D” I earned in math when I was in 4th grade. Despite this, I became a math teacher. My students (and their parents) frequently said I was among the best math teachers they ever had. I attribute this to the fact that I had first-hand knowledge of the negative effects of traditional approached to math teaching. I challenged much that was traditional in math education because I was not a strong math student. My students liked my approach; other math teachers did not.