Dory's Story

Meet Dory! Dory is one of the wonderful instructors at Mathnasium of Wauwatosa. As a former Mathnasium student, Dory offers a unique perspective to teaching math. Once claiming to be “math neutral,” being a Mathnasium student gave Dory a passion for math. Dory’s newfound confidence in her math skills inspired her to help other students find a similar passion by becoming a Mathnasium instructor.

Dory started attending Mathnasium as a student when she was in sixth grade. Her friend Katie was a student, and she was interested in finding an activity they could do together. While Dory was having fun at Mathnasium, she was simultaneously strengthening her core math skills and improving her confidence. 

Dory’s consistency at Mathnasium not only improved her math skills, but also rewarded her effort with some prizes along the way. Dory says that one of her favorite memories at Mathnasium was saving up her hard-earned reward cards for a new TV. Her parents were both surprised and impressed when Dory walked into her house with a huge TV after her session one day!

For the last seven years, Dory has shown her dedication to Mathnasium, rain or shine. Determined to get her bonus rewards for showing up on her birthday, Dory trekked through a snowstorm one year to get a picture in front of the closed center. 

When Dory got to high school, she decided she wanted to become a Mathnasium instructor. She was now responsible for fostering a fun environment for kids to learn and grow. Dory has made incredible connections with her students. She loves the way their faces light up when they see her in the center. Dory hopes that her work as an instructor will help students learn to love math like she did as a student. If Dory could give advice to a student who is struggling with math, she would tell them to trust the process. Practice, repetition, and perseverance are the keys to success. 

Mathnasium of Wauwatosa’s Center Director, Katie, watched Dory grow as both a student and an instructor. When asked to comment on Dory’s journey at Mathnasium, Katie says, "For over two years I worked with Dory as an instructor when she was a hard working and talented student at Mathnasium. When former students are interested in having their first job be at Mathnasium, I think it's a very high compliment to what we do. I've truly enjoyed watching Dory go full circle from Mathnasium student to a reliable, kind, and knowledgeable Mathnasium instructor. Dory is able to inspire, teach, and guide our students-- all while having the unique knowledge of what it is like literally being in their seat. I know Dory will continue to do great things as she prepares for her next phase in college!"

Dory’s love for math will be following her to college! She will be studying statistics at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota this fall. Inspired by her cousin who uses statistics to help improve birth outcomes in underdeveloped countries, Dory, similarly, hopes to use her degree to help women.

All of us at Mathnasium are so proud of Dory and all her accomplishments. We hope that her story can show students that their hard work and dedication to math pay off. If you see Dory around the Wauwatosa center, be sure to wish her luck in her next chapter in life!