Like many students who have spent years moving through the education system, I’ve seen firsthand how certain lessons stay with me while others fade quickly. The difference often comes down to how the material is presented. For this prompt, I chose to focus on the Common Core fifth-grade math standard of understanding fractions as numbers and representing them on a number line. I chose this standard because fractions are a concept that many students struggle with, yet they are essential for more advanced math. If students don’t fully understand fractions early on, it can affect their confidence and success in later grades, making it an important topic to support with strong visual learning tools. When designing visuals for this concept, I realized how much small design choices matter. Color theory plays a significant role in helping students break down what they see. For example, using different colors for the numerator and denominator helps students distinguish between the two parts of a fraction instead of viewing it as just one confusing number. On a number line, using consistent colors to represent whole numbers versus fractional values helps students recognize patterns and relationships more easily. Layout is equally important in helping students process information. If a page is cluttered or disorganized, it can overwhelm students before they even begin. By keeping the number line centered and clearly labeling fractions directly above or below their positions, students can visually connect each fraction to its place on the number line. This makes the abstract idea of fractions feel more concrete and easier to understand. A clean, organized layout supports step-by-step thinking, which is especially important in math. Typography also contributes to comprehension. Choosing clear, readable fonts ensures students are focusing on the concept instead of struggling to read the text. Properly formatting fractions with stacked numerators and denominators reinforces correct mathematical structure and helps students build good habits. While it may seem like a small detail, it can make a noticeable difference in how students interpret the information. Imagery is what truly brings the concept to life. Visuals like shaded circles or segmented bars allow students to see fractions as parts of a whole rather than just numbers to memorize. Pairing these images with a number line helps students connect multiple representations of the same concept, strengthening their understanding. When students can both see and apply a concept, they are more likely to retain it. Visual learning is critical in modern K–12 classrooms because students today are used to processing information visually. With constant exposure to digital media, they often learn best through images, color, and design rather than text alone. Incorporating visual elements into lessons not only keeps students engaged but also makes learning more accessible for different types of learners. Reflecting on my own experiences, both as a student and as someone working with younger students, I’ve seen how impactful this approach can be. The teachers who made the biggest difference in my life presented information in ways that made sense and felt approachable. Moving forward, I want to create that same kind of environment—one where students feel confident in their abilities and supported in their learning. Visual design is one of the many tools that can help make that possible.

Like many American teenagers, I’ve been in school since the age of five. Throughout the grades, I’ve excelled in classes, and I have struggled as many students do. In elementary school, I had teachers who encouraged me to learn beyond the classroom, and with the encouragement and advice, I ran with it hard. The teacher who impacted and inspired me most was my second grade teacher, Mrs.Kelley Tambouris. Mrs.Tambouris was the teacher who would let me read after I completed an assignment early or would let me put my head down without forcing me to feel like I had to tell her why I was so tired. She made the classroom not only a place to learn but a place to feel comfortable and open with not only my classmates but the teacher herself. By the end of my second grade year, she had decided she was retiring, and I had made the decision to become the teacher she was, although those are some difficult shoes to fill. Mrs.Tambouris was the type of teacher who didn’t just speak up for her students but also for her co-workers. As I’ve grown, I have tried to use every opportunity I can to get closer to my teaching goal. In fifth grade, I was allowed to go spend time in the special education classes as well as read to kindergarteners. During middle school, my options were limited because of COVID-19 restrictions. In eighth grade, I visited my elementary school to talk to my old after school program coordinator to see if I could come volunteer. I was told to wait until I went to high school. I waited patiently for nine months. The day I started my freshman year of high school, I emailed the coordinator and started filling out the application forms to become official hourly staff with my local school district instead of just a volunteer. Just a month later I was working at the elementary school that encouraged me to want to teach. Throughout my high school years, I have continued working at the elementary school and encouraging my students to learn and strive as human beings. In my junior year, I was once again given an opportunity to get closer to my teaching goals through dual enrollment. I took an education college course that also offered the ability to observe my fifth grade teacher, Ms.Romano, as she taught her last class. I was once again faced with the feeling of needing to fill the gaps these excellent educators left in their places. For my senior year, I am taking another college class for education and continuing my place as an after school educator. Completing this education to further my career means so much to second grade me, fifth grade me, eighth grade me, senior me, future me, and all the students I hope to impact in the same way.

Like many American teenagers, I’ve been in school since the age of five. Throughout the grades, I’ve excelled in classes, and I have struggled as many students do. In elementary school, I had teachers who encouraged me to learn beyond the classroom, and with the encouragement and advice, I ran with it hard. The teacher who impacted and inspired me most was my second grade teacher, Mrs.Kelley Tambouris. Mrs.Tambouris was the teacher who would let me read after I completed an assignment early or would let me put my head down without forcing me to feel like I had to tell her why I was so tired. She made the classroom not only a place to learn but a place to feel comfortable and open with not only my classmates but the teacher herself. By the end of my second grade year, she had decided she was retiring, and I had made the decision to become the teacher she was, although those are some difficult shoes to fill. Mrs.Tambouris was the type of teacher who didn’t just speak up for her students but also for her co-workers. As I’ve grown, I have tried to use every opportunity I can to get closer to my teaching goal. In fifth grade, I was allowed to go spend time in the special education classes as well as read to kindergarteners. During middle school, my options were limited because of COVID-19 restrictions. In eighth grade, I visited my elementary school to talk to my old after school program coordinator to see if I could come volunteer. I was told to wait until I went to high school. I waited patiently for nine months. The day I started my freshman year of high school, I emailed the coordinator and started filling out the application forms to become official hourly staff with my local school district instead of just a volunteer. Just a month later I was working at the elementary school that encouraged me to want to teach. Throughout my high school years, I have continued working at the elementary school and encouraging my students to learn and strive as human beings. In my junior year, I was once again given an opportunity to get closer to my teaching goals through dual enrollment. I took an education college course that also offered the ability to observe my fifth grade teacher, Ms.Romano, as she taught her last class. I was once again faced with the feeling of needing to fill the gaps these excellent educators left in their places. For my senior year, I am taking another college class for education and continuing my place as an after school educator. Completing this education to further my career means so much to second grade me, fifth grade me, eighth grade me, senior me, future me, and all the students I hope to impact in the same way.

Growing up, my family didn’t have much money. Through stories about my older sibling, while I had yet to form memories, my oldest brother ate very little to make sure there was enough food for my other sibling. My parents were working constantly to make sure food made it to the house. Being so tight on money and food at the time, when I was little and clumsy, I broke an egg, which upset my mom because she had them planned out for the week. Later, in my own memories, we lived with my grandparents while my mother figured out money and how to make it by with just her and me. My mom has always been open about our financial situation and teaching me while she learned. Besides my mom, my only financial education comes from one class I took in my Junior year of High School. While I feel that class could have been helpful, the teacher wasn’t a great mentor. Her way of teaching was to give us online packets and make us research apartments. This teacher also could not relate to many students in the classroom, as she grew up wealthier than most. Her thoughts of money stemmed from already having it from the start, rather than needing to work for it to start. At home, financial education was engraved in the way we budgeted for meals, entertainment, clothing, and housing. Growing up, we spent lots of time at the public library reading, using the computers, and spending time with the community at events the library held. Meals were held to a planned schedule and budget and clothing were something that were handed down from older siblings and cousins. Often, I would do reading competitions at my school to get baseball tickets. I did raffles which got me a new bike or board games. My mom is still open to this day about our financial situation. Now that I’m older, I work and make money for myself. My mom went back to college and now has a Bachelor’s in Accounting. Our money situation is a lot more stable, although some old habits keep us afloat. For example, budgeting and planning meals, thrifting clothing, and applying for assistance when we need it. My mom makes sure we’re never going hungry and makes sure I can save my own money. All of the knowledge I have gained from my mom and my own experience will follow me long into adulthood. I will continue to make meal plans and thrift my clothes. I will continue to ask for assistance when I need it. And I will always go to my mom when I’m lost, confused, or just want to plan with her. Through all our financial instability, she made sure we were stable together.