From "Good at Math" to Changing the Game: Elizabeth Kielty's Math Story
Published: July 3, 2025
For Elizabeth Kielty, math has always been part of her story—even if she didn’t always know it. One of her earliest memories is playing with a plastic clock in kindergarten, adjusting the hands and stacking colorful blocks. “I remember having really fond experiences of math early on that I didn’t know were math until I was an adult.” That sense of play, of exploring without pressure, would stay with her, even as her formal math education took a more traditional turn at times.
Fast, Accurate—and Missing the Bigger Picture
Elizabeth, who grew up in Florida, was frequently told she was good at math. She was quick, strong at memorizing formulas, and could solve problems efficiently. It was clear she had a knack for it. But being good at doing math, she now reflects, wasn’t the same as understanding it deeply.
That realization began to take shape early in her teaching career. After earning her associate’s degree through a dual enrollment college program, she dove into a bachelor's in education. Soon, at the age of 19, she found herself standing in front of a class of 17-year-olds—just two years younger than she was—teaching.
From Routine to Relevance
After several years of teaching high school, Elizabeth found herself drained. “It started to feel monotonous,” she says. “I wanted more than just turning the page to the next lesson.” On further reflection, she thought, “I felt good at math, but what I really wanted was to help other people feel good at it, too.”
A move to Vermont marked a turning point. Teaching middle school students reignited her energy and forced her to rethink her approach. “Middle schoolers are honest,” she laughs. “They’ll tell you if it’s boring, and they’ll let you know when it’s working.”
Elizabeth enrolled in the Vermont Mathematics Initiative (VMI), where her entire perspective on math transformed. She started to see how interconnected everything is in mathematics.
Finding Her People at ALN
Elizabeth's first experience with the All Learners Network (ALN) came when a middle school colleague invited her to tag along at a conference. ALN founder John Tapper was the keynote speaker, and his message planted a seed for her.
That seed grew. Later, she participated in a course taught by Sandi Stanhope (ALN’s Chief Learning Officer), who would become a mentor and colleague. After eight years teaching middle school math, Elizabeth started asking herself, “What’s next?” She had ideas, experience, and a passion for bringing more people into the fold. She started contributing to ALN’s middle school content development and found it was a perfect fit. “I wanted to share what I’d learned—especially with teachers who didn’t think of themselves as math people.”
Shifting the Narrative: From “My Kids Can’t” to “All Kids Can”
One of Elizabeth’s most powerful memories as an ALN facilitator came during a model lesson in another teacher’s classroom. The teacher had doubts, unsure if “these kids” could really engage in high-level math discussion. But what Elizabeth saw—and helped bring to life—was a room full of curious, capable learners. She saw the transformative mindshift happen where the teacher went from thinking, “my kids can’t,” to realizing, “all kids can.”
Why Math Still Matters
Today, what excites Elizabeth most about math is the deep web of connections between mathematical ideas. “Nothing in math exists in isolation,” she explains. “Everything builds on something else.” It’s a far cry from memorizing formulas. Now, it’s about meaning—and helping teachers and students find it together.
Through her work with the All Learners Network, Elizabeth continues to empower educators and shift mindsets, one lesson, one conversation, one classroom at a time.
What Now?
- Read a recent blog post by Elizabeth about Rethinking Fractions Greater than One.
- Learn more about our brand-new AI Math Coach that will be included in every All Learners Online Unlimited membership for 2025-2026.
- Bring All Learners Network (ALN) into your school or district for embedded professional development.
