How do you get from being labeled unable to learn math to becoming a mathematics teacher? Norman Alston loves math and likes to make math a fun and engaging experience for kids. His motivation stems from his own experience as a child who loved learning until he entered school.

Norman Alston grew up in Seattle, the son of a Pentecostal minister. His early education mirrored his home life; he was afraid of his teachers and was labeled as slow and unable to learn mathematics. In high school, he became estranged from his family and, at times, was homeless and living in his car. In spite of all this he possessed the grit and persistence to couch surf his way through Howard University and become a mathematics teacher. Because of these early experiences he set out to find a way to make math a fun and engaging experience for kids in his community.
Since 1995, Alston has taught math to thousands of children in the Seattle area. He founded Zeno Math and eMode Learning Foundation to bring math enrichment programs to under-served youth. His dream is to see a mathematical renaissance in the United States.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx