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Everyone has one...a teacher who made a major difference in their lives. For years, Professor Gloria Watts Allen was that teacher to hundreds and hundreds of students. First as a high school teacher, then as a developmental math professor, and after retiring, as a sought after math consultant. What made her so popular? Professor Gloria Watts Allen has cracked the code. She has learned how to turn around student attitudes about math. She’s also learned how to be effective with students who might otherwise not be successful.
People in the academic community who were aware of her success in working with math-shy adults, frequently requested her assistance. For several years after retirement, Professor Allen traveled around the country consulting and hosting classes and workshops.
In 2003, she retired again and began writing a Free Your Mathematical Mind textbook. Unfortunately, after completing it, Professor Allen realized that the interactive nature of her curriculum did not work well as a textbook. Meanwhile, in 2005, Dr. Gwendolyn Trotter, a former colleague and the Education Dean at Alabama State University, tracked Professor Allen down to assist with the challenges ASU was experiencing with their in-service and pre-service teachers.
Dr. Trotter was able to convince Professor Allen to come out of retirement once again. Professor Allen gave a series of workshops / classes at ASU and for the surrounding community of teachers. Scheduling coordination was a major factor with the teachers and Dr. Trotter queried if there was a way to deliver the program in another format.
In late 2006, Professor Allen asked her daughter, Julie Allen, to assist her with a project to develop some math games. After quite a bit of discussion it became clear that Professor Allen really wanted to find a way to replicate her Free Your Mathematical Mind classroom environment on a wide scale. Julie helped develop an interactive video to effectively clone Professor Allen’s classroom. An interactive prototype was created and IDG Education Solutions was born.
Today, you too can experience the magic of being in Professor Allen’s classroom. The Free Your Mathematical Mind interactive video program successfully replicates the teaching environment that has been so effective in her live courses.
