WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. — While A + Teacher Dawn Trenholm took a different path to the classroom, it is a detour she is glad she took.  

Trenholm says she has always wanted to work with children. She initially chose to pursue a degree in psychology and worked for the Department of Children and Families before switching to the field of education.

“It was the best choice I ever made," she said. "It’s just my calling. I love doing it.”

Her math students collaborate.

“They get to have some say in what we do. They interact with each other, and I’m not always giving them the answers," Trenholm says. "They come up with them on their own.”

Her students are not just learning important math skills. They also learn skills that they can use outside of the classroom for years to come. She encourages students to use their imagination and have fun as they become lifelong learners.

“A lot of integrity. We want kids to make good choices, and we want them to lead by example,” she says.

Seeing those qualities in her former students is what it is all about, she says.

“I love it. It makes you feel like it’s all worthwhile, and that’s the reason you do it,” Trenholm says.