How it all started...

Why I’m on a Mission to End "Math Memorization"

Hi, I’m Rogena.

Before I was a teacher, I was a Bioengineer. I spent years in the pharmaceutical industry—moving from a technician to a Business Development Manager. In the world of engineering and business, math isn't a list of steps to memorize for a Friday quiz. It is a language we use to solve problems, build life-saving technology, and understand the world.

When I moved to Florida and followed my family roots into teaching, I realized something that broke my heart: The way we teach math is broken.

The "Memorization Trap"

As a high school teacher for Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus, I saw brilliant students who could "solve for X" but had no idea why the equation existed.

I’ll never forget when my principal observed my class and told me, "You’re the first math teacher I’ve ever heard tell students to stop memorizing and start understanding."

That moment changed everything for me.

The High School to College Gap

We spend four years in high school math, yet so many students arrive at college and have to relearn everything. What a waste of time. Students know how to do calculations, but they aren't taught how to create the equations from real-life scenarios.

• Textbooks give you the formula and ask you to plug in numbers. But in the real world, nobody gives you the formula. You have to understand the logic deeply enough to build it yourself.

Why I Created LifeMathing

I left the traditional classroom to prioritize my family, but I couldn't leave the mission behind. I started tutoring high school and college students and realized the problem was universal: If you learn math through memorization, you will forget it. If you learn it through understanding, it becomes yours forever.

LifeMathing is my solution. I combine my engineering background with my love for teaching to help students:

• See the Logic: Understand the "Why" behind every topic.

• Apply the Knowledge: Connect classroom math to business, science, and everyday life.

• Build Real Skills: Move beyond the textbook to develop the kind of deep understanding that stays with you through college and into your career.

My dream is to grow LifeMathing into a hub for real-world workshops—where students don't just solve problems on paper, but use math to tackle engineering projects and business challenges.

Math shouldn't be a hurdle. It should be your superpower. 

Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering > Temple University, College of Engineering | Class of 2018