I'm a statistician. One of the things I do is help physicians and biomedical researchers design their studies, perform quantitative analyses and interpret the results. I also conduct research in stylometry, which makes use of statistical techniques to investigate texts of disputed authorship.

But if somebody asks me what I do for a living, I'd reply in a heartbeat, "I'm a teacher." Indeed, I've been teaching for many years, starting officially in 1984 when I got my college diploma from Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines.

Actually, my first attempts at teaching happened several years back. The individualized instruction program at my high school made it possible for me to study at my own pace. Under teacher supervision, I was allowed during the summer months to handle a group of students who didn't complete their math course.

I took another shot at teaching in my hometown during the summer following my junior year in college. I gave a workshop on linear programming for math instructors who were interested in replacing trigonometry with finite mathematics as a second math course for non-science and non-engineering majors.