Sharon Canaday
Ms. Sharon Canaday is a highly experienced educator and math specialist with nearly four decades of dedicated service in teaching, tutoring, and educational leadership. Based in Gilbert, Arizona, she is the Founder and Lead Tutor of TurningPoint Math, where she leads a team of skilled educators focused on transforming elementary math struggles into meaningful and lasting success. With a background spanning public, private, homeschool, and international education—including founding an elementary school in Thailand—Ms. Canaday brings a uniquely comprehensive and global perspective to her work. Her expertise is grounded in individualized instruction, allowing each student to learn in a way that aligns with their personal strengths and needs.
Throughout her career, Ms. Canaday has championed a student-centered, multisensory approach to math education, incorporating hands-on strategies and engaging methods such as games to build confidence and mastery. Her work is particularly impactful among homeschool families, where she provides both direct instruction and strategic support to parents navigating math education challenges. Her leadership extends beyond the classroom, having served on state-level committees focused on health, safety, and regulatory improvements in family child care. She is also trained in executive function coaching and multisensory math instruction, further enhancing her ability to support diverse learners, including those with learning differences.
Ms. Canaday is deeply passionate about making math accessible, enjoyable, and empowering for every student. She believes that true learning occurs when educators are genuinely passionate about their subject and committed to meeting students where they are. Known for her ability to turn frustration into confidence, she has helped countless students overcome anxiety and achieve academic success. Through her work, she continues to advocate for personalized education, meaningful connections, and a learning environment where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
• Executive Function Coaching Certification
• Multi-Sensory Math Training – Marilyn Zecher
• Walla Walla University – Associate of Science (A.S.), Early Childhood Education
• Walla Walla University – Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Elementary Education
• Walla Walla University – Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), Elementary Education and Teaching
• Influential Women 2026
• Served on State Health and Safety Committee for Family Child Care Regulations
• Founded an elementary school in Thailand
• Served on state-level committees supporting child care regulation and safety
What do you attribute your success to?
I've been told that I have a little bit of a superpower - I can turn a bad day into a good day. I've had kids show up at my house, and I can tell the kid's been crying in the car, like either they're upset about something else or they just really don't want to come to tutoring or whatever. And by the time they leave, they're happy. I think my passion and my enjoying math is part of that. I'm passionate about teaching kids math. At the end of the day, I'm just jazzed. Like, wow, I just got paid to do something I love to do all day, every day. I think it's super important for kids to learn from people who are passionate about what they're teaching. That's one of the problems we have in our elementary schools - we expect a teacher to be everything for everybody, and so all these teachers are out there teaching math who don't really enjoy teaching math, and that gets passed on to the kids. When I hire people onto my team, that's what I want to hear - that math is what they love to teach.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I always say don't teach it unless you love it. A lot of times teachers don't have a choice - they're given a classroom and expected to teach all the subjects, and the system is broken. Honestly, if anybody asks me if they should go into teaching at this point, I suggest that they consider just going straight into tutoring. I think it's super important for kids to learn from people who are passionate about what they're teaching, and that's one of the problems we have in our elementary schools - we expect a teacher to be everything for everybody. So all these teachers are out there teaching math who don't really enjoy teaching math, and that gets passed on to the kids.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges is the traditional education system, where teachers are often expected to teach every subject, regardless of their strengths or passions. This can lead to ineffective instruction, especially in subjects like math, where confidence and enthusiasm are critical. On the other hand, there is a significant opportunity in one-on-one, personalized tutoring. With the flexibility of online platforms, we can now reach families across the country and provide tailored support that leads to real, measurable transformation in students’ confidence and performance.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that matter most to me are passion, connection, and a commitment to student-centered learning. I believe every child can succeed when instruction is tailored to their needs, and I am deeply committed to helping students not only improve in math but also enjoy the learning process. Creating positive, encouraging experiences and helping children build confidence is at the heart of everything I do.