To begin this essay, I will like to discuss two of my positive experiences dealing with mathematics. Some may say that they hate mathematics because it deals with numbers, functions, algebraic equations, etc. They may even say, “It’s complicated. When I will ever use radicals and long division in real life?” However, I actually like mathematics. Matter of fact, I love it since I started kindergarten. Whenever I hear the word, “mathematics”, it reminds me of counting, graphing, and calculating real numbers. First, my mathematical life all started in kindergarten when I was six years old. I was introduced to counting, spelling, and writing out numbers from one through ten. I remember enjoying mathematics in kindergarten because my teacher …show more content…
I am not talking about doing basic mathematics problems and teaching the class how to do it all the time; I mean having a group discussion or a game show contest like the Jeopardy. Truthfully, I hate coming to mathematics class knowing already what the routine is: sit down, bring out last night’s homework, check homework, ask if there is any questions about the homework, start a new lesson, do several example problems with the new lesson, do class work and complete homework for the following night. It gets so dull and repetitive that I doze off, depending on what type of topic it is or if there is an upcoming test or exam I need to do well on. Not that the topic is uninteresting but the routine sometimes bores me, and makes me not want to learn. Sometimes I have to force myself to participate only to keep myself awake. I can tell that the class gets tired of the daily routine when they are caught reading another book, dozing off, sleeping, doing homework for another class, talking to the person next to them, or even not paying attention or “daydreaming”. It makes me laugh and sad to notice that more than half of the class is not paying attention, but that is reality. And it is even funnier, and depressing, when the teacher does acknowledge the class not paying attention but continues to talk until class is over. Sometimes I do wish that there is a teacher who “jazzes it up” by having different routines each day. I prefer to have group discussion one day, game contest another day, or even go on the computers to learn the new topic the following day. Trust me, I have experienced days when I learn my mathematics best also. I remember in middle school my Algebra teacher, Mr. DeFrancesco, would make the class active by having group discussions, contests, game shows, etc. I did so well in that class that I was probably one of the few students with an A in
...students, class is something they have to go through, and as soon as the bell rings everything is over.
Mathematics has become a very large part of society today. From the moment children learn the basic principles of math to the day those children become working members of society, everyone has used mathematics at one point in their life. The crucial time for learning mathematics is during the childhood years when the concepts and principles of mathematics can be processed more easily. However, this time in life is also when the point in a person’s life where information has to be broken down to the very basics, as children don’t have an advanced capacity to understand as adults do. Mathematics, an essential subject, must be taught in such a way that children can understand and remember.
When it comes to learning the thing that pops up in many people’s mind is boredom especially if they are in a subject they truly despise. Learning can be fun by showing the students how to engage in class discussions that are fun for them as well as making sure the students want to attend class without making them suffer daily. In the short stories, “I Just Wanna Be Average” by Mike Rose and “A Prostitute, A Servant, And A Customer-Service Representative” by Carmen R. Lugo-Lugo they state, how each teacher has their way of teaching and wanting to engage their students. It shows how some teachers will only care to do the basics and not go beyond that like Mike Rose states, in his short story. Carmen Lugo-Lugo states, in her story how the students
Math is not a scary thing. It can be fun and highly useful. In researching adult learners who return to college, I found a quote by Einstein saying (2015), “Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics. I can assure you that mine are still greater.” In Einstein’s humility, it was heartening to know we all have our weaknesses. It was even more hopeful knowing his historical mathematical strengths. According to Erskine (2015), “While the overwhelming majority of Americans, 93 percent, agree that strong math skills are essential to being successful in life, nearly a third say they would rather clean the bathroom than solve a math problem.” We all know how socially acceptable and funny it is to be bad at math. Although Erskine stated it too, she is right. However, I feel the tide is turning. It is becoming increasingly acceptable to improve oneself. I am looking forward to using the EdReady program for my Algebra, Calculus and Trigonometry skills. In bringing this essay to a close, there is always a practical and approachable way to have better math comprehension. Math does not have to be scary. This is my math life
Mathematics education has undergone many changes over the last several years. Some of these changes include the key concepts all students must master and how they are taught. According to Jacob Vigdor, the concerns about students’ math achievements have always been apparent. A few reasons that are negatively impacting the productivity of students’ math achievements are historical events that influenced mathematics, how math is being taught, and differentiation of curriculum.
I also learned that mathematics was more than merely an intellectual activity: it was a necessary tool for getting a grip on all sorts of problems in science and engineering. Without mathematics there is no progress. However, mathematics could also show its nasty face during periods in which problems that seemed so simple at first sight refused to be solved for a long time. Every math student will recognize these periods of frustration and helplessness.
As he rambles on in a monotone, they are obviously messaging one another on their laptops” (Berlinerblau 18). Even though college kids are paying for their education, if the classes bore them, they either don’t show up or they don’t pay attention. During lectures, a lot of kids either fall asleep, start daydreaming, or become completely zombie-like, zoning out the professor and just sitting there and staring-- obviously not listening. While reading the chapter, “Evaluation of Teaching and Learning,” found in the textbook Science Teaching Reconsidered: A Handbook, one can notice that it’s completely for lectures.
Another class that i'm failing is cultural geography because everything we do in that class is pointless.When are we ever going to need to know about other people's cultures, what if we don't care, what if we need something else that's more important in the future.I don't get some of the stuff that we do in that class like knowing what a place is just by it's surroundings to know where this person lives or where this other person lives.Even though I find that class pointless I will still try to do my work and get a passing grade.
Aside from taking the tests, you have to sit through classrooms that bore both the student and the teacher. John Taylor Gatto, a retired school teacher, claims that this is true “Boredom is the common condition of schoolteachers, and anyone who has spent time in a teachers’ lounge can vouch for the low energy, the whining, the dispirited attitudes, to be found there. When asked why they feel bored, the teachers tend to blame the kids, as you might expect. Who wouldn’t get bored teaching students who are rude and interested only in grades.” Gatto makes an important point about kids who are only interested in grades.
What is going to happen tomorrow? The citizens of America will catch a deadly virus. Though this statement is blunt, this is a reoccurring thought in many people’s minds. According to a Washington Post poll, 43% of Americans are terrified that they or their family members will catch the Ebola virus, and 31% of the United States is scared of a possible Ebola epidemic in the United States. The subject of Ebola is covered on all forms of media ranging from the news on T.V to discussions on Twitter. Shockingly, rumors and stories about this deadly virus are spreading faster than the sickness itself. Similarly in The Demon in the Freezer, Richard Preston writes about true events where people have contracted Anthrax and smallpox, and how groups used fear of the illnesses as their ultimate weapon. Both during the past and the modern world today, fear is the true disease.
What do you like about math? Which math books or textbooks have you read or used? Which one is your favorite? Please tell us about your math experiences (if any) at summer camps, online programs, etc. *
Tying us down to aour classes all the time is not effective in bettering our education. I have a saying that only those who wish to learn will. A student who is bored in class gains nothing but years from his or her experience. This builds a negative connotation with school, and this, above all else, is most detrimental. We must build interest and somewhat ironically we must break the regime.
Not every class can be exciting, and we should know that. Now imagine every class is of this level, with no “break”, or elective, classes incorporated into your day. Although this may not apply to all private schools, there are many that focus on specific topics. So even though they are taught more on that subject, there is not much variety in their day.... ... middle of paper ...
As a secondary subject, society often views mathematics a critical subject for students to learn in order to be successful. Often times, mathematics serves as a gatekeeper for higher learning and certain specific careers. Since the times of Plato, “mathematics was virtually the first thing everyone has to learn…common to all arts, science, and forms of thought” (Stinson, 2004). Plato argued that all students should learn arithmetic; the advanced mathematics was reserved for those that would serve as the “philosopher guardians” of the city (Stinson, 2004). By the 1900s in the United States, mathematics found itself as a cornerstone of curriculum for students. National reports throughout the 20th Century solidified the importance of mathematics in the success of our nation and its students (Stinson, 2004). As a mathematics teacher, my role to educate all students in mathematics is an important one. My personal philosophy of mathematics education – including the optimal learning environment and best practices teaching strategies – motivates my teaching strategies in my personal classroom.
...re encompassing way, it becomes very clear that everything that we do or encounter in life can be in some way associated with math. Whether it be writing a paper, debating a controversial topic, playing Temple Run, buying Christmas presents, checking final grades on PeopleSoft, packing to go home, or cutting paper snowflakes to decorate the house, many of our daily activities encompass math. What has surprised me the most is that I do not feel that I have been seeking out these relationships between math and other areas of my life, rather the connections just seem more visible to me now that I have a greater appreciation and understanding for the subject. Math is necessary. Math is powerful. Math is important. Math is influential. Math is surprising. Math is found in unexpected places. Math is found in my worldview. Math is everywhere. Math is Beautiful.