Okay, I admit it....I've always been pretty good at math, and it's one of the subjects I really enjoy teaching. But today, after school, while Mr. Rollins and I were looking over the grade 7 math lesson for tomorrow, I was hit with that dreaded feeling of "I really don't get this!" I remember being in grade 9 and being in math class and too embarassed to ask my teacher for help....."Everyone else seems to be getting this, why can't I "get it"?" Instead of voicing my questions, I suffered in silence, and I do mean suffer. It all came to the forefront during one math test when I just could NOT do the questions on my paper. Still, I said nothing. So, I stumbled through the test as best as I could, and at one point, I remember facing the wall in my classroom and silently crying. Yes, crying! I thought, "What's wrong with me? Why don't I get math anymore?" Well, the simple answer was, I did "get it", but I didn't get it the way it was being taught to me. Luckily, I had a really good math teacher and, when she saw my lower mark, she realized that I needed some help. Finally, as she approached me after class one day, I let it all out.....and, eventually, I was able to look at that particular math unit and do really well. But, all of my frustration and angst was because I was too afraid to admit that I was struggling with the material.
So, this flashback brings me back to my conversation with Mr. Rollins after school. He was presenting me with some questions and we were going through them together, and I just couldn't wrap my head around them. So, rather than "stumbling along" as I did in grade 9, I stopped and said, "Mr. Rollins, I don't understand. I'm a visual learner, so I need to do it this way....." And he patiently presented the question to me in another manner, and "voila!" it made sense.
I guess my point is that, I agree, sometimes math and other subjects don't always make sense right away--nor should they. We all have to work hard and stretch our minds with some difficult work in order to grow; the difference between succeeding and stumbling, though, is how you face those challenging tasks. Do you: a. Pretend you "get it" and hope the math powers of the world will help you get the right answer?; b. Give up and say "I don't get it! Math is too hard."; c. tell your teacher, your friends, your parents, someone---"I'm having some trouble with this, do you think you could show me another way?"
I say go with option C. The cool thing about math is that there can be many ways to approach a question--some people might use diagrams, manipulatives, lists, patterns, etc. Math really is about the journey you take to get to that "voila!" moment. Often, students will show us totally different ways to approach a problem, that we may not even have thought of. So don't be afraid to share your learning, your problem solving, your ideas--you may not always be right, but you're showing us that you're not afraid to take a risk. And, being willing to take risks and ask questions, is one very crucial key towards learning--now, in high school, in university, in your careers. Being a learner doesn't stop when you get your high school diploma, or your university degree!
Math can indeed be challenging, and that's what makes understanding it that much more of a victory! I leave you now with an example of how some students are demonstrating their understanding of multiplication of decimals using area models (see, those base ten blocks you used when you were younger really do come in handy!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLOxYYdZAWE&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving Fido only two of them. ~Phil Pastoret
Ms. Bahd :) (Oh, and thanks Mr. Rollins!)
So, this flashback brings me back to my conversation with Mr. Rollins after school. He was presenting me with some questions and we were going through them together, and I just couldn't wrap my head around them. So, rather than "stumbling along" as I did in grade 9, I stopped and said, "Mr. Rollins, I don't understand. I'm a visual learner, so I need to do it this way....." And he patiently presented the question to me in another manner, and "voila!" it made sense.
I guess my point is that, I agree, sometimes math and other subjects don't always make sense right away--nor should they. We all have to work hard and stretch our minds with some difficult work in order to grow; the difference between succeeding and stumbling, though, is how you face those challenging tasks. Do you: a. Pretend you "get it" and hope the math powers of the world will help you get the right answer?; b. Give up and say "I don't get it! Math is too hard."; c. tell your teacher, your friends, your parents, someone---"I'm having some trouble with this, do you think you could show me another way?"
I say go with option C. The cool thing about math is that there can be many ways to approach a question--some people might use diagrams, manipulatives, lists, patterns, etc. Math really is about the journey you take to get to that "voila!" moment. Often, students will show us totally different ways to approach a problem, that we may not even have thought of. So don't be afraid to share your learning, your problem solving, your ideas--you may not always be right, but you're showing us that you're not afraid to take a risk. And, being willing to take risks and ask questions, is one very crucial key towards learning--now, in high school, in university, in your careers. Being a learner doesn't stop when you get your high school diploma, or your university degree!
Math can indeed be challenging, and that's what makes understanding it that much more of a victory! I leave you now with an example of how some students are demonstrating their understanding of multiplication of decimals using area models (see, those base ten blocks you used when you were younger really do come in handy!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLOxYYdZAWE&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving Fido only two of them. ~Phil Pastoret
Ms. Bahd :) (Oh, and thanks Mr. Rollins!)
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