Monday's Musing 03-23-09

[Lis Garrett]

Thanks to Karen who offered this week's Monday's Musing!

What subject makes your brain ache?

[Lis Garrett]

It should come as no surprise that, in school, I gravitated toward those classes that involved a heavy-duty dose of reading and writing and rejected any form of higher math beyond Algebra. It's not that I did poorly in math, but where's the creativity? Where's the free thinking?

Outside of the classroom, however, the two subjects that really make my brain ache are politics and religion. Both are contentious and, well, I don't enjoy confrontation. Although I will gladly argue my position and listen as you argue yours, I don't like or appriciate how those two institutions have the ability to divide people who might otherwise have a lot in common. It's not that I'm a sweep-it-under-the-rug type person, but I'd like to believe we can see past our differences in favor of the common good.

[Debbie Yost]

Math. I don't have what it takes for math. I have a warped sense of logic that makes story problems a nightmare. The little "tricks" never helped me. I would spend hours and pages working a problem and it made sense in it's own way, but it was completely wrong. When the teacher would show the answer it seemed so simple and obvious. So, why, I ask you, would I choose to go to college as a Math Major?! I wanted to teach secondary school and Math or Science were the subjects that teachers were most needed. Even with my difficulty in math I had a wonderful math teacher and took the highest courses available in high school. It took one semester of calculus in college and a "non"teacher to make me realize it was impossible. I changed my major and never regretted it! Now I struggle to help my children with their math lessons. By third grade I was lost and my daughter was on her own!

[Lis Garrett]

Debbie ~

Elementary school math has gotten a lot harder than what it used to be. Hannah is in the 4th grade and already working problems that require algebra skills. Nevermind the fact that she is still struggling to learn her multiplication and division facts! Gone are the days in which all they do is practice math facts. Hannah has taken a real hit to her self-esteem because she can't learn the lessons fast enough. Every night is a struggle.

PS - I worked a challenge "function" problem with Jacob the other night (he's in the 1st grade) where you had to determine the "rule". For example, if you start with one number, what's the rule you have to follow to get the answer? The answer, by the way, was "subtract 1/2n". If that isn't algebra, I don't know what is! It's certainly not the first-grade math I remember!

Debbie Yost said:

Math. I don't have what it takes for math. I have a warped sense of logic that makes story problems a nightmare. The little "tricks" never helped me. I would spend hours and pages working a problem and it made sense in it's own way, but it was completely wrong. When the teacher would show the answer it seemed so simple and obvious. So, why, I ask you, would I choose to go to college as a Math Major?! I wanted to teach secondary school and Math or Science were the subjects that teachers were most needed. Even with my difficulty in math I had a wonderful math teacher and took the highest courses available in high school. It took one semester of calculus in college and a "non"teacher to make me realize it was impossible. I changed my major and never regretted it! Now I struggle to help my children with their math lessons. By third grade I was lost and my daughter was on her own!

[Haley Montgomery]

What!! So this is the homework I have to look forward to in a few years -- apparently a few less years than I was hoping. Give me colors, shapes and Make Way for Ducklings any day. Math is my downer, too!

[Lis Garrett]

You'll probably be doing Trig in kindergarten by then! ;-)

Haley Montgomery said:

What!! So this is the homework I have to look forward to in a few years -- apparently a few less years than I was hoping. Give me colors, shapes and Make Way for Ducklings any day. Math is my downer, too!

[robin]

Ugh, I vote Calculus too. I did well in math until Calc. I had a real pompous jerk as a Calc teacher- I liked him very much, but he was a real blowhard- and I only managed a C- in that class. I opted to take the Calculus AP exam rather than take his final, who knows what abysmal grade I'd have received for the year if I had to take a cumulative final!

In college I voluntarily took Calculus again, just to prove I could do better. That was a bad idea. Turns out it wasn't just Mr. Satalino's fault I didn't "get" Calculus. I managed a middling grade in that course but only because my husband helped me LOTS. He still holds it over my head that there is a subject that he understands far more than I do!

[Lis Garrett]

You still did LOADS better than I did, Robin, if only because you attempted the course. I took only the bare minimum math course in college, which was Intro to Algebra. I thought I was HOT STUFF walking away with a 98 in the class. But I think it was only because I started with Algebra in the 7th grade and had it nearly every year thereafter. LOL!

robin said:

Ugh, I vote Calculus too. I did well in math until Calc. I had a real pompous jerk as a Calc teacher- I liked him very much, but he was a real blowhard- and I only managed a C- in that class. I opted to take the Calculus AP exam rather than take his final, who knows what abysmal grade I'd have received for the year if I had to take a cumulative final!

In college I voluntarily took Calculus again, just to prove I could do better. That was a bad idea. Turns out it wasn't just Mr. Satalino's fault I didn't "get" Calculus. I managed a middling grade in that course but only because my husband helped me LOTS. He still holds it over my head that there is a subject that he understands far more than I do!

[MDSilversmith]

I have to agree with everyone! Math was not- is not my subject and when my children ask for homework help even in 4th grade - I have to look at the book and re-learn. I even have an extra book that helps me understand "new math" whatever that is! Why did we need "new math"?

Also on the subjects of religion and politics. While I enjoy those topics in certain settings with certain people - stretching my thinking and realizing other thought - I despise the way they can also bring out the worst in people. It's strange - it's important that we be passionate about those things because they are critical yet there is passion and there is closed mindedness and judgment.

My final subject of horror is taxes! My tax accounting class in college still makes me want to hide under the sheets and comes up every tax season. It wasn't helped any by a terrible teacher. You tell me - when the whole class is doing poorly who's fault is it?

[Susan]

Funny how we all had a hard time with math! In college I just got lost in Biology, too!
Anything that requires visual-spatial skills truly makes my brain ache. I struggle with puzzles, organizing, decorating. I just can't picture things in my mind's eye. It can be really frustrating!

[Trish (wheresthebox)]

I have to admit that, although English was my favorite, I always enjoyed math too. My least favorite was probably science, where you were supposed to be able to apply the math and put everything together to come up with explanations of how the world works. I always felt like I was three steps behind the group!

[Kristi]

Math, without a doubt. I have what equates to a 4th grader's knowledge of the subject, and yet I balance our checkbook and pay our bills. Ha! To give you an idea of just how poorly I did in math, my SAT verbal score was almost double my math score. I'm sure Hannah knows way more about math than I do.

[Deb]

Are there any that don't??? LOL

Math of any sort - I simply am not a mathematically-inclined person. Even two-digit addition and subtraction are things I struggle with at times. The only math subject that I ever really liked was geometry - probably because it was more logic based really than involving heavy math. I did force myself to take Calculus in college (and did well even), but it was a struggle. I always did better at English, History and Social Studies - and enjoyed those subjects much more.

Thankfully I am married to a math whiz and have at least two kids (so far) who take after him. Which means that he gets to help with math homework. :)