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Post by originalvanillabean on Feb 1, 2015 14:07:30 GMT
I love love love Algebra, but Calculus doesn't make sense to my mind.
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,458 
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Post by katybee on Feb 1, 2015 14:20:45 GMT
You know, I really haaaaated algebra. It made no sense to me. And I couldn't understand the mixing of letters and numbers. The teacher would tell us that those were unknowns. And I remember thinking "Unknown what?" No one ever explained the point of it. This thread is bringing back memories, lol! See-- this is what so-called "new math" is trying to avoid. For many years, we only taught algorithms and formulas with absolutely no understanding behind their meanings. So kids, and adults, could do the "steps" but they had no idea what it all meant. Adults today get stressed out by the way we teach math, because it isn't the way they learned. That doesn't mean that it's not effective. |
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Post by mollycoddle on Feb 1, 2015 14:29:20 GMT
You know, I really haaaaated algebra. It made no sense to me. And I couldn't understand the mixing of letters and numbers. The teacher would tell us that those were unknowns. And I remember thinking "Unknown what?" No one ever explained the point of it. This thread is bringing back memories, lol! See-- this is what so-called "new math" is trying to avoid. For many years, we only taught algorithms and formulas with absolutely no understanding behind their meanings. So kids, and adults, could do the "steps" but they had no idea what it all meant. Adults today get stressed out by the way we teach math, because it isn't the way they learned. That doesn't mean that it's not effective. h I wish that I would have had the opportunity to understand the reasoning. It sounds much better than the way that I was taught. |
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Post by Cupcake on Feb 1, 2015 16:04:17 GMT
Yep, I started out in college as a psychology major, but switched to mathematics when I realized I was taking math courses to keep my grades up, lol. Got my BS in math (with a psych minor) cum laude 3 years later.  Lisa B. |
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Post by myboysnme on Feb 1, 2015 16:10:37 GMT
I am so bad at math that I took special ed math in school and advanced English. In college I had a tutor 5 days a week to get through a basic math requirement. If I had not passed that class with a 'D' I would not have graduated and gone on to get my Masters.
It is really sad. My older son has the same issue. He dropped out of high school a month before graduation because he could not pass the algebra standards of learning exam. He said it would be too humiliating to take it again and fail right before graduation. Now he is in college.
Some people cannot do math and I think there should be professional careers without that requirement.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Feb 1, 2015 16:31:41 GMT
Yes I excelled in math. I also agree with the previous poster that even if math is not your strength, be careful about how you convey that to your children. I rarely hear a parent tell a struggling reader - oh I hate reading and was never good at it in school. Instead they talk about how great reading is and they just need to stick with it - math not so much. Way too many parents convey that hating math and it not being connected to "real life" and we wonder why we struggle to graduate enough stem majors and import them from other countries.
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Post by Tamhugh on Feb 1, 2015 16:36:07 GMT
I was good at math through junior high. Algebra 1 and 2 were a breeze and I had a great teacher. Then I hit geometry. I hated proofs. Trigonometry ughhhhhh. My trig teacher told me I was stupid and I believed him. I have hated math ever since. I panic when I get assigned to a one-on-one student in math class.
My kids were always good in math. Then, in high school, my youngest started struggling in higher level algebra and trig. But he breezed through geometry with a 99%. He ended up having to change his major in college over math. He was getting As in his computer classes but Cs in calculus. I was sad for him at the time, but he is so much happier and more confident now that he is studying stuff that he loves and is really good at.
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Post by eebud on Feb 1, 2015 20:15:19 GMT
When I was in school, math was one of my strongest subjects. I really enjoyed all of my math classes. Then, when I was taking geometry in high school, we got a new teacher so they mixed up the classes and I was one of the students sent to the new teacher's class. I HATED this teacher. When I didn't like a teacher, that was it for me. I didn't even try in class. The only thing that kept me from failing that class was that the first 9 week period, when I was with the original teacher, I had an A so when all of my other grades were averaged, I barely squeaked out a passing grade. I didn't have to take a lot of math in college but the math I did take, I aced with no problems. I also tutored a friend that struggled. Today, I have been away from advanced math for many years. I have had no reason to use it in a very long time so if I would have a hard time jumping into a higher level math class. I would probably need to start back over with algebra to relearn everything I have forgotten. As for basic, math that we need for every day living, I am excellent.
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Post by ihaveonly1l on Feb 1, 2015 20:20:39 GMT
I'm our district's K-8 math coach, so I like to think so.  When I was in the classroom, teaching math was my favorite
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Post by myboysnme on Feb 1, 2015 20:31:03 GMT
I think life and school is easier for kids that are good at math. I think it's the way your brain works. Things make sense in ways that not math people never get.
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perumbula
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,439
Location: Idaho
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Post by perumbula on Feb 1, 2015 20:37:35 GMT
Yes, I'm good at it and it's very helpful to be able to help kids in any math class I walk into. Sometimes with the high school math I have to read the book for a couple of minutes as a refresher (because I don't have to remember which way negative slope goes in my everyday life, lol) but once I do, I'm good for a few months on that topic at least. I do hate when parents who didn't do well in math tell their kids lies like "algebra isn't useful in real life." Here's the deal, if you are trying to find the answer to something, you are solving for x. Sometimes the x is after the = and sometimes it's stuck on the right. I use algebra all the freaking time. What was my gas milage on this last tank? Do I have enough cash to get everything I need at the grocery store? How much money will I have after I pay my bills? How many yards of fabric do I need for a curtain? and just last night, how far apart should our boards be on our new board and batten wainscoting? Life is full of math and it's ALL story problems. I try and explain to kids how much math we just do automatically in our lives, but they don't believe me because people have been lying to them about the usefulness of math for years.  |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Nov 1, 2024 1:29:40 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2015 20:54:23 GMT
I may not need calculus in my daily life but you do need math to get by in life.
Mandarin Chinese? Maybe not.
Signed, linguist and math idiot
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Post by moosedogtoo on Feb 1, 2015 21:10:19 GMT
I love math. It was always one of my best subjects in school. The only math class I had issues with was calculus and that's because the accent of the TA who did most of the teaching was almost impossible to understand. I ended up with a C and I was mad.
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Post by threegirls on Feb 1, 2015 21:14:48 GMT
I'm terrible at math as are my siblings. Our dad was a rocket scientist. Not kidding. He could not teach us math because he couldn't understand how we didn't just "get it". I ended up hiring myself a tutor while I was in high school. I paid for the tutor with my own money that I made working at a snack bar and babysitting. With the tutor's help I ended up doing ok.
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azredhead
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,755
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Post by azredhead on Feb 1, 2015 21:32:07 GMT
I'm terrible at math as are my siblings. Our dad was a rocket scientist. Not kidding. He could not teach us math because he couldn't understand how we didn't just "get it". I ended up hiring myself a tutor while I was in high school. I paid for the tutor with my own money that I made working at a snack bar and babysitting. With the tutor's help I ended up doing ok. That's kinda how it was with my step dad, sometimes he would get frustrated especially with me. Cause I just couldn't get it either. He was actually better with DH I though in helping him! Step dad isn't a rocket scientist but he owns his own construction company.-I guess for him it paid off. |
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Post by cmpeter on Feb 1, 2015 21:43:30 GMT
No and I have to use math a lot at work. Thank goodness for Excel!
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kelly8875
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,415
Location: Lost in my supplies...
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Post by kelly8875 on Feb 1, 2015 22:20:26 GMT
I was good at math all through school, and ahead of schedule as far as when I took certain classes. But anymore, I wouldn't be too good at it, but I don't use anything beyond basic math at work. And then it's mostly calculated for me with formulas!
DS is about like myself with math, and DD is proving herself wrong with math this year. She has always been just average with math, but thought she was horrible. Then last year she had the worst teacher, and her math grade literally ended with a D+ for the year (ugh). But this year, she has an awesome teacher who actually cares, and she has an A. When we told her teacher who she had last year, she said that a lot of kids/parents are saying the same thing. So all you math teachers, make sure you LOVE it, and your kids will too!!!
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Post by Miss Lerins Momma on Feb 1, 2015 22:39:09 GMT
I hate math and am not very good at it. DH has to help the girls with any math homework!
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Post by tallgirl on Feb 1, 2015 22:50:24 GMT
I'm a chemical engineer. So, yes. |
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Post by just PEAchy on Feb 1, 2015 22:53:52 GMT
I do well with basic math, algebra and statistics, but advanced math, not so much. I did well with geometry, trig and calculus in school, but I don't remember any of it. As Im finding out when trying to help my high schooler. Luckily DH is a math whiz so he does most of the helping.
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Post by sacteach on Feb 1, 2015 23:10:15 GMT
I hope I'm good at it since I'm paid to teach it I teach Algebra to 8th graders and tutor through Algebra 2. I was almost a math major, but Differential Equations quickly changed that and I chose Math as my minor instead. I could possibly tutor/teach Trig, Calculus, etc. but I would have to take a refresher course. But I would love taking the class |
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When I was in the classroom, teaching math was my favorite 
