My Math Autobiography
I will be honest; math is not my greatest subject. It never has, and it probably never will be. I am one of the new teachers that are worried about teaching math to students, hoping that I do not mess them up. Even though I am nervous about teaching math, I am not going to do what my younger sister’s third grade teacher did and not teach math at all because I do not like the subject. I struggled tremendously throughout my elementary and middle school career. I still remember memorizing the multiplication chart and playing “Around the World” numerous times in my third grade class. I had gone to a private elementary and middle school where they have their own curriculum in place, which, I found out as I went to a public high school, does not coincide with the public school curriculum. In the private school setting, I had a tough time expressing to my teachers that I needed help and was often too ashamed to even ask a peer. Of my eight grades, I only had one teacher take time out of her lunch time to give me the extra help I needed.
When I moved on to a public high school, I had no idea how far behind I was in a few subjects! In my Algebra 1 class, I realized it quickly when the beginning on the year review was all new material to me. On our questionnaire that was given a couple days after school had started, I remember writing, “No offense, but I think I’m in the wrong class. I don’t understand anything that you have just gone over.” My teacher called me back and told me not to worry and she will provide all the help I need. And she did. My teacher made herself available to me before school and during lunch, and I made use of her assistance. I passed that class with a ‘B’. I did not have the greatest teacher for Geometry. For Algebra 2, I had another awesome teacher! I told him of my struggles on the first day of class. He worked with me so many times to make sure I understood the material and made himself available at all times. He even showed me how to take down better math notes in class. I passed this class with an ‘A’, my first ‘A’ in a math class. He even tutored my sister in math a few years later, even though she was not in any of his classes. To me, he was probably on my more influential teachers in high school, even though I had some of the greatest.
When I moved on to UNLV, I understood that I was going to be on my own for Math. My high school support was not going to be there. I accidently took the wrong math class. I ended up taking Math 120, which was taught by an older gentleman. This class was an up-hill battle from the start. I passed this class with a ‘C’, my only ‘C’ that I have ever had. It broke my heart when I found out that I took the wrong math class and was required to take two more semester of Math (122 and 123). I was terrified, especially already having took a class and received not the great grade. I had an awesome teacher for both those classes who believed that we should not be forced to memorize math processes and theories, but be able to apply them. I want to teach my students in similar manner, but I know that it would be more difficult because of the standardized testing and its requirements.
I’m nervous about teaching students math because I do not feel all that confident about math. However, my biggest concern is being able to prepare my students for their standardized tests. Do I teach to the test? Or do I teach my students what the need to know? I’m looking forward to this class and hope that I can learn to be a better math teacher.
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