I have begun to understand math in a more methodical and logical
way throughout these last two months. My previous years of schooling
in the subject of math have merely been the memorization of random facts,
theorems, and fon-nulas. All this information has become very disjointed
and most has been forgotten. This has happened mainly because the
knowledge did not make sense to me ... it was just memorized to get a grade
and pass the class.
This year, however, the math knowledge that has been in the deep recesses
of my brain is coming back out into the light. I now can make sense
of this past knowledge by applying my skills to the SeeLogo program.
I am a very visual leamer, I truly believe that a "picture is worth a thousand
words." Making a graphical representation of what I have learned helps
me to sort out and keep the infom-iation in a logical methodical order
in my brain. This allows me to recall the knowledge and apply it
to life.
Such as the first lesson we did on sales tax. Everyday we are
paying sales tax and we just leave it up to the computer to figure it out
and assume its right. Now I can check it on my own and make sure
it is right. Also the most recent lesson on Pi has been very helpful
in my understanding of the inter-relationships of the circumference and
diameter within a circle. This ingenious measurement has forever
standardized the way we calculate the dimensions of circles, not to mention
made it a whole lot easier on us too. These concepts amongst others
I feel I have mastered. As I demonstrated on the day I helped you
out in class when Mike the TA wasn't there. I also feel that my SeeLogo
final presentation shows that I have complete mastery over such mathematical
principals
as: The Pythagoras Theorem, Cartesian coordinate system, point slope
fon-nula, equation of a line, arc-tangent, Pi, and also how to illustrate
these concepts in the SeeLogo program. In the non-computer part of
my final the members of my group contributed equally, each researching
our own quotes and finding pictures that inspire us spiritually.
We then expounded on these quotes and what they mean to us by sharing with
class. It is not easy to share your inner feelings with people whom
you don't know too well, but I feel that I have grown from these experiences
in our class.
It has been a wonderful and interesting year. We saw our nation
rise to and conquer the challenges of terrorism by coming together as a
whole nation, devoid of individualism; as we, the students of Ithaca College,
rose to our own challenges in the classroom and received help from our
peers as well as our teachers. No matter how great or minute the
task, it is always easier to conquer this challenge with the help of those
around you.