Response by notsoprimrose
 I believe my struggle
with math started at a very young age. I can remember my first grade
teacher putting a lot of fear of math in me. I remember that we used to
have to take all of our math tests and quizzes timed. So, not only were
the quizzes difficult for me, they also had to be done quickly.
I think since I panicked so much during those quizzes, it created a
mental block in my mind about math. Ever since then, I think I convinced
myself that I wasn't good at it, and so I just accepted it.
My father, a math teacher and buisiness man, was my tutor since I was
young. He was very patient with me, so this did help me not get so
scared. I think with the encouragement from dad, I was able to do pretty
well in math, but not as well as other subjects.
Still, math has never been my strong side, but I keep trying at it.
 

Response by Starr

 I believe math is taught in a
boring and scary way because it is viewed as such a strict and methodical
subject.  Teachers definitely overlook a creative and innovated approach
to math, which is unfortunate.  Some brain's (like mine)do not function
"mathematically" and are more open to subjective ideas rather than rules
that govern a subject.  If math was taught from a different angle or more
"student friendly" it would definitely be an easier concept to grasp.
Math is confusing, complex, and very difficult if I do not have a good
teacher. I think my math education has been severely limited because I've
had 3 math instructors within one year.  Also, I feel like I never
learned or grasped some of the basics in grammar school.  I am in college
to honestly learn and gain experience in my field of study (theatre)which
just so happens to contain very little math.
 

where you are.

Response by Mary Lorraine Snauffer
 My
Relationship with Math:
I wouldn't be alive without my math teacher, seriously.
When I was growing up my parents didn't care about grades so neither did
I. In 5th grade my best friend, Ali Smith, and I both got D's on a math
test. Neither of us were too phased about it. Until a few days later our
teacher told me, Alison Smith, Ryan Jones and Jack Kane that we had to
meet with Mr. Horvack during our math time. I was really excited because
I had a crush on Ryan Jones. So we went and met with Mr. Horvack every
day and got candy at the end which we'd take back to our classroom and
flaunt in front of our fellow classmates. I really liked my time with Mr.
Horvack and the small group. I liked being part of a small, little
community like that. It's funny because though we were all getting D's
and F's in math none of us put together that we were in "stupid math." No
one in our class thought twice about it either. So it was priveledge, the
whole thing. Later, looking back on it I laugh because I realize I was
put back, when I thought at the time I was being rewarded.
In high school I was more aware of my math placement. I was in the slower
math courses and I would always have the same classmates, none of whom
were my friends, most of whom my friends and I called "ghetto." My
sophomore year math teacher, Mrs. Booth, was "crazy," she was old and
very eccentric. Everyone made fun of her. Everyone rolled their eyes. No
one did work.
I knew her very well. She was very close to my mother and when I was
little we would go out to dinner every Friday. Mrs. Booth and my mother
were the closest before I was born. My mother was sick and because of it
she thought she wouldn't be able to have children. It was Mrs. Booth who
told my mother, when my mother said that she and my father were giving up
trying, to call this doctor. My mother didn't, for whatever reason. Mrs.
Booth did, set up the appointment. My parents went. My mother had surgery
and later was able to become pregnant. I didn't realize this for many
years, my mother told me some time when I was in middle school.
Like I said, I knew Mrs. Booth very well. But I was embarassed then, in
high school, so I never let on, to anyone. Everyone thought she was
crazy.
One day Mrs. Booth left the classroom for a minute. A boy dared another
boy to break her potted plant. Everyone laughed, egged him on. He did it,
broke it. We all laughed. I laughed.
Anyway, that's my relationship with Math.

Response by Lauren

 Math has always been a
challenge for me. I never gave myself a chance to do it on my own, I
always had a tutor. Even with a tutor math was just not coming throught
into my brain. My barriers probably consist of giving up quickly when I
don't understand, saying I can't when I haven't even tried, being known
as the only person in my family who is horrible in math, being
discouraged when it comes to teachers who don't put their all in what
they do, overall the idea of math has a haunting sense of failure.

Response by 1022

 How did this idea of being
awful in math seep into our minds?! I feel like I should plant tape
players in elementary classrooms that repeat "You are awesome at math...
math is easy... and
fun... and everywhere." Negativity about learning is truly a disease. I'm
glad everyone feels uplifted
and more confident when dealing with math again. People still joke around
with me that I'm so
awful at math, but now I say to them, "No, I'm great at math!" I think
everyone in the class will be
using that phrase as their mantra. I'm so happy to hear that people are
excited to learn.

Response by thx1138
 If my "career" in
Mathematics were to be represented on a curve of interest/abilty, it
would look something like this:
/------\PEAKED INTEREST
/-----/        \
/                \
------/                  \
elementary      middle       \
\--------------- little to no interest
HIGH SCHOOL
(disclaimer: it looks good in the window I'm writing in... hopefull it
looks the same when its posted - my apolgies should it not be)
Math and the sciences always peaked my interest early off in my
childhood.  I was good at it - always looking to learn what was next...
even attempting to figure it out on my own before being taught.  I would
look around to students around me wondering how they could understand.
When I got to high school, a combination of mathematical logic, and a
really irratable teacher sent me way down on that curve I tried to
demonstrate above.
Ms. Aitken was my ninth grade, Sequential II teacher (in regards to NYS
regents).  She was notorious for failing students.  She offered
challenges yes, but offered little support to the students for those
challenges.  Her demeanour was one of a sour outlook on life as well.
This combination, and a year average of 78 really turned me off from
math.  I was discouraged.  That was the first time ever I had a
cumulative average lower than a B, and I was crushed.  After that I
rebounded and maintained B averages until my last Math course, Pre-Calc.
It still was a major struggle.  I finally had the last straw when I was a
senior and TRIED to take "College Math Topics" - a course designed to
prepare us for a college math course.  I started taking the class and
found myself back in 9th grade all over again.  Needless to say I dropped
the course, and used the extra time to devote my study of choice to.
So far, this particular course at IC, "What is Math?" has given me hope
and insight as to what might be a better future for me and Math.  I'm
looking forward to stepping out of the proverbial box that is mathematics
and inspecting it from the outside in, rather than the other way around.
I'm sure I'm not alone when I say this, and I'm sure many others taking
the class share a similar experience to my own.

 Math -
Just the word inspires thoughts of fear and disgust within me. Math has
never been my thing, right from the beginning. I've always been an
english person. When i was young i would get incredibly angry because I
could never solve problems on my own. My mother had to help me with my
math homework all the way up until my freshman year of highschool. After
terrible experiences my first 3 years of high school math, I finally
dropped it my senior year and have not taken it since. So as one might
imagine, I was not particularly thrilled to learn I would have to take it
again. But this is a new school, and hopefully a new outlook on math. Who
knows - perhaps I could learn to enjoy numbers. I might even watch that
television show called "NUMB3RS" which FOX advertises for every 5
seconds. Well thats all i got for now...

Response by Nunzy

 In second grade we were given
packets with math questions that we would fill out during the time
between first recess and lunch. I used to cheat off of Kim Stabel because
she was smart. Her answers were always right, and always completed before
anyone else's. Having much difficulty with math, and also being scared to
ask for help I found that it was much easier to simply copy down the
answers that Kim had on her packet. She sat next to me, and I thought she
didn't know I was coping off of her answers, incidentally Kim did know,
but she wasn't angry, rather she was concerned. One day as I was
pretending to figure out the equations on my sheet, I glanced over to
Kim's desk to see if she was finished, which I presumed she was. Insted
to my surprise I found Kim's answer sheet blank, and she was looking at
me. I felt guilty because she was not mad.
Kim didn't tell our teacher Mrs. Stewart, she insted decided to make me
stay inside with her during our first recess the next day, before math
time. I was embaressed that I didn't understand math the way she did, and
needed extra help. But nevertheless Kim helped me understand what we were
doing. I don't remember much after that. I'm still not good at math, but
Kim was a kind person, even at such a young age.

Response by :)

 1)Why do we teach math in a
boring/scary way?
People automatically view it as boring and scary and teachers usually do
nothing to change that view. It is boring and scary because it is
difficult.
2)What is math?
Numbers, equations, problem solving...I don't know
3)Anything I know/remember
I'm sure I remember a lot so I don't want to write it all down.
4)Why am I in college?
To further my education and continue growing up
5)Write a poem
My Math Haiku:
Math is very hard,
But this class seems different,

 Response by Shane Taylor    I look forward to math
fundamentals this spring. After the first day I got such a strong feeling
about what math really is and how it involves everything in the world. I
feel that all the hands on actives will allow me to be successful in this
class and in life. Everyone uses math everyday and also they use it in
their careers. I know that being a Physical Education major I need math.
I’m very excited to learn and look to do so through the instructor and my
fellow students.  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Response by purplelover4   To say that math comes easy to me would be a lie. Instead, it has always
been a bit of a struggle. I've had many teachers that have helped me
throughout the years, but none that really made me want to learn more
about math. It was more to learn the material and pass the class. Math
was never made fun for me, but a hassle and at times threatening and
scary. All I've ever wanted to do is understand math more and have
someone take the time and be willing to explain it better to me. It's
important that teachers have patience with their students, or else we'll
be scared to ask questions and then never learn the material. Is it too
much to ask for some understanding in something I have such a hard time
with? For some people, math has never been a problem for them and they
can easily figure out problems. For me, math can be very confusing.
There's too many numbers and equations to keep track of, I sometimes
forget where to start. All I'm asking for is to finally have someone who
will put up with my confusion, be patient with me, and never assume
they've figured me out just because I may not be great at math.
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