Most of the time, when I introduce myself as a math teacher, the response is "Oh! I was never any good at math". Or I'd get an ear full of what happened to them when they got to Geometry and it's proofs. The few exceptions are from people who turn out to be engineers, computer geeks or other math teachers. You know, the nerds. Then, when say I teach 7th graders math, I usually get the southern expression (in sympathetic tone with sideways head shake or the head slant): "Bless your heart". The southern expression, "bless your heart", you must understand, can mean just about anything from "you idiot! Can't you find any other job!" to a very sincere "Heaven help you...you poor dear". Most of the time the "Bless your heart" is understood to mean the former not the latter. Once, after introducing myself as math teacher of 7th graders (and receiving the customary "Bless your heart"), I was asked, "do you know why Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son when his son was only 7 years old?...Because if He would have waited til he was a teenager, it really would not have been considered a sacrifice."
I have been struggling with my career path for a few years. Not that I don't like teaching or teenagers...I do. What I don't like is failure. Every time in conversation someone laughs and says," I was never any good at math...and let me tell you about Mrs. Kranic, my old geometry teacher...", I feel failure. A personal failure, as if I had something to do with it. Because deep down I believe somewhere in the world I know that some of my past students are saying the same about me. "I was never any good at math and let me tell you about my 7th grade Math teacher, Mr. Bartz...."
Many teachers choose to blame the victim (student), saying "If they just would have payed attention, taken better notes, done their homework, come in for help, bless their heart, etc... they would have gotten it". I must admit that I easily resort to washing my hands of any responsibility by casting fault on the student's bad habits, but I always am left with those "damn spots" that don't come off. What am I doing wrong?
What is it about math that it seems like only a few seem to grasp? Why do so many people find great camaraderie admitting that they are math illiterate? Would these same people also freely admit that they weren't very good at reading? No, I don't think so. Being illiterate is shamefully hidden while being mathematically inept is openly laughed and joked about as if you are normal if you don't get math. After all, only the nerds like math.
I have been struggling with my career path for a few years. Not that I don't like teaching or teenagers...I do. What I don't like is failure. Every time in conversation someone laughs and says," I was never any good at math...and let me tell you about Mrs. Kranic, my old geometry teacher...", I feel failure. A personal failure, as if I had something to do with it. Because deep down I believe somewhere in the world I know that some of my past students are saying the same about me. "I was never any good at math and let me tell you about my 7th grade Math teacher, Mr. Bartz...."
Many teachers choose to blame the victim (student), saying "If they just would have payed attention, taken better notes, done their homework, come in for help, bless their heart, etc... they would have gotten it". I must admit that I easily resort to washing my hands of any responsibility by casting fault on the student's bad habits, but I always am left with those "damn spots" that don't come off. What am I doing wrong?
What is it about math that it seems like only a few seem to grasp? Why do so many people find great camaraderie admitting that they are math illiterate? Would these same people also freely admit that they weren't very good at reading? No, I don't think so. Being illiterate is shamefully hidden while being mathematically inept is openly laughed and joked about as if you are normal if you don't get math. After all, only the nerds like math.
4 comments:
In response to "only nerds like math" I have a plea for reconsideration: only English nerds are painfully jealous that others understand it and they do not. In essence, English nerds don't like math because they just don't get it. In essence, it reveals the greatest weakness of our mind--the fact that the left side of our brain is depleted after years of overanalyzing, philosophizing, and daydreaming connections that are hardly practical but are more natural than breathing.
We need to understand math, to know why formulas for priniple interest would somehow benefit our need to "see into the life of things" instead of just organizing our checkbook. If you as a math teacher can convince me that it is a grand thing to do so, then it may help me be motivated to figure it out.
I agree wholeheartedly with you that failure is a scary thing. For English teacher/majors, or just lovers of language and thinking, we like to have more than one answer...room to ponder, if you will. We become terrified to think that if we miss one step in the quadratic formula that there is no turning back-the day is done. How can we feel safe in such a constricting place?
Be comforted, however, that we realize we need math to survive.We desperately do. But, we will probably just build relationships with people who are good at it to help us get through life that requires it. People help us overanalyzers and freethinkers feel like we have a little companionship with the problems that numbers give us. So, maybe your answer to the problem of those who don't get is to just be an extra friendly teacher to those who need a little companionship in the scary classroom with sharp symbols on the walls.
Maybe we need to be told we are just persevering like a Dickens character would on a journey toward adulthood...or maybe we need to get a clue and just grow up...
You tell me.
Now that I, an English teacher who is currently back in school as well, has processed this much, I will return later to more thoughts. Or maybe I need the math teacher to put what I just said into practical terms.Are you getting the point? "Like" should never be equated with "need" because these kids don't know they need it and won't until their noses have been stuck in books and their head in clouds for too long to remember why they stopped trying to learn math.
YAAHHH!!! You have started a Blog! You know where I am 24/7 if you need me to check your blog for gramatical errors. :) I will help you with that, if you will help me with math. Deal?
Love Ya Lots Dad!
Eldest16
glad to see you around these here parts. thanks for the heads up in sunday school class!
to your post:
interesting perspective on culture and perception. much of what you said includes me. i am quick to admit i don't really "get" math. or at least not algebra, trig or pre-cal. i couldn't even define those things if i had to. i did like geometry and even proofs, i could just see it. strange.
however, i do respect math and what it has to offer. when i was working on my undergrad in theology i often talked to a co-worker about God. he was working on a graduate degree in theoretical math at uab. i think God was graciously beginning a work in his life. as i would talk with him about things i was learning about God he began to see connections in the realm of numbers. he seemed to get how great math could be and that the only way it could be so grand is if it had a grand designer or some form of goal (telos). that fact struck me hard then. wow. all truth is God's truth, including math. this lesson left me with a sense of awe that God would use numbers to reveal his greatness to mankind. (psalm 19) good stuff. who knows? i may be a bit slower next time i'm tempted to jump into a conversation by stating, "i suck at math" or something of the like. while the fact remains that i'm lousy with numbers and really have a hard time understanding the concepts, i do have a deep appreciation for order and numbers. if only i would have listened to mrs. smith (11th grade algebra 2 teacher) a bit more closely, maybe i could sing God's song of numbers the way you do.
Grace and Peace.
q
So, we do, as polar opposite educators, agree on some very important thing: that perception often creates its own reality. The great thing is is that you as a math teacher (whose subject I often see as a nightmare) understand that many people "feel" before they "experience," which often avoids keeping any record or memory of that experience.
I am very happy that you are "self-aware" that you experience and then perceive. You tread the dark waters of learning expecting and anticipating the challenge and trust that you will own the learning (through intuition) over time. We stubborn non-math lovers would rather control our experience in an artistic refusal of logical thinking. (see my new post for other findings).
Very pleased.
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