Introduction
I have always loved science, especially mathematics. When I wrote my Division II contract I had a simple list of mathematical courses and wanted to explore math specialties. After two years of getting mathematical training, I got a clearer concept of its implications in the wider world. I experienced barriers of being an International student and a Woman of Color (WOC) but I don’t want to give up on this field. I want to make mathematics more accessible and appealing to non-mathematicians. Most of the learnings that took place were not the course content but rather reflections of an ongoing experience and challenges of being a young WOC in STEM.
When I first started to consider Mathematics/Science at Hampshire I imagined the field to be objective reality for its own sake and it had nothing to do with the messiness of the world. I knew about all the good implications that science has. As I got deeper understanding of the STEM culture I started to notice some distressing patterns. In this paper I will reflect on my Division II experience: the ideas I had early on, changes that happened, challenges I faced and learnings that took place and how I want to integrate what I have learned into Division III/ future.
Early ideas
When I started my Division II, I was moving on from a
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I believe that these issues are not just personal stories, but reflects on the difficulty that a student could face in STEM culture. When I wrote my Division II contract the only expectation I had was that I will take various math courses and find the ones I liked that I can apply to my Division III. It was a simple list of steps I hoped to follow. However, my idea about Division III has drastically changed and influenced by these experiences. I am interested in applying my mathematical skills in non-mathematical settings and also finding ways to bring the issues of STEM culture into
Pondering about this journey in service, I often wonder how much different my life would have been without experiencing all of the amazing opportunities. Not only the places I have been as a result of my term as Lieutenant Governor of Division 15B, but where I would be as a person if I had decided that I did not want to venture into something new. Throughout my term servicing my division I have guided these schools to having a one hundred percent Officer Information Form submissions weeks in advance of the November deadline, have established connections between organizations such as the local Humane society and March of Dimes Foundation with the clubs within my division, and have made multiple attempt to recharter a Kiwanis club for three
Mathematics has become a very large part of society today. From the moment children learn the basic principles of math to the day those children become working members of society, everyone has used mathematics at one point in their life. The crucial time for learning mathematics is during the childhood years when the concepts and principles of mathematics can be processed more easily. However, this time in life is also when the point in a person’s life where information has to be broken down to the very basics, as children don’t have an advanced capacity to understand as adults do. Mathematics, an essential subject, must be taught in such a way that children can understand and remember.
Mathematics education has undergone many changes over the last several years. Some of these changes include the key concepts all students must master and how they are taught. According to Jacob Vigdor, the concerns about students’ math achievements have always been apparent. A few reasons that are negatively impacting the productivity of students’ math achievements are historical events that influenced mathematics, how math is being taught, and differentiation of curriculum.
I have experienced many proud events during my service in the United States Marine Corps. From receiving my Eagle Globe and Anchor after completing the grueling Crucible, to being meritoriously promoted to Corporal in the fleet. However, the one single event that provides me with the greatest source of pride and achievement is completing the Martial Arts Instructor course (MAI).
The most fun I have had since I graduated was going to a track day at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA with my car enthusiast friends and cousin. It was a great experience since I had the ability to check all the technicalities of my car before driving it on the track and be part of the General Driver's Meeting in the morning that included some in-classroom time. I drove for a while at the track, but ended up enjoying spectating the more experienced and professional drivers push their cars to the limits. Additionally, I always kept an open mind to experienced track drivers that gave me tips on how to take corners quickly: braking point, turn-in point, apex, and analyze the position and direction of the next corner. After that particular track day, I learned how much brakes and tires wear as well as the importance of checking the essential components of one's car much like checking a patient's physiology before admitting to surgery.
It’s no question that the military has changed over the years. Basic Combat Training has not changed for 30 years until the millennial generation, but why? The older generation says that the newer generation has become too soft and they made Basic Combat Training easier; the new generation thinks otherwise. Basic Combat Training Is still hard and the military never did get weaker but something did happen.
Using literacy strategies in the mathematics classroom leads to successful students. “The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM, 1989) define mathematical literacy as an “individual's ability to explore, to conjecture, and to reason logically, as well as to use a variety of mathematical methods effectively to solve problems." Exploring, making conjectures, and being able to reason logically, all stem from the early roots of literacy. Authors Matthews and Rainer (2001) discusses how teachers have questioned the system of incorporating literacy with mathematics in the last couple of years. It started from the need to develop a specific framework, which combines both literacy and mathematics together. Research was conducted through
...ett, S. (2008) . Young children’s access to powerful mathematical ideas, in English, Lyn D (ed), Handbook of international research in mathematics education, 2nd edn, New York, NY: Routledge, pp. 75-108.
Before I describe to you some of the “routine” and specific situations, investigations, and actual cases and dispositions I encountered I feel I should outline some of the training that that I received starting with the Military Police and Basic Training. Looking back I see the importance of the initial Army training that centered on physical conditioning and the discipline necessary to obey and follow orders to become part of a team. We learned that what was good for one was good for all and of course the reverse. Each morning we stood inspection outside of the barracks with our field packs on. Part of our required equipment during the inspections was a razor. We found out why one morning at the beginning of our training cycle when one of
With this promise came serious concerns over education taught students ranked 28th in the United States out of 40 other countries in Mathematics and Sciences. 80% of occupations depend on knowledge of Mathematics and Science (Week and Obama 2009). In order to ensure that educators have enough money to fund the endeavor to be more competitive with the rest of the world in Mathematics and Science, President Obama will increase federal spending in education with an additional 18 billion dollars in k-12 classrooms, guaranteeing educators have the teachers, technology, and professional development to attain highly quali...
As a secondary subject, society often views mathematics a critical subject for students to learn in order to be successful. Often times, mathematics serves as a gatekeeper for higher learning and certain specific careers. Since the times of Plato, “mathematics was virtually the first thing everyone has to learn…common to all arts, science, and forms of thought” (Stinson, 2004). Plato argued that all students should learn arithmetic; the advanced mathematics was reserved for those that would serve as the “philosopher guardians” of the city (Stinson, 2004). By the 1900s in the United States, mathematics found itself as a cornerstone of curriculum for students. National reports throughout the 20th Century solidified the importance of mathematics in the success of our nation and its students (Stinson, 2004). As a mathematics teacher, my role to educate all students in mathematics is an important one. My personal philosophy of mathematics education – including the optimal learning environment and best practices teaching strategies – motivates my teaching strategies in my personal classroom.
[4] Nolan, Deborah. Women in Mathematics: Scaling the Heights. The Mathematical Association of America, 1997
Hanson K., & Shwartz W. (1992). Equal mathematics education for female students, 78. 4. Retrieved November 4, 2002. ERIC Digest.
...re encompassing way, it becomes very clear that everything that we do or encounter in life can be in some way associated with math. Whether it be writing a paper, debating a controversial topic, playing Temple Run, buying Christmas presents, checking final grades on PeopleSoft, packing to go home, or cutting paper snowflakes to decorate the house, many of our daily activities encompass math. What has surprised me the most is that I do not feel that I have been seeking out these relationships between math and other areas of my life, rather the connections just seem more visible to me now that I have a greater appreciation and understanding for the subject. Math is necessary. Math is powerful. Math is important. Math is influential. Math is surprising. Math is found in unexpected places. Math is found in my worldview. Math is everywhere. Math is Beautiful.
When I graduated from high school, forty years ago, I had no idea that mathematics would play such a large role in my future. Like most people learning mathematics, I continue to learn until it became too hard, which made me lose interest. Failure or near failure is one way to put a stop to learning a subject, and leave a lasting impression not worth repeating. Mathematics courses, being compulsory, are designed to cover topics. One by one, the topics need not be important or of immediate use, but altogether or cumulatively, the topics provide or point to a skill, a mastery of mathematics.