Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Education system in Ethiopia
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Education system in Ethiopia
In the early years of my life, I went to school in Ethiopia; there, schools mostly focused on advancing students knowledge in math and science subjects. For this reason, I grew fascinated in the basic concepts of math and science which lead to my success in these subjects throughout my educational career.
Prior to my arrival in the United States, the only common language I shared with my classmates and teachers in middle school was mathematics. I wasn’t obligated to speak English to understand what my teacher was teaching; all I had to do was stay engaged and gaze at the numbers on the board and make the connections. One of the things I love about math was that it is consistent and logical. No matter how hard the puzzle gets, the pieces fit perfectly together. My biggest accomplishment in middle school was passing the OAKS math test (Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills). The OAKS test assesses your abilities in english, reading, and math.Although I didn’t pass the reading and writing portion of the exam, I scored above average in the math section, which advanced me and a few other of my classmates into geometry when we enter High School.
…show more content…
Before going into Algebra ii and honors-pre calculus, I took a semester class for both these subjects at my neighborhood community college. In addition, when I have a free period, I become a teacher assistant for the math class I am taking to insure my knowledge and success in the class. This also gave me plenty of time to ask for help as well as create a personal relationship with my teacher. My math teacher gave me extra questions and worksheets on the topics struggled on. With my preparation and my teachers dedication, I was able to excel in my pre-calculus class with a high
Math is not a scary thing. It can be fun and highly useful. In researching adult learners who return to college, I found a quote by Einstein saying (2015), “Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics. I can assure you that mine are still greater.” In Einstein’s humility, it was heartening to know we all have our weaknesses. It was even more hopeful knowing his historical mathematical strengths. According to Erskine (2015), “While the overwhelming majority of Americans, 93 percent, agree that strong math skills are essential to being successful in life, nearly a third say they would rather clean the bathroom than solve a math problem.” We all know how socially acceptable and funny it is to be bad at math. Although Erskine stated it too, she is right. However, I feel the tide is turning. It is becoming increasingly acceptable to improve oneself. I am looking forward to using the EdReady program for my Algebra, Calculus and Trigonometry skills. In bringing this essay to a close, there is always a practical and approachable way to have better math comprehension. Math does not have to be scary. This is my math life
After his visit to a Shell Research Laboratory, my high school teacher in math told us in class that he was so happy with his education, because mathematics had helped him to understand the explanations and demonstrations that had been given by the Shell researchers. He said, "If you master mathematics then you can understand everything." That was certainly an exaggeration, but it nevertheless sounded like a golden message. Since I definitely wanted to have a better understanding of what was going on around me, mathematics seemed the obvious way to go. Also, if it was not much beyond high school math, then it was pretty easy in addition. What could one wish more? So I enrolled in every advanced math class offered in our high school. Pretty soon I discovered that mathematics was much more than a set of principles that helped one to solve intellectual riddles. It was not a finished system that one could aim to master after some limited time, but it was really a way of thinking, a means of expressing creativity: endless, an old established science, but still fresh and with undiscovered green meadows, nearby and far away.
Leticia Coronado is a tutor for schools in Fort Worth, Texas where she has targeted schools deficient in math. “Because of continuing problems with students not meeting state academic standards, the Fort Worth school board… authorized spending as much as $750,000 this school year to employ college and high school students as English and math tutors” (Vaughn). Coronado thinks that core studies like math and English should be schools first priorities. Many schools haven’t shown enough time studying math, and spending too much time in arts. Kids will get too hooked on their arts and spend all of their time doing that, and spend no time at all on math. People like Coronado realize the importance of arts, but they really know that math is a core class for a reason. Math will be used in life more than any other subject. Coronado is not suggesting to take out arts completely, rather to make the focus more on the core classes that serve a better purpose in
Once I started getting better in math I started getting better in other subjects. I think my hard work was shown because when I went to River Bend I was placed in classes with people I considered smart. The classes were a bit challenging but I did well. The second year I was at River Bend I moved up even farther in my academics and then I was the “smart” person. People would come to me if they had questions, and I liked being the one to help them.
History has always been one of my passions. Entering high school, my goal was to get a 5 on one of the AP tests for history. When the opportunity came, I took my first AP class, AP European History, and I studied away.
My junior year of high school was not one of the easiest years of my life. As a matter of fact, i think so far, it's been my hardest. Especially because of my AP English class. I had several other AP classes and honors classes, but this one seemed to be my greatest struggle. I am one of the very few people who enjoy and are actually great at mathematics. It is my favorite subject, closely followed by science. I always look forward to going to these classes. I also find an interest in government, which is why I currently take AP Government and politics. Back on the English track, I've never been much of a reader or writer, it's just something that I'm not very well at doing. Last year in AP English, I had a wonderful teacher who goes by the name of Mrs.Stagg.
“Class,” I announced, “today I will teach you a simpler method to find the greatest common factor and the least common multiple of a set of numbers.” In fifth grade, my teacher asked if anyone had any other methods to find the greatest common factor of two numbers. I volunteered, and soon the entire class, and teacher, was using my method to solve problems. Teaching my class as a fifth grader inspired me to teach others how important math and science is. These days, I enjoy helping my friends with their math homework, knowing that I am helping them understand the concept and improve their grades.
My passion for the fascinating wolrd of science literally can not be put into words. Since receiving my first home science kit at five years of age the way things work and why has always been at the forefront of my mind. During my early years I would find great delight in examining anything I could fit under the lens of my telescope. I will never forget my first look at the intricate detail of a human hair.
...atics in six countries, Mathematics Teaching in the 21st Century, Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education, Michigan State University.
Ward (2005) explores writing and reading as the major literary mediums for learning mathematics, in order for students to be well equipped for things they may see in the real world. The most recent trends in education have teachers and curriculum writers stressed about finding new ways to tie in current events and real-world situations to the subjects being taught in the classroom. Wohlhuter & Quintero (2003) discuss how simply “listening” to mathematics in the classroom has no effect on success in student academics. It’s important to implement mathematical literacy at a very young age. A case study in the article by authors Wohlhuter & Quintero explores a program where mathematics and literacy were implemented together for children all the way through eight years of age. Preservice teachers entered a one week program where lessons were taught to them as if they were teaching the age group it was directed towards. When asked for a definition of mathematics, preservice teachers gave answers such as: something related to numbers, calculations, and estimations. However, no one emphasized how math is in fact extremely dependable on problem-solving, explanations, and logic. All these things have literacy already incorporated into them. According to Wohlhuter and Quintero (2003), the major takeaways from this program, when tested, were that “sorting blocks, dividing a candy bar equally, drawing pictures, or reading cereal boxes, young children are experienced mathematicians, readers, and writers when they enter kindergarten.” These skills are in fact what they need to succeed in the real-world. These strategies have shown to lead to higher success rates for students even after they graduate
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.
Fractions were the first challenge from math that I had to fight through, in which eventually I was placed in a Special Education class and I was diagnosed with a learning disability. From 4th grade to 7th grade, I had extra help in Math in the Special Education class. I kept struggling with fractions and decimals, such as dividing and multiplying them. After some time, I was told that I have advanced in my skills in Math and I was put out of the class, but they gave me the option to go to the class whenever I thought I needed help in Math and in anything I needed extra time or help in. As I entered my freshman year of high school at Carver Military Academy, I took Algebra l class and Math Navigator class. I had my ups and downs in those classes. Even though I had those two mathematical classes in my first year of high school, I really didn’t struggle through them because it was just learning about the distance formula, absolute volume, factoring numbers, finding the greatest common factor, converting fractions and decimals since it was pretty neutral to
School began interesting for me my last year of high school. School was always important to me, but I never had a passion for it. However, I always put myself in a position to find a passion for school. I never skipped class, I never talked back, and I did my best to stay engaged in every class at all times. A desire to succeed in school did not happen until my final year of high school. I made it my mission to do well in school even if I had not found a passion for school. With my Dyslexia and my ADD, I have always struggled in school, and still struggle in school. I did not discover my Dyslexia and ADD until I was in the 10th grade. The doctor said I relied on my intelligence to create other ways to find the answer which masked my disabilities.
“Teachers have three loves: love of learning, love of learners, and the love of bringing the first two together” ~ Scott Hayden
Allowing children to learn mathematics through all facets of development – physical, intellectual, emotional and social - will maximize their exposure to mathematical concepts and problem solving. Additionally, mathematics needs to be integrated into the entire curriculum in a coherent manner that takes into account the relationships and sequences of major mathematical ideas. The curriculum should be developmentally appropriate to the