I am not a mathematician. This deep dive into self-knowledge occurred when I received my first progress report for second semester Ninth Grade Algebra. To say that I was put into a space of shock and awe is an understatement; I was outraged. I was completing all my assignments and turning in homework, but my poor test grades were obliterating my grade. My other classmates were doing well in that class, but one thing distinguished me from them, they had a certified math teacher in the first semester. I was enrolled into a class with no teacher, stuck for the entire semester with a substitute. It is not uncommon for Banneker High School to have lots of substitute teachers, this problem comes when attending a poor performing school, and getting qualified teachers is part of the luck of the draw, unfortunately. My substitute teacher assigned us book work and worksheets to fill space and time, not to teach and learn. I should have been mastering the common core standards, but the only knowledge I garnered was that my former substitute did not appear happy with her career choices. I left first semester without learning anything about Math, but I did not know this at the time. I completed first semester of Ninth Grade Algebra with a “B.” I was satisfied. But second semester Algebra came with a vengeance; I paid dearly because I did not have the …show more content…
necessary knowledge. I was not able to fast-forward my learning like I could do in all of my other classes. My grades were an immediate disappointment and a warning sign to get help. I did not go to my new teacher because I didn’t want him to think I was making excuses for my poor performance, and I figured out I had to learn it on my own. I sought out other teachers for tutorial help, another Ninth Grade teacher Ms. Goggins was particularly helpful, but my sea change occurred when I recognized that it was my responsibility to own my education. I started to think outside of the box, and used the many resources of the Internet to obtain access to quality teaching.
I particularly enjoyed the YouTube Videos with Khan Academy to learn different mathematical concepts. Because Math did not come easily like other subjects, I would repeatedly replay videos after videos until I started a library with all my videos in one place. Between Mrs. Goggins’ after school tutorials, long nights of studying, the use of Khan Academy and other YouTube videos, I made up for my loss in first semester Algebra by successfully completing second semester Ninth Grade Algebra with a
“B.” Unfortunately, some fables don’t have completely happy endings. There is still a problem that remains in mathematics: my chances of getting into my dream college have been impacted by my low math subscore on my composite ACT. While my other sections such as Science, Reading, and English are competitive, mathematics continues to haunt me. I have also run out of time; applications are due in January, so I am out of opportunities to improve my math score. Although these factors may pose as a barrier on my college decision, starting from behind in math has given me the assets to overcome future challenges. The Internet will always be a “go to”, but I also know how to find other resources because I have the courage to truly listen to others and ask the difficult questions of myself. Am I doing this job to the best of my ability, or am I just substitute teaching? All of my math problems have taught me that my plan of how I am going to learn a specific skill is just as important as what I am supposed to be learning. Calculus is the mathematical study of change, and while it is never going to come easy, I have learned that I can control how I deal with those changes.
Ask yourself, how was your 8th grade year… Was it good, bad, fun, or stressful? Well most of my 8th grade year was bad but the ending actually turned out good. The start of my year was exciting, but that was just the beginning. As time went on and the work started to come in, that's when things turned south for me. I started stressing about everything I had to do, I was getting to overwhelmed. I would catch myself slipping constantly and it was worrying me because I didn't want to get held back a year. I slowly started to lose all interest in all of my work.
Oh seventh grade, what a year to remember. That was actually my favorite year of middle school. At home during this time was a mess and my grades also plummeted but I think going to school took some stress off because I was taking some time to "myself" and forgetting for a while about my home situation. Seventh grade, I would say was a year of friends for me. I had and still to this day have a friend from kindergarten that I considered a best friend. Until a new girl came along, lets call her Patricia. Patricia basically took "my spot" I guess in fifth grade while I was off at my new school for the year. Anyway speeding forward to seventh grade I noticed my best friend, lets call her Amanda, not really talking to me anymore and or passing by
period class Mrs. E math class which I can’t stand math, I thought the class was going to be
I consider myself to be a hard worker when I study and work, who honestly loves school. My favorite classes of 8th grade are honors geometry AB, Investigation and Science & IED. I love these classes because when I solve problems experiment it feels like it's a big puzzle that is in need to be put together and I'm a person who likes to figure things out. I believe that my interactions in these classes are to be a cooperative learner and I participate in the class or group discussions. A description of myself when I work is that I am a very fast learner, so when it comes to doing independent project or tests, I finish very fast so I have a really large amount of time to check over and fix simple mistakes. Although, when I am working with my peer
I think I am good at math because when it's something new we are learning about I memorize the steps in solving the problems and then try it on my own and I am able to do it with not trouble. what I do to learn how a new app or a video game work is I test it out without actually trying and then I see how the game works and then I keep practicing the game to get better at it. What was different for me last semester that I really wasn't practicing as much at home like I do in class so the only time I would practice the problems was in class
Solving the need for tutors for 9th grade algebra students at Golda Meir School by integrating more technology into every day class work and limiting distractions.
I now don’t have a hard time with math anymore. I now understand it better. I’m more comfortable with it. My teacher from last year actually cared and helped me throughout the whole year. I hope I have her next year for algebra 2. I don’t love math, but I’m glad I’m comfortable with it, because My dream career deals with
If we don't learn algebra in eighth grade, we may get held back in high school. In the article “Should There Be an Eighth-Grade Algebra Requirement?”, Secretary Richard Riley said, "The key to understanding mathematics is taking algebra or courses covering algebraic concepts by the end of eighth grade." This supports the claim by stating that understanding mathematics
Besides waking up at 6:30 in the morning in the middle of summer and traveling an hour to get to a four-hour math class, taking summer remedial math class has been a joyful and adventurous experience. You see, during High-School, math was my weakest subject. I don’t tell this to everyone but I pretty much-skipped class for almost an entire semester of statistics. In retrospect, I am kind of glad I skipped my math class. It was just dreadful. Let’s just say I did not find my teacher too appealing. The students being disruptive added on to why I despised being in that class. Then again, I can’t blame everyone for my mistake, only myself. I chose that path.
This week in Algebra A we learned about how to do problems that we needed to know for a quiz. The most important thing i learned in Algebra a is knowing how to do some problems that I didn't get back then. The assignment i spent most time on was divisions with fractions because i don't understand it much and i just give up on it.I can tell i am learning because i get what i am doing now and i don't need much help like before. I am having trouble learning divisions with fractions because i just don't seem to get it. One assignment i am struggling with is kind of word problems because they confuse me and then i ask for help but doesn't seem like i get enough help.
When I was fourteen years old, I learned algebra. My algebra teacher wasn’t the best. My mind didn’t connect with the teachers’ lessons and textbooks too well, and math was one of my weakest subjects. I would walk into my algebra class every afternoon wanting to run right back out. This was the first time I began struggling with math at a high level of difficulty. All my life I had been used to getting 0Bs and at times even As in my math class, however, all of this changed once I got into algebra in my eight grade year in middle school. I felt like I was the only person in my class hanging by the tip of the nail when it came to passing the class, meanwhile, everyone else was getting all the lessons and assignments
Education changes people, shapes them, and enlightens them. High school is that time when you further your education and that brought me new challenges, friends, and new paths. One of those challenges was Math Honors 1. It was a difficult class and I have never had the best of luck when it came to math, but this year I had better resources that could help me. Some of the various challenges that came along with this class was learning new topics that were never covered in my previous math classes, but I welcomed the new challenges. New strategies and a positive attitude were my weapons of choice against the adversity I faced, but there were some things I would do contrary to this year. A few of those things would be to refresh my brain on what
This course challenged me and my math abilities. It was the most strenuous and exhausting class I have ever been in. Often times, I became frustrated because this class was not so easy like my other classes seemed to be. The challenged sparked something in me. Most students dislike math because it is rigid, however, it made me, and still does make me, feel alive. Nothing will come close to the relief and high feeling of solving a grueling math problem. Mathematics soon became my favorite subject and I realized in the midst of solving equations and evaluating expressions, I have a passion in math. This was a realization that ignited personal growth and I had a new understanding of myself. I understood why I was in school and I answered the question most high schoolers will never know; what am I going to pursue after school? I would like to continue my math career and spread my love for math. Whether, it be becoming a math teacher, or contributing to NASA by calculating equations like Katherine Johnson. Whatever it may be, I know I will enjoy the rest of my life with
I realized that I had to change my negative attitude towards Mathematics. Since the beginning of this year, I have opted to participate in class and ask various questions. I became an inquisitively garrulous individual, speaking more than I ever did in any of my other classes to grasp every Mathematical concept. I was on a mission to be successful. I started going to office hours. Office hours helped me a great deal in accomplishing my goals because I was able to receive one on one tutor from my Math teacher, Ms. Leno. "Ding Ding", fourth period was finally over and it was time for lunch. Walking into Ms. Leno 's room, I could hear her at her desk saying, “Give me a minute Abigail, I’m going to warm up my lunch!” Walking back from the the teacher’s lounge, I could smell Ms. Leno’s beans and veggies. It smelled so delicious, that sometimes my stomach would
You have been in my life ever I’ve been in kindergarten. Every time I learn about you my teachers are horrible. For some reason, I believe math teachers are cursed with some poisonous potion that makes them cruel and horrifying. When I was in third grade, my first day of school was awesome. We all got to know each other and we spent the day drawing and writing about our summer. I thought my teacher was nice until we started to get working. A week past by and we started to do some math. At that point she changed from a blooming tulip to vine of poison ivy ready to infect someone. I thought to myself what could have caused such an enormous change in such a small time. It finally got to me: math.