What is the single greatest challenge that you have faced in math? How have you faced, handled or dealt with this challenge? Have other people assisted you in dealing with this challenge? How has the challenge had an impact on your experiences with math?
The single greatest challenge that I have ever experienced was in college. I had to take a college algebra class. This was the first class that I had ever taken while I was in college and I had given up on math in the 10th grade of high school. I not only had to go back and memorize formulas, but I had to remember how and when to apply them. Also, my teacher gave us (what seemed like) a ton of homework every night. It was summer class so we met everyday. I never had to work that hard memorizing and applying anything. I didn't know anyone and I didn't know how to ask for help. I am very happy because later realized office hours were made to help, so I started to go. It didn't make the work load lighter, but it did help me in my understanding. Thanks Mr. Garcia
It's amazing how a less-than-stellar past experience in a course can color our perceptions of that subject in the future! I've had similar feelings towards classes in the past, and perhaps the most enlightening experience comes when we realize that our previously held expectations no longer apply. It sounds like you learned a lot in the Algebra class in addition to the math itself. A takeaway from your experience that could possibly help us in our future Special Education classrooms is the idea that challenging students is ok so long as proper supports are in place to help our students find success. After reading about your experience in Algebra, it seems like when you realized you had an outlet to direct your questions and concerns to via your professor in his office hours, your confidence in and appreciation for the class grew. For many of our students, the idea of asking for help might not be the first thing they think of when they are experiencing difficulties in our classrooms. Therefore, it is important for us to make explicit that in our learning environments questions are encouraged and support and help is always available!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you went in for help Gabe. I to had a similar experience when I took math in college. I still remember sitting at home just staring at papers trying to memorize formulas and problems so I can get a better understanding of the math concepts. It really helped when I started getting help from others and going to office hours.
ReplyDelete