Math Stuff

I started my classes at Stockton this week. One of my classes is about using technology in the classroom. The teacher had us start a blog yesterday that we could use either for our classes or once we become teachers use it to connect with other teachers. Either way it has to be educational and some what professional. Well that site has decided it doesn't want to work right now and I want to get this done so I'll post it here for now.

Just a little humor

Typical conversation when people know you are going to college:

Person: "Oh, thats great! What's your major?"

Me: "I'm studying Math and I want to be a math teacher."

Person: "Ugh MATH?!?!?! I hate math."

How do you respond to that?! Oh me too?? NO! One of my big motivations to become a math teacher is get rid of this mentality of hating math. In this blog the writer talks about the same thing. All of the responses she gives are no surprise! She points out that it's okay to hate math in our society. (In this article the writer pokes fun at if we all said we hating reading.) The blogger also adds in the pressure from Race to the Top and Common Core to improve students scores without any other support.

One of my goals when I become a math teacher is to help students understand why you factor polynomials and convert fractions and graph lines. Maybe they won't use it in their everyday lives but there are reasons behind all the math. It's just mindlessly following the steps in the book. I want students to see that we have figured so many things out with numbers and science. I realize it's a challenge but I'm up for it! 

~BA