I'm sure we all have subjects we hated when we were in school. Do you find that bias present in your teaching? Do you downplay certain subjects because you hated them?
I've found that the subjects that I hated, I try and get creative in how I teach them, I try to skip over specific assignments that I didn't like, or at least modify them so they aren't as daunting. For example I hated history in school because I am not one for mindlessly memorizing lists and dates, also it seemed that everytime I would get interested in a topic it would be time to switch to another topic. So, I avoid doing that with my boys, if they are liking something we stick with it until they've had enough or we've explored all we can on that area, and I do not expect them to just spit out lists of facts to me.
I find that I try to make sure the kids enjoy and "get" stuff I didn't. The only subject I struggled with was math, so I make sure the have the "best for them" math, opportunities to use math in everyday life, stuff like that, so they don't have the math phobias and hassles I do.
The only subject I didn't like was math. So, I try to be creative with teaching it, and if it seems that I just can't explain it so they understand I let my dh teach it.
Physics!!!! Gads, I hated it. And chemistry. Thankfully my kiddos are way too young for that still, and I have a hubby who enjoyed those subjects!
I didn't like any kind of science. And just soon not do it now! We pretty much just fly right through it just so we can say we did it. Trying to change that however this coming year! My biggest problem is teaching stuff that I know they will never use in real life, if I haven't uses it in any of my 23 yrs out of high school, what's the use?
That. Exactly. I want to start my students out right and be sure that they "get" math. I dont want ANYONE to ever feel about Math the way that I did. Because I realize, it was mostly lousy textbooks and mindless drill that caused my problems.
I hadn't thought about it, but I think you're right: My personal biases did affect what we taught. For example, I detested economics and public affairs, and I never even thought about including the subject in our homeschooling years. Your message would have been very valuable back then, because it may have helped to correct that bias. BTW, some of the topics I really disliked in school are topics I really enjoy today. An example of that is history.
Spelling! Ohh...how I hated it! As an adult I wonder if I had/have a learning disability that made that so hard for me. I consider myself to be fairly intelligent, I have a college degree, and I STILL can't spell. Thank goodness for computers and spell check. My kids aren't old enough for me to really teach spelling yet, but I will when the time comes. I hope they don't take after me in this area.
I hated math in school. I didn't have a good foundation and since math builds on what you know I just got further and further behind and struggled more and more. My son likes math so I want to make sure he has a good foundation and doesn't end up like me, struggling to pass Calculus in college. I'm going to use Math-U-See and since he's a hands on learner I think it'll be good for him. I watched the demo and actually learned things I never knew! Eek! If I have trouble teaching, my husband is good at math, my oldest son is studying engineering and his girlfriend is going to be a middle school math teacher, so I have some back-up.
I am starting to correct myself in this area. The area that first comes to mind is math. I haven't focused on it as much as most people would. I don't enjoy math. In school math was rather boring to me. It wasn't a subject I struggled with - I just didn't enjoy it. So this next school year I am switching things up and adding in lots of living math books and DVDs along with a change in math programs. PE is another one. I didn't like PE. I have to work to overcome that one because my boys are naturally sedentary. I mean they were the kids who would go out to play and plop themselves down in the dirt. I'm sure there are other subject matters that I am avoiding or downplaying too, but they don't come to mind at the present time. I do find my bias present in what I enjoy too. I teach or focus on things I enjoyed most.
I didn't like PE either. Of course the way it was done was stupid. Take 10 minutes to change into gym clothes, 5 minutes for the teacher to tell you what to do, 20-30 of actual activity (sometimes), 10 minutes to change back and wash up. This was hardly enough time to actually do much, especially if you are playing baseball or something where you only have so many turns at bat or whatever. I didn't like history in school, but now I like it a lot more. The way they do that is just plain dumb. Memorize and fill out a test and voila! you've learned history. BUT, wait a week later and it is all gone. Now, I am remembering more, most likely because I am reading about people and finding things out about history in the process. Oh, but the original question. Do I avoid or skim over topics I hated. Yes and no. Not history because there is a much better way. But, maybe a little with science, because I think there is so much information it is easy to get way too bogged down and therefore, I probably tend to pick out some of the harder to understand material.
I always thought I hated history-turns out I LOVE history-I just don't like how they teach it in PS!!! I learned nothing about history in 13 years of PS-I"ve learned a lot on my own since graduating high school Now I am not at all interested in space-at all. I don't give a flip about plants and stars and such-hubby likes it-so I don't have to teach it-we've already decided this! LOL When they start getting interested in that my response is just gonna be "go ask your daddy" LOL Haven't really thought much past that though-mine are so young...other than I wonder if my dyscalculia will harm their math skills if I teach higher math???
I hated using SAxon math, and I will not even consider it for my kids. I even turned down free Saxon books, and that is very much against me. I find I have more of a biased against things that take to long to prepare or teach. Or something I know the kids will have to struggle with to learn.
just the word "math" will turn my stomach! I have tried so hard not to bias my kids and really try to teach it in a fun and exciting way, but I'm afraid it's a lost cause. they hate it too.
I do think that our likes and dislikes carry over to our children. For example, my favorite subjects in school were taught by the teachers I most enjoyed - no coincidence, I'm sure. When a teacher is passionate about a subject, that passion and enthusiasm bubbles over. On one occasion, a local teacher asked me to speak to her science class about physics. I put together a 40-minute schedule that had them doing all kinds of things. They measured pictures of the river Amazon (that I'd just taken while returning from a trip to Brazil) with a piece of string to determine whether it's true that the river's actual path divided by the straight line distance is an approximation of pi (which it is). They learned why the sky between the first and second rainbow is darker. They heard stories about Newton and Faraday and Maxwell that turned these names into real people. They saw pictures of magnetic fluids (which I worked on during my PhD) and how they can form strange shapes. They learned the importance of error estimation and how I once measured the depth of a big river to be 2 inches!? In addition, I explained how not to do some things and how I once blew up a lab housing some world-famous scientists. They lapped it up, and I couldn't help but notice that all eyes were on me for every moment. Now, if I'd have been asked to talk about economics, I would have lost their interest in moments. Yes, I have an MBA and am qualified to teach that subject, but it doesn't excite me one bit. If it doesn't excite me, chances are it would not have excited them. They notice when the teacher's bouncing up and down with excitement, and they get caught up in that. They also notice when we find that a subject is a chore, and then it becomes a chore to them. In part, this is why my wife taught some subjects at home, I taught others, and we enrolled the help of neighbors for others. Hopefully, it made a difference.
MATH!!!!! I couldn't stand math class. However I liked all my math teachers with the exception of one. He was creepy!
