You often hear people say that they are bad at math. What does that mean? At what point do you think it is that math becomes difficult for people? Fractions? Long Division? Algebra? College math?
I've always considered myself to be pretty good in math. BUT wow those fractions! I think I spent my entire high school math career converting fractions to decimals, doing the calculations, and converting them back. I didn't really understand them until ds was a baby and we were watching cyberchase! Sometimes though I think the belief springs from a place of confusion or misunderstanding. Dd seemed to be REALLY bad in math in ps- she didn't understand addition and subtraction, didn't have a concrete number sense, and thought the entire thing was about guessing. She was 'cured' in about a month by just giving her time to understand that '5' means five objects, that '+' means add those objects to another set of objects and count them all up, etc etc. I'm not saying that's always the cure, but both of my children have taught me how important it is to understand the concrete underpinnings of any subject so they can move forward with the more abstract. Of course, that goes against 'discovery math' practiced in our local ps, so that explains a LOT about why she was struggling.
Although I don't like math, it likes me. I have a friend who explains her math troubles as hitting a tangible brick wall in her comprehension of the puzzle. She is working through it now that she is homeschooling her own kids and using Math-U-See. She is a very intelligent woman. I just think that math was not taught to her in a way for her to achieve that 'ah hah' moment.
I use to say, "I'm not good at math". What I meant was that it did not come easily to me. I guess it's the same way I would talk about playing the piano. I could play an advanced peice if I worked at it long enough, but it did not come easily. I possess no natural musical talent; I only have some musical knowledge. With music and math, some people seem to "get it" a lot faster; they seem to have a natural ability. I have to struggle to understand math concepts. I could memorize the algorithms and apply them, but I lacked understanding about why the algorithms worked. (Dividing fractions is a good example. I knew how to do it, but until recently, I couldn't explain why we did it that way. I still have to think for a few minutes to get my head aroudn it.) My understanding really fell apart in pre-algebra. A different teaching method would have helped me greatly. Having worked with my oldest with algebra, I’m getting it now, but I really have to think about it, and I have think hard about it each time I encounter it. So, maybe I should not say that I'm not good at math, but instead, I should say that I lack natural mathmatical talent.
I just this year learned my times tables! I never learned how to do fractions, and never made it to algebra in high school. So I have no idea what that is even for! Pretty scary that I'm the one who is going to have to teach this stuff!
I really believe that unless people are suffering from specific cognitive impairments and learning disabilities then the idea that they "can't do" math is a myth. I think what's REALLY going on is that people are missing key parts of math knowledge like a solid understand of fractions. Leissa - Just keep yourself open to learning. I used to think I was "bad at math" until I started homeschooling and realized it wasn't true at all. I just hadn't learned some key concepts. Once I learned them math opened up and I now love it.
I always think it's 8 x 8 - 8 so 56. I have the perfect squares firmly planted in my head and often work from those.
dawninns: Okay, so you have your way of doing it, great. For me, it was one of the more difficult ones to remember. But times tables are good to commit to memory, because in the long run it saves a lot of time.
I like math and it likes me, but I always seemed to forget 8 x 7 also. I know it now down pat. I liked algebra in high school. It "clicked" with me and I could just follow the steps and get the answer and be done with it. Geometry was OK, I did well but I didn't like it as much. I liked algebra II. Trigonometry was a little difficult. I took it for college credit in high school and it was my senior year. I think senioritis came into play, plus the fact that it didn't click automatically and I wasn't used to having to work that hard to get math. I think it all depends on the person. Some people who aren't "good" at math could probably get it if it was taught to them differently or at a later time.
cabsmom40: I see... Anyway, if it's any consolation, it is said that Einstein didn't like algebra at school...
5 6 7 8 56=7x8 That one didn't stick until I saw it this way. My kids have mental blocks on the same problems I did. Funny how some just don't stick easily -- they must be the teflon problems!
Oh, I know! My kids are memorizing the times tables for sure. How I do it is now fast for me but it's not the best method for quick recall.
I'm bad at "mental math" so when I say I'm bad at math it's because I need to write it down to figure it out. I can figure out pretty complicated equations as long as I have paper. My husband is much better at mental math than written though.
There is a definite difference when kids get to algebra. In psychology there is a concept known as formal operations. It's the point at which you can understand abstract things. Algebra is very abstract and if your brain can't do formal operations yet, you will probably have difficulty with algebra! Most kids get formal operations in their teens. I think pushing abstract math earlier and earlier is insane because younger kids really just can't GET it! KWIM? I always struggled with algebra in jr high and I refused to take more than the minimum requirements in high school. I HATED IT! I didn't get it. Then when I reached college is was easy! I think I reached formal operations!! LOL!
Math and I have never been friends. lol I am happy to say that I am learning and relearning what I didn't learn in school. However, math is not a strong point for me. It never has been. I have to work hard to keep solutions in my head and they easily leave once we are done working on math. For my husband, it is a snap.
Emma's fan: Well, for me it's kind of an obligation, almost: be reasonably good at mental calculation, or else someone might rip me off ...!
9's can be done with a trick I learned. 9x6=54 because 1 less than six is five, and what do I have to add to five to get nine? Four. Try it with anything times 9. 9x8=72 (1 less than 8 is 7, 7+2=9)etc. That is my brilliant thought for the day. It's a shame I was nearly 40 before I knew that! I can't wait till we're ready for that video math thingy! I'm almost excited to test the theory that my brain just wasn't ready to learn this stuff when I was a kid. Maybe it will stick now.:lol:
