Math Aarghhh!

Ok so this whole going back to school thing has been quite an adjustment especially since I have been out of school for about 10 years. I wasn't the brightest student then and so it makes it a lot of fun now! Most of the classes are ok as long as you actually read the chapters in the book. This is new to me, but I'll be darned if the answers to the tests really aren't in there! The one class that has been my biggest worry is the Math for Elementary Teachers. You would think it would be easy, and for most it is, just a bit of a refresher course and learning the teaching techniques. I am what they would call math challenged though and have been my whole life. As many of you probably know since you are all parents yourself a lot of schools are now going to a new method for teaching math which involves using "manipulatives" and the "base 10" blocks. Let me just tell you that I had a hard enough time learning the basics as it was now they want us to teach the kids how to show how math works. Fractions in particular are my newest pain. We have to show with blocks what 1/2 of 2/3 looks like. Back in the day this would be a multiplication problem that you just multiply and reduce if possible. Not so much now! It's been fun! I drive to Willcox every Monday and spend 4 hours learning this stuff because the teacher at EA is a Freak! Seriously 4 of us are driving and I know that 3 others just dropped the class because he's so special! The teacher over at Willcox is awesome though and totally understands my math anxiety! In fact she even gave me a paper on it with the Math Bill of Rights. I have to share these because if any of the rest of you feel the way I do about Math you will love these! At the end of the semester I will do a blog just on this class as well because it is a very small class being offered my Cochise Community and each person it that class is quite interesting. So I'll keep you posted on that as well.

Math Bill of Rights

* I have the right to learn at my own pace and not feel put down or stupid if I'm slower than someone else.
* I have the right to ask whatever questions I have.
* I have the right to need extra help.
* I have the right to ask a teacher or tutor for help.
* I have the right to say I don't understand.
* I have the right to not understand.
* I have the right to feel good about myself regardless of my abilities in math.
* I have the right not to base my self-worth on my math skills.
* I have the right to feel view myself as capable of learning math.
* I have the right to evaluate my math instructors and how they teach.
* I have the right to relax.
* I have the right to be treated as a competent person.
* I have the right to dislike math.
* I have the right to difine success in my own terms.