Math... do you still remember what made you love it or hate it?...
By aseretdd
@aseretdd (13730)
Philippines
January 28, 2008 10:49pm CST
I remember as a child... i started counting everything within site... my parents thought i had some mental issues... but then i think that was the start of a my love affair with Mathematics...
I am not a genius... i have my own share of difficulty and confusion... but i just love the subject... to the point of going back to school just to have it as a second major... then futher studying it for my masteral degree...
Some people find it difficult to appreciate this subject... but i believe there is a reason behind this... it might be because of a terror teacher... who threatened to fail anyone who can't solve a particular subject... or simply a teacher who doesn't know how to teach math effectively...
In your case... what made you love or hate math?...
2 people like this
11 responses
@gr8life (6251)
• Malaysia
30 Jan 08
Hello aseretdd,
It was my all time favorite when I was studying in school. My Math teachers loved me because of that too. I always had a set of additional Math books that I gave to my teachers to check. Every time they asked question, I will definitely the one who raised my hand first. I got my top scorer's prize for Math subject every year since I was 7 until I finished my secondary school when I was 17. Now? I seldom do Maths *laughs*
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
30 Jan 08
So, you were quite a math genius in during your elementary and high school days... you must have been the envy of a lot of your classmates... did you ever do peer tutoring to help out those who did poorly in math?... i wonder why you did not pursue a career like engineering?... most math lovers do that... thanks for the response...
1 person likes this
@gr8life (6251)
• Malaysia
30 Jan 08
Hello aseretdd,
*Laughs* I am not a math genius. I just love the subject so much that I would spend my time doing Maths rather than any other subjects. In fact, I wanted to be an accountant but I pursued my studies in Life Science and ended up doing something else after I started to work *laughs* It is a long story and I just don't want to remember it anymore *smiles* Sometimes, I do feel that I wasted so much time when I was younger by not pursuing my interest. Whatever it is, I think my life is blessed and I am happy with it. That is enough for me.
1 person likes this
@SViswan (12051)
• India
30 Jan 08
I actually loved Math because I like anything that is systematic and gives my brain some work.
But when I was in high school, I had a teacher...who would favour a few kids in class and it felt like she was teaching only them (for reasons best known to her)...and I would sometimes feel like I was invisible. She was a good teacher...but when I had a doubt, she would go off like a train was behind her and I would understand nothing. I didn't hate maths but I hated the way she taught it to ME.
I lost interest for a while...but bounced back only to be engrossed in family matters...lol. Now, my interest in Maths is resigned to primary school maths!
1 person likes this
@SViswan (12051)
• India
31 Jan 08
lol..oh yes...I wasn't her favourite!
I'm a teacher too but never taught Maths....but plan to do so in a couple of years from now.
My son's Math teacher is excellant...she really makes the subject interesting and tries to show the kids (they are only 7) how it works in the real world and where they can use it instead of just teaching them problems. She tells them the applications and makes them involved in real-time activities and they are all interested in the subject. I think that's what a good teacher does!- brings out the interest in a child.
Most of the kids hate Maths because it's made boring!
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
31 Jan 08
Your teacher must have had favorites... to bad you were not one of them... she could have nurtured your love for math... when i was a teacher... i made it a point to teach like i was talking to each of my students personally... but then taught history... good math teachers are so rare... and i hope in the future i will be able to teach math so that more student will love it... thanks for the response...
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
29 Jan 08
The subject matter made me love it but the teacher I had made me hate it, all but one of them. That is a lot of bad math teachers! I've met some good ones since then, but did not have them as teachers. Too bad, but those who are now friends say the same thing about me--that they wish they had had me for their teacher in the subjects I taught. Oh, well. There are many wonderful books and I managed to learn quite a bit on my own with a little help from friends.
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
29 Jan 08
There are a lot of bad math teachers on the loose in schools... maybe because some think that if you are a genius in math... you can also teach it... well that is a very bad idea... math genius doesn't actually equate with good teacher...
You must have been a very good teacher... with the way you respond to discussions i would want to be your student... well... maybe in the next life...
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
29 Jan 08
You should have heard my saturnial husband laugh when I read him that comment. When we team-taught he always said I was a better teacher than him. He was very good at what he did, but I do have more patience, lol. Thank you for making my day (maybe my whole year...tee hee!)
1 person likes this
@gunlock (55)
• Philippines
31 Jan 08
Math is the best thing there is... without it, we're nothing.. Math before was not a subject to me, it's more like a competition, coz' I had a classmate who was so good at numbers... and we kinda compete who'll solve the problem first.. and also, the teacher was so beautiful, smart, intelligent, and talented... what more can you ask?
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
31 Jan 08
You are very lucky with your math teacher... others who responded to this discussion were not... even me...
Math is definitely like a competition of the brain... and that is what makes it interesting and fun... if you are a person who loves to compete... Math can be found in everything... so there is no use hating it... thanks for the response...
@Farside604 (870)
• Canada
31 Jan 08
I can also remeber a time when i really loved math. Simple word problems were really interesting to me becasuse it was the first kind of problem solving i did. As i grew older and math becasme harder it became more of a choir than something i liked to do. I kept working at it and i did pretty well throughout highschool in math. However what most discouraged me about math and perhpaps something that made me hate it were those people who had absolutly no life that got 100 percents on everything. Those people did so good that they made everyone look bad in comparison. So inorder to compete in the math world i had to work just as hard as they did which was no fun at all.
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
31 Jan 08
Those who are math genius... tend to overshadow people like us who need to work extra harder in solving problems... i knew a couple of them... but most of the time i make it a point to seek their help in solving problems... or in getting tips on how i can work faster and more efficiently... thanks for the response...
@ssh123 (31073)
• India
29 Jan 08
I repent for not giving attention in school days and I just hated it because I failed in the maths exams and I never took maths again. In fact my wife is an electronics engineer and does maths at ease and she teaches my son at home. I found it quite easier now, but one should love maths to learn maths and a common sense is more than sufficient. It does not require extra ordinary skill. I always remember my failure in maths as I come across young people with flying colours due to their sucess in maths.
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
29 Jan 08
Your wife must be very smart in Math because of her profession... sometimes i regret not studying to become an engineer... so i admire people who are... i agree with you when you said that learning math doesn't need extra ordinary skill... patience and the right attitude are the key in order to successfully solve problems or pass an exam... thanks for the response...
@subha12 (18441)
• India
30 Jan 08
I love this subject from childhood. i used to get full marks in it in most of the times in exam. actually the logical thinkikng associated with it, made me love it so much.
I also have some difficulties and all, but I just love it. In my childhood my parents thought I am going to be a Math professor or like that. But I turned out to be an engineer ..lol.
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
30 Jan 08
The logical thinking involve in solving problems is definitely a plus factor... but for me... i love the challenge of figuring out each problem and i will not rest until i find the correct answer... you can still teach math because you are an engineer... i have a lot of engineer friends who are also part time university teachers... thanks for the response...
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
29 Jan 08
I know what you mean... those three math subjects can really make the brain bleed with all those numbers and symbols...but if you had a very good teacher... he/she could have guided you of how to deal with them with a lot of ease... thanks for the response...
@izathewzia (5134)
• Philippines
9 Feb 08
I am a lover of numbers. Whatever you do with it, i still love it. That is why, math is my favorite subject. It helps me sharpen my mind. I like thinking and finding solutions to those formulas engaging in numbers.
@jailbirdx0x (221)
• Philippines
9 Feb 08
i loved math because i was forced to study by my mom to have a higher grade in the subject!i love math so much that i became a contestant in the math contest in school.really cool.
