Personal Narrative: My Experience With Pre-Algebra

My precalculus class was a place where not only math lessons took place, but life lessons as well. The math course I was taking for my junior year consisted of learning algebra 2 in the first semester and pre-calc in the second. Math had always been smooth sailing for me during grammar school and the first two years of high school. I rarely felt thet need to study for math and still passed my tests and quizzes. That was the case unil second semester came along. My smooth sailing math boat hit an iceberg just like the titanic. I had done poorly on a math quiz. At that moment I realized that you only out what you put in. Precalculus was not as easy as I thought it was going to be. I aget m actually glad that I did not do so well on that quiz

How often do you thinking “I hate math! I wish I never had to do it!” Well that may not just be yourself talking. In recent studies it has been found that students who are told that math is difficult by parents or other adults themselves believe that math is difficult. Instead of encouraging the fear of math in children, adults should encourage them and try to help with math not complain with the children or to not help them making the excuse that the parent or adult is bad at math. While the adult does not have to make math seem like the best thing in the world, they need to avoid stating the common association that they do not like math, or that they are not good at it.

I listened in class and asked questions, but it seemed like nothing was helping, and every night I would spend hours struggling just to try to do the homework that had been assigned. That’s when I knew I needed to get extra help that would soon change my life.

Junior year at Tucson High Magnet School I was enrolled in College Algebra a class I was having difficulty in. First semester had already passed and I received the letter grade D. I knew I had to work harder and study more especially if I wanted to get a better grade point average in order to get excepted into Universities.

Everyone has been a few minutes late to a class, however not so many have been four weeks late to a class. I am one of those lucky few. Senior year my schedule was supposed to consist of College Algebra and Elementary Statistics, as part of the Dual Enrollment program at Pensacola State College. Because there were enough students taking the course at my high school, the college allowed a teacher in my school to teach the courses. Due to a few complications I had to drop out of the courses and then had to enroll in Pre-Calculus Honors. I dreaded the very idea. It ended up being quite a challenge. Notwithstanding, I passed the class. This is the most satisfying accomplishment I have ever achieved.

Matthew Misiura is a math teacher at Susquehanna Community High School. Mr. Misiura explains that he always pushes for “content mastery” in his math classes. However, Mr. Misiura’s teachings are more than an average algebra and precalculus class. Mr. Misiura pushes for students to learn about the real world. He pushes for students to always work to their full potential. In a year in his classroom, I not only learned precalculus and trigonometry, but I learned how to view situations from a different perspective. Some students, when given back a test in which they failed, would cry, act childish, or simply complain. Mr. Misiura was able to reinforce the belief that the only way to learn is to make mistakes. He often stated that, if you already

Algebra is a critical aspect of mathematics which provides the means to calculate unknown values. According to Bednarz, Kieran and Lee (as cited in Chick & Harris, 2007), there are three basic concepts of simple algebra: the generalisation of patterns, the understanding of numerical laws and functional situations. The understanding of these concepts by children will have an enormous bearing on their future mathematical capacity. However, conveying these algebraic concepts to children can be difficult due to the abstract symbolic nature of the math that will initially be foreign to the children. Furthermore, each child’s ability to recall learned numerical laws is vital to their proficiency in problem solving and mathematical confidence. It is obvious that teaching algebra is not a simple task. Therefore, the importance of quality early exposure to fundamental algebraic concepts is of significant importance to allow all

When I was in 6th grade, I received a medal. That medal said ¨Student of the year, Erik Alvarez Espinosa.¨ My mom had told me that the school called a day before the award assembly saying that I was going to receive an award. I was surprised when my teacher called my name saying that I won student of the year. When I went up the stage, I felt nervous because I was in front of a lot of people. My teacher gave a short speech about my good and hard work throughout the year.

My personal trainer saw how corpulent I was, so he decided to put me on a strong weight loss program.

Remember going into second grade and fearing those one minute division tests? I remember very clearly how afraid and intimidated I was. I panicked because I was scared that I was not going to get a good grade on it. To my surprise, I did not get a high score on it compared to my classmates. I was devastated because I had tried really hard on it. After that, I hated math until seventh grade. Math was my worst subject, and I acknowledge I was terrible at it. I hated it so much that after years of hating it, I developed a passion for math. After some years of practicing math, I fell in love with it. Entering middle school, Algebra was introduced. I loved Algebra because I was not only adding numbers, I was solving for certain variables at the

It all began in my freshman year of high school. I took my first math class which was basic algebra. I struggled with it immensely, as I received a failing grade on every single test. I couldn't believe my failure as it was my first math class. Previously in middle school I had great grades and I never failed a class before. This situation lowered my self esteem yet I promised myself that I would be persistent and keep working harder. As time passed, I wanted to pursue an Allied Health degree but when I took my placement test for community college I placed into pre algebra course. I was nervous because I wasn't proficient in math, although I passed the class with a C. Then, I was required to take intermediate Algebra and I was informed that

When I was in fifth grade, I was taking third grade math. I could not, for the life of me, figure it out. Math was a huge struggle, and it still is. However, now, I am in Algebra II. Algebra II is a junior class and I am taking it as a sophomore. I have worked very hard to get where I am. This situation has made me realize a couple things. Number one: it is OK to ask questions. Number two: If you work hard, you will accomplish something.

Mathematics has always been a difficult subject for students. Many children have developed phobias and barriers towards mathematics, which prevail into adulthood, thus limiting their potential. This limitation implies problems of learning, resulting in the child a sense of inferiority.

For my middle level observation, I had the honor to observe at Huntington Middle School under Mrs.Rivera in sixth grade hub class and Math. I was very fortunate to have had this opportunity, as I have observed things that I have mixed emotions about. In this paper, I will discuss the different ways Mrs.Rivera taught, and the different components that made up her math classroom.

Maths is ubiquitous in our lives, but depending on the learning received as a child it could inspire or frighten. If a child has a negative experience in mathematics, that experience has the ability to affect his/her attitude toward mathematics as an adult. Solso (2009) explains that math has the ability to confuse, frighten, and frustrate learners of all ages; Math also has the ability to inspire, encourage and achieve. Almost all daily activities include some form of mathematical procedure, whether people are aware of it or not. Possessing a solid learning foundation for math is vital to ensure a lifelong understanding of math. This essay will discuss why it is crucial to develop in children the ability to tackle problems with initiative and confidence (Anghileri, 2006, p. 2) and why mathematics has changed from careful rehearsal of standard procedures to a focus on mathematical thinking and communication to prepare them for the world of tomorrow (Anghileri).