Will my bad feelings about math ever go away?? Our math time today was spent subtracting problems such as 300-132=?.
W is doing fine with it. He struggled just a bit in the beginning because he hasn't done this in about 2 weeks and today was his first time needing to borrow for the ones and the tens column. But he caught on pretty quick and wasn't too stressed about it.
I was the one who was a wreck. My anxiety level was off the charts! I have a feeling that this must be the point where I quit getting it and that's why I 'm reacting so strongly to it. But I have seriously got to get over it!
Any suggestions?
W is doing fine with it. He struggled just a bit in the beginning because he hasn't done this in about 2 weeks and today was his first time needing to borrow for the ones and the tens column. But he caught on pretty quick and wasn't too stressed about it.
I was the one who was a wreck. My anxiety level was off the charts! I have a feeling that this must be the point where I quit getting it and that's why I 'm reacting so strongly to it. But I have seriously got to get over it!
Any suggestions?
Math is one of those things where it comes easy to some and not so easily to others. Not at anyone's fault, brains are just wired differently.
ReplyDeleteMy best advice would be to a)find a way to remind yourself that anxiety only makes the process harder. The more frantic you are, the less likely you are to catch on/get it/learn/repeat it etc. And they will feel your anxiety.
b)study up on the up and coming math and see for yourself what questions you have because they will probably have the same questions you do. Read slowly through the explanations. Try some examples yourself. The process is more important than the answer.
c) ask your neighbor (you know...the one who is a really big nerd :) )
Hey Penny! I don't have any advice about math itself - I used to cry when my dad was trying to explain math to me!!! I just wanted to stop by & say I'm enjoying reading through your blog & how much I admire what you do with your kids - you seem like a totally awesome teacher & I wish all education could be the way you do it. I hope that if I do have kids, I could be near as awesome with my kids as you are with yours!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I started a blog too but it's not much. I'm just trying to force myself to write more - I've not journalled in forever & ever! See ya Thursday!
Sigh, math is my bane since my brain switches numbers and other such symbols around. Makes things REALLY interesting when I have to teach it--so I don't, my kids usually ask my husband the programmer or look things up online. :) Though with multiplication and division I heartily recommend Times Tales which fixed a lot of it for me. And I have found that when I need to do something with math (like when I am painting and need proportions or whatever) if I play a slew of puzzle games like tetris, poppit, whatever, I will do MUCH better because my brain is in left brain mode.
ReplyDeleteThank you Brandi and Heather!
ReplyDeleteI played a really cool game last year in my math class and the concept of it was borrowing but I can't remember how to play. :( If I can remember I'll email it to ya or teach you how to do it.
ReplyDeleteLove ya!
Courtney,
ReplyDeletethat would be so awesome! Let me know if you remember.