As it turns out, I'm not totally kookoo. I thought that for most of my life I was a bit of a freak for my math anxieties. Well, after watching a snippet of a talk show this afternoon...Greg something or other...it is fairly common and a genuine concern. Apparently, it begins as a fear of math that will often manifest itself later in life when difficulties arise in financial management. *Raising hand wildly...right here!* That is soooo me. I can help others with their money issues, but am terrible when it comes to my own. I also have a massive phobia when it comes to math. It doesn't really matter what kind it is, I'm just really bad at it. The synapses just don't connect in that area. Who knows why? I'm not hard up enough to dig that deep, but I will say I am getting a little better. Now that I have to find a way to teach it, I do my homework before I ever instruct students so that I am well-versed in the math strand we are working on. I don't even wanna get caught with my pants down so to speak and not be able to know the answer. This is why I gravitate towards elementary school for the most part. I can deal with the basics, but once we begin to get into fractions and formulas, calm is gone and anxiety steps in. It's comforting to know though that there are other nutjobs out there who fear numbers the way I do. Hey, at least I taught first grade math...and pretty well I might add. Now I just gotta conquer the upper grades. Yes I would make Jeff Foxworthy's day, I can honestly say that I "am not as smart as a fifth grader"...in math anyway.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Math Phobe
As it turns out, I'm not totally kookoo. I thought that for most of my life I was a bit of a freak for my math anxieties. Well, after watching a snippet of a talk show this afternoon...Greg something or other...it is fairly common and a genuine concern. Apparently, it begins as a fear of math that will often manifest itself later in life when difficulties arise in financial management. *Raising hand wildly...right here!* That is soooo me. I can help others with their money issues, but am terrible when it comes to my own. I also have a massive phobia when it comes to math. It doesn't really matter what kind it is, I'm just really bad at it. The synapses just don't connect in that area. Who knows why? I'm not hard up enough to dig that deep, but I will say I am getting a little better. Now that I have to find a way to teach it, I do my homework before I ever instruct students so that I am well-versed in the math strand we are working on. I don't even wanna get caught with my pants down so to speak and not be able to know the answer. This is why I gravitate towards elementary school for the most part. I can deal with the basics, but once we begin to get into fractions and formulas, calm is gone and anxiety steps in. It's comforting to know though that there are other nutjobs out there who fear numbers the way I do. Hey, at least I taught first grade math...and pretty well I might add. Now I just gotta conquer the upper grades. Yes I would make Jeff Foxworthy's day, I can honestly say that I "am not as smart as a fifth grader"...in math anyway.
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1 comment:
Oooh me too! If being math impaired makes one a nutjob, then take me to the insane asylum now.
I took math up to Algebra II only because I had to have that to get into college. I struggled terribly through it all. I can even remember in 2nd grade having trouble with the "counting money" lesson. Probably a good thing I don't have any to count, eh?;)
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