Mathography

October 25, 2008 bennymath

I don’t remember much from the elementary years of my math career.  I do vaguely remember working out of number books in Kindergarten and working out of something similar to SRA boxes for math.  I was always quicker at math than most kids, so I was often bored or working on independent projects, like the cards that test you on your multiplication facts.  Another memory I have is with my older brother, who is an architect, explaining positive and negative numbers to me.  We were on an annual family trip to Cook’s Forest and he showed me the number line and how to add and subtract (without changing to addition) integers.  I was fascinated by the whole thing.  That was when I became hooked on math.  My favorite teacher was my sixth grade teacher.  He was the first one to allow me to explore and work ahead in math.  He recognized my interest and challenged me with Algebra.  I now teach advanced sixth graders twice a week during my prep period so that they can take Algebra I as 7^th graders.  He made math fun and even more interesting with hands on projects and ideas that made us all think.  Unfortunately, my junior high years were not as exhilarating.  I remember being bored in Pre-Algebra because all the teacher did was lecture.  I almost started to hate math!  Luckily, in high school, my upper level math teacher inspired me to want to teach mathematics. He really had a passion for helping students understand math and showed me that I could excel as a teacher.  I was blessed to be able to teach with him when I returned to my high school as an educator. 

 

I was fortunate to know that I loved math at an early age.  I really enjoy solving the puzzle of algebra.  I really have to stretch my mind to reach students who do not like or fear math.  I try to teach the way my favorite teachers did and make math fun. 

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