Well, no, I don’t necessarily mean you. But it is a catchy title.
What I do want to address, though, is why so many people feel that they suck at math.
There are so many reasons. A major one is that they have never been introduced to math, just some bad imposter created by the public school system.
Math is a search for effective uses of patterns. Ok, it’s other things too, but what it is defitely not, is some psycho-nazi math teacher from hell telling you too “just shut up and do the problem!” It’s not some critical-thinking-challenged politician creating a deceptively-named “No Child Left Behind” scam, that does nothing but intimidate students with ineffective testing, and doesn’t even fund that.
The big reason that “you suck at math” is that the people who are paid to teach you, generally don’t know their asses from Kentucky Fried Chicken.
There, I said it.
Um, you do know what generally means, don’t you? I don’t want anyone who doesn’t know what that word means writing to me telling me that, “Gee, I know a teacher who actually does know his ass from KFC, etc.” I KNOW there are good teachers.
But:
a) There aren’t enough of them, and
b) they are not always paid (enough, anyway).
Here’s Professor Humunculus’s patented method for testing if a teacher or administrator is not part of the problem:
Just see if he/she is part of the solution, or at least knows there is a problem. If they are just happy as clams to test kids on material they didn’t have enough time to adequately teach them – THEN THEY SUCK!
On the other hand, if they are doing their best while fighting the system, advocating for smaller classes, less standardized testing and more quality teaching time, and time to prepare meaningful lessons, time to assess each child in a meaningful way, etc. then, brother, you have found a pearl among those clams. (Pardon the mixed seafood metaphor.)
Polish that pearl.
In other words, if the teacher isn’t at least in a little trouble with the administration (no, not the kind of trouble that Senators and preachers get into with young boys!) then you can pretty much figure that they order a bucket of ass when they go to KFC.
If, by any chance, you are a real, dedicated teacher reading this, I want to thank you for the real work you do. Someone appreciates you. I’d like to see more people do that. I’m trying to help.
This needs to be made clear: the higher you go, the bigger the B.S. You can’t blame an 11 year old that sh/e can’t add if the teacher can’t teach. You can’t blame the teacher if the administrators won’t let them teach. You can’t blame the administrators if the school boards and policy-makers only hold them accountable to some idiotic policies. And you can’t blame the policy-makers if -
hey, wait, that’s exactly whom you can blame, almost all of the time.
Likewise, within the family, you can’t blame a kid for not learning when a parent doesn’t at least provide an environment for learing and an attitude that learning is worthwhile. Not just “You better get good grades or no allowance,” or worse. Think about it. If the kid sees that the parent is a dumbass and resents learning…
Give the kids a break. Coercion is not help.
I’d love to see some comments. I’m on your side if you are fighting the good fight.
Tags:
“You can’t blame an 11 year old that sh/e can’t add if the teacher can’t teach”. I am 23 years old now and when I was in high school, my math teachers were outstanding. I definitely feel that because my math teachers brought positive reinforcement to my classmates and I, my love for math is a part of my teachers successful teaching. The way teachers present themselves in the classroom is very important to how a student progresses as time goes on throughout their school career. If it wasnt for my precalculus teacher in 12th grade, then I would probably be a psychology major. I always enjoyed helping people all my life,by giving them advice, but my math teacher inspired me to gain a love for math. He created that comfortable classroom environment for his students, so they felt special. A dedicated teacher does not only teach, but educates. I want to be that dedicated math teacher that inspires their students to love math because it is fun and interesting.
I just wanted to say, I agree with everything you said. i am a college student who is really struggling in math. I one of those student who fell through the cracks in my schooling. I just got passed on from one teacher to the next.
This was very inspiring, I agree with much of your writing. Some things I do not agree with though, I believe that certain children are born to understand a certain subject better/worse than others. It may not always be the administrators, or the teachers, or even the school’s policies. Those that “suck at math” may be brilliant authors. Those that are not brilliant authors, may be exceptional at biking or fishing or running.
Each person has their own talent that may be in anything, even if this talent isnt in math, it will always be in your heart forever. This incredible talent makes you who you are and what you are capable of.
Professor Homunculus sez:
Jordan, I basically agree with you, too. I’d say that some people have an inborn tendency to be able to excel at one thing or another, though, not a talent. If they nurture that tendency, it’s easier for them to develop that talent than other people.
But those without the natural tendency can overcome anyone with it, if they invest more effort, and better methods. We see constant evidence of this in sports, music, academics, the arts, etc.
The basketball player Muggsy Bogues jumps to mind (pardon the pun). He is 5′3, yet beat out thousands of talented 6 and 7-footers to get to the NBA.
Also, think of Vincent van Gogh. Did you ever see his first drawings? You’d think that kid could never, ever learn to draw.
I know that nature plays a part, but I think nurture is the way to bet.
I really agree with what you said. I feel a little bit more inspired to work hard after reading this. I’ve always gotten such horrible math teachers, and if that wasn’t enough, my dad threatens me if I get under A- in math (which is “not good enough” anyway, but somewhat acceptable).
It’s just not my thing. I got a B- this year. Wow, I’m in huge trouble now.. I won’t see the light of day this summer..
I will admit there are some teachers who might not care, but the overall fact is some of the higher mathmatics is not really usable in life, so I feel if your a elementary teacher and you can teach the basics of math then thats good.
Professor Homunculus sez:
I agree to some degree, but remember, there is a vast area between the “basics” and “higher” mathematics. There is probably nothing in algebra or geometry that most people could not make some use of during their lives. If for nothing else, the fact that both teach you thinking skills, and proofs.
But even more important is learning details of something more of the basics. For a good example, take a look at this post:
http://mathcurmudgeon.blogspot.....jo-is.html
I agree. I’m thirty one, graduated high school at sixteen, and am currently teaching myself 9th grade algebra. I barely passed then…sometimes I think they just let me pass so I could move on. I had a bunch of math (so-called) teachers who couldn’t understand that I am not a “do this if you see this” type of person. If I’m told why something works the way it does–the CONCEPT behind it– I not only get it but I usually figure out the next step on my own. My teachers in high school and even college decided I had no aptitude for it and just left me alone in the back row. They wouldn’t “waste” time explaining the theory behind what they were teaching. All they did was show how to do this, how to do that, and rarely explained a darn thing. I’m working on going back to college, this time for engineering. I’ve gone from about a 7th grade level to finishing algebra 1 in a month, with a couple of well written books, a DVD, and a high school text book courtesy of my girlfriend(a high school art teacher who got me one with a missing cover). One of her co-workers even gave me the same final test he used last year. I scored a 96. It’s pretty depressing that I can learn it that easily on my own but people with bachelors and masters degrees couldn’t teach me. If it was that bad fifteen years ago I cringe thinking about how it must be for high school students today! That’s the other reason I’m doing this…my son(due in January) is going to be homeschooled. Even his mother agrees, and she is a teacher. That says something!
I Am Virtual schooled, and my Dad is a crazy smart mathematician. I don’t know why, but i just cant do the math problem’s, and most of the time he basically has to give me the answer for me to get it. Any Tips? (I personally agree with what you say about the policy makers.)
Jared,
Good question. But I’d need some specifics. What level are you at? Where did you first have problems with math? Addition, fractions, etc? Are you good with some things and not others? (I was good at geometry, and basically felt like I sucked at all other math.) Is there ANYTHING about math that turns you on? Math and art? Math and poetry? Music?
Also, the fact that your dad is awesome at math can be helpful and intimidating at the same time. Remember that you don’t have to compete with anyone but yourself. Even if your dad is super-nice about helping you, it would be hard to not be at least a little intimidated by a “crazy smart mathematician.”
The problem could be emotional a lot more than intellectual. Most people’s math problems are.
Also, what resources are you using for your virtual education?
Write back and fill me in with some details. You can do it in an e-mail (click the contact link on this page) if you don’t want it published in a comment.
All the best,
Brian
I thank you so much for posting this. It makes too much sense… I am currently a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin and I basically have moved away from pursuing business as a major for the reason that I cannot handle Calculus I… considering Calc II, Statistics I and Stats II are required… I have always wanted to learn math and also master it.
This never has happened because through grade school all my math teachers always complained about the school administration, bad wages, enforcing the pointless DRESS CODE, and would often say “but you don’t need to know that, so we will just skip it…” For so long I have felt guilt, blaming my parents’ genes even, for my lack of skills in math..
If I could go back in time, I would…and I would choose a school district that did NOT have superintendents without Ph.Ds, weren’t the gold-digging wives of doctors, board members weren’t bankers/random business owners, and the principals weren’t community college material.. Excuse my language, but grade school really did screw me over, and many of my peers. Had I been exposed to a good education that made me apt in math, i dont think i would be studying foreign affairs, i would likely be studying aerospace engineering… REFORM THE EDUCATION SYSTEM! IT’S SCREWING OVER OUR GENERATION…
Armando,
I couldn’t agree more. Yes, it’s not “politically correct,” but it’s right. Although I wouldn’t always knock community college grads. A lot of hard-working people have had to put themselves through school while keeping a job, and it could be a stepping-stone to greater heights. OK, yeah, it’s often just a waste of time, too.
Maybe the schools won’t even exist much longer, seeing how they and the economy are going. Maybe that’s not a bad thing. More people will have to take their own initiative. It could be a blessing in disguise.
At any rate, it seems like you are on the right path if you have been googling around to improve your math skills. Thanks for your comments, and power to you!
[...] though, and a reader left a very inspiring comment at it. Go check it out. It’s at the “Why you Suck at Math (Pt. I)” [...]