My Math Autobiography
I started school in 1993, when I was six. My school ran from grades K-6. One distinct memory I have in math during my elementary years, was this multiplication skill test they gave us every so often. The test consisted of around 30 or so multiplication questions and we had to answer as many as we could in a limited amount of time. I found this process was a really good learning experience because it gave me a good grasp of my times tables.
I don’t really remember much more about math in Riverview, NB except that I mostly enjoyed math until grade eight. Before grade eight started we had moved to PEI and I started attending a new school. The first day of math class we were handed different text books that were full of French word problems. I didn’t understand word problems and this year of school soon made me dislike them. To add to my word problem dilemma, less than half way through the years our teacher went out on maternity leave. We got stuck with a teacher that didn’t even know what he was doing and when we had double math classes I nearly died. He was inefficient and soooo confusing it made me want to cry. It took him one full period to correct two problems and explain them and you didn’t dare ask him a question because you would just wind up more confused.
Grade nine got a lot easier because we went back to an English book and were lucky enough to get a better teacher. Every Friday during class he gave us candy.
High school is our last stop and is where I am currently in grade eleven. In grade ten I enjoyed math and understood it for the most part, helping my friend whenever she needed it. The only thing that wasn’t the best, was our teacher took two weeks to give us our tests back so we didn’t know how well we were doing before the next test.
This concludes my math history and I hope to learn lots and get a better grasp on word problems. I have enjoyed math most of my years and have done well. I hope to enjoy it this year and get in the 90's.