Educ. 622
Dr. James Divine
Math – My Major
Sally Kleinknecht
“In
this technological age, mathematics is more important than ever. When students
leave school, they are more and more likely to use mathematics in their work
and everyday lives – operating computer equipment, planning timelines and
schedules, reading and interpreting data, comparing prices, managing personal
finances, and completing other problem-solving tasks. What they learn in
mathematics and how they learn it will provide an excellent preparation
for a challenging and ever-changing future.”
Indiana’s Academic Standards
MATH AND ME
I love math! I like how there is usually one right answer, but many different ways to find the answer. I love the challenge of thinking on a problem for hours, going to bed thinking of it, and then realizing the answer in the morning. My most favorite thing in math though is taking a difficult problem, simplifying it, and then explaining it to someone else.
I love math – but most students don’t! In fact, I find that by the time most of the students have reached high school, their dislike (or like) of math has already been established. Why do they need to learn math? They need to learn math, because critical thinking skills, problem solving, and logical thinking are key elements that are found in everyday life. Without these skills, many of these students will be lost. My goal as a math teacher is to “surprise” my students by opening up math to them in a new and fresh way. Their dislike usually stems from lack of understanding math, poorly performing in math, and not seeing how math relates to the “real” world. So, I have a big job ahead of me – three strikes against me already – but I love a challenge and I love explaining math.
I
have had a passion for math since 6th grade. A wonderful math
teacher made it come alive for me. As I graduated from high school, my hope was
to major in math when I went to college. After I took my first theory of
calculus class, I realized that was NOT what I wanted, so I changed majors and
became a physical therapist where I could apply my math instead. After working
for a few years, I decided to stay home after giving birth to our first child.
A former math teacher from high school called and asked if I would tutor one of
his students. Within a few years, I was tutoring 10 – 12 students a week! I
loved being able to take difficult concepts and explain them in a way that was
meaningful to that student. I realized that what worked for one student didn’t
necessarily work for another. I constantly had to change my tutoring methods as
I got to know each student individually. I enjoyed the challenge and my love
for explaining math was renewed! More
and more my heart was being directed to math and away from physical therapy.
The natural next step was – could I teach math to a roomful of students instead
of just one? I had the opportunity to “try” out teaching for a year in
When I came back to the states in 2000, I was faced with a dilemma – did I want to teach math badly enough to go back to undergrad to get my math major and then on to get my masters? At 45 years old, that was a legitimate question. The answer was obviously yes. Taking these undergrad math classes has opened up my eyes to a world of math I didn’t even know existed. I have been pushed to the edge of my mental capacity many times. But it has also been an invaluable learning experience for me to be back in the role as a student. It has changed me – and will continue to affect me – as a teacher. I am now teaching two Math 100 classes at USI and am thoroughly enjoying it. It has been worth all the preparation for the last 20 years.
In the future, I would like to continue to take my own math courses. It will keep me sharp and challenged, and it will make me a better teacher. As I learn and experience the joy of mathematics myself, I will be able to pass that joy on by giving my students a taste for mathematics so that hopefully someday they may want to devour it.