Last Wednesday I wrote my first math test since I gave up on the subject in 1974. I scored 94 percent, and I’m angry.
For 37 years I knew I was “no good at math,” but after only a month, a little gumption, and lots of help from my math teacher, I receive an almost perfect score? Talk about confusing, but there was no doubt, I knew I’d aced it; what gives?
Why punish myself with learning math at my advanced age? Because two years ago, during a sit-down with academic advising, I learned the psychology associate degree required similar courses to the ones I was taking for creative writing. I made the decision at that time to pursue the psych classes, for fun. I knew I’d never finish something so academic in nature.
Now I find myself within three classes of completing the psych degree. What would you do? Quit or go forward? And so, I find myself suffering concurrently with math upgrading, while I limp my way through Biology 102 and tackle Biology 103 in September. Only then will I face off with Psych 201, which has a prerequisite of Grade 11 math. I barely have Grade 9.
As near as I can figure out, it will take me the next four semesters to get my Grade 11. Continuing on means I interrupt my writing goals for another 18 months to finish one class! Good thing I’m stubborn.
But how did it happen that I spent all of high school, and my life to date, thinking this way? Worse, I let my kids believe they couldn’t learn math either. “You’re artists! Writers!” I declared.
As if it helped, we “knew” we weren’t “smart.” Somewhere along the way I bought into the lie that some of us are either good academically, or we’re not. The truth is, the “good” part is a combination of the right teacher meeting the right attitude.
Skills like math and art aren’t signs of intelligence or aptitude in a kid. They are signals of something either going right or wrong in their life. Delving into what’s wrong will foster self-esteem and motivate them to want to learn.
Camosun’s system of self-paced upgrading and phenomenally patient (and kind) math teachers should be replicated in grade schools.
Somehow we have to find a way as a society to wait up for those who are lagging behind.
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