General Discussion > Accountability and Motivation

Building my confidence in maths!

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caffinatedloz:

--- Quote from: JR_StudyEd on July 25, 2019, 06:40:01 pm ---Dear Maths,
I'm trying to get to know you, but you just reject me every time. I have persistently tried to hang out with your little friends, Trig and Calculus, but they turn away from my helpless face. You have left this soul in a sorry state. After all this time, I can say that you have been nothing but trouble for me. (Well mainly Trig and Calculus). You ruin my day like a Monday morning. Laugh at me all you want Trig and Calculus, but who could blame me for not ever wanting to be near you?

Yours somewhat sincerely,
JR_StudyEd

--- End quote ---

Dear JR_StudyEd,
I understand that the way I am taught in schools can be confusing and unhelpful at times. I understand that I am a subject that takes perseverance, but I am saddened the frustration you feel when you encounter me. The way that society views and talks about me has made it difficult for many students to truly get to know me, but I know that you will get there in the end. Calculus gets on my nerves too. (But we keep him around for the important things he does).

Somewhat less sincerely,
Maths

PS. I hope I'm not as bad as a Monday morning.

blyatman:
I also like math. One of my degrees is in applied math.

The focus of math is not about getting the correct answer. It's about formulating arguments, and arriving at the conclusion using logical, objective reasoning. Math was never about rote learning formulas. It's about critical thinking, and how you arrive at the answer is just as important as the answer itself.

Our technological progress as a species is built upon the foundations of mathematics. It is the tool that allows us to talk to others on the other side of the world, and one day, to colonize other planets and expand into the cosmos. It is, after all, the universal language.

In my opinion, it is the single most critical subject in school, as it helps in fostering students interest in STEM. I understand that it is difficult to appreciate it at your stage in life, but I hope you'll come to see it differently. As an engineer, I could think of no other subject in high school where what you learn has such a significant application in the real world. Personally, it beats essays where you're essentially just spurting out crap on paper.

DrDusk:

--- Quote from: blyatman on July 25, 2019, 07:58:00 pm ---I also like math. One of my degrees is in applied math.

The focus of math is not about getting the correct answer. It's about formulating arguments, and arriving at the conclusion using logical, objective reasoning. Math was never about rote learning formulas. It's about critical thinking, and how you arrive at the answer is just as important as the answer itself.

Our technological progress as a species is built upon the foundations of mathematics. It is the tool that allows us to talk to others on the other side of the world, and one day, to colonize other planets and expand into the cosmos. It is, after all, the universal language.

In my opinion, it is the single most critical subject in school, as it helps in fostering students interest in STEM. I understand that it is difficult to appreciate it at your stage in life, but I hope you'll come to see it differently. As an engineer, I could think of no other subject in high school where what you learn has such a significant application in the real world. Personally, it beats essays where you're essentially just spurting out crap on paper.

--- End quote ---

It must be the best thing to say to people. "Oh you know I have a few degrees lying around, math, physics,engineering" hahaha

blyatman:

--- Quote from: DrDusk on July 26, 2019, 10:04:39 pm ---It must be the best thing to say to people. "Oh you know I have a few degrees lying around, math, physics,engineering" hahaha

--- End quote ---

Haha degrees are only worth so much - looks nice to put on your title, but that's about it. Once you've worked more than a year, degrees become useless and experience trumps all. Guess its kinda like how the ATAR is useless the day after the HSC ends lol. Really puts things in perspective looking back on it all.

JR_StudyEd:
5/8/19

Feelings aren't meant to last. But my feelings towards maths on the other hand...have remained mostly constant. I've felt crappy ever since I had maths today. And Methods is still the subject that I struggle the most with, despite all my attempts.

It's a perpetual cycle of: Teacher goes over new textbook exercises, I fail to grasp it quickly enough, I fall behind, I try to catch up but since maths is sequential I have to go back and try and consolidate my knowledge of earlier content. I'm always behind, and I'm so over it.

And exams are coming too. I cannot be stuffed. I feel like I will never improve no matter how hard I try. Nothing's impossible. But this is maths we're talking about.

I feel like I'm saying the same things over and over again, but it's how I feel.

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