We’ve all been there – it’s 11:30pm and you’re starting your math homework that’s due tomorrow. You were dozing off in class and missed it when the teacher solved the practice problems on the board. This week, the staff writer from the Mathnasium of Palo Alto – Menlo Park explores the different stages you experience as you do math homework.
- Confidence – Hey this isn’t so bad! You’re breezing through the first couple math problems likehow to teach division. They’re all super basic computation math problems. You just might be a genius, you think. At this rate, you might be able to fit in some Netflix before bedtime.
- Realization – The problems get harder and harder. How in the world do you integrate this? You realize that the problems are increasing in difficulty as you go along. This can’t be good…
- Confusion – What? How do I even start this problem? What do all these symbols mean? I thought this was math – why are there so many letters? I miss being in 2nd grade.
- Anger – Why wasn’t I paying attention in class? Why is this even necessary? When will we ever use this in the real world? Like I’ll be at job interview and they’ll ask me to prove that I know how to integrate.
- Grief – I guess I’ll just move out of Menlo Park and live under the Bay Bridge.
- Resistance – Not so fast, you think. You open your textbook, find the concept you’re studying, and follow the practice problems.
- Epiphany – OMG! I found the way! Wow this isn’t so bad! Hey, I might be smart after all! You move onto the next problem. Repeat from step 2.
Please don’t take this post too seriously – our staff writers just wanted to have fun with this post. In reality, anybody has the potential to be really good at math – all it takes is practice and an open mind. For more fun ways to learn math, visit the Mathnasium of Palo Alto – Menlo Park. Practice math for third graders, visit Brighterly.com and discover your inner math genius.