Monthly SimLit Short Story Challenge

"Qnshr5;c-17056939" wrote:

"divanthesimmer;c-17055674" wrote:

"lisabee2;c-17055616" wrote:

"Qnshr5;c-17055610" wrote:

"Dollyllama108;c-17054664" wrote:

"lisabee2;c-17054475" wrote:

"chluke75;c-17054292" wrote:
@divanthesimmer Thanks! My mom used to have me type up her meeting notes from back in her nursing days. She was the English scholar, but no good on a computer. Maybe a little bit rubbed off on me from that. Math was actually my better subject. And good thing too, since the teacher's curse was right, and I do use it most every day. :D

What I find EXTREMELY amusing is the admonition from my teachers in the past re: why we learn math ... "You won't have a calculator everywhere you go ... " UMMM hello???

You're not wrong. Math is misunderstood; it's a creative philosophical discipline being presented as a series of plug-and-chug problems. (Lockhart's Lament!) At earlier levels, math allows students to practice solving problems in a context where failure shouldn't affect their lives. (Can't factor this polynomial? It's ok, you still have friends.)

At higher levels, math becomes a way of life and a spiritual practice. Sure, it looks like jargon, but if you've been exposed to more ideas about uncertainty and how things change over time, it's easier to process/communicate uncertainty and how things change over time. It's a lot like writing. You learn the language first (e.g., what it means for something to be 'linear' or 'continuous'---not numbers), then put individual concepts together to create something new. It's upsetting how effectively the education system takes all the soul out of the discipline.

As a math teacher, I completely agree. Math is mis-taught in many classroom. And kids are never told why any of it is helpful. I was told I needed math to get a job and the calculator thing, too. As a kid, both of those sounded stupid. I've never told my students such nonsense. I tell them that they need to be able to problem solve, to think logically and creatively in order to figure out a solution no matter the situation. Sometimes they'll have a good solution and other times they'll have to go back to the drawing board many times, but the important thing is to have the confidence to know you have all the tools you need right there inside of you. That's why you need math. I haven't had a student yet who didn't think that was awesome or who hasn't risen to the occasion. My curriculum is not easy (it's pretty demanding), but it is the most hands on class with more creative projects than any other class in the school. The heart of math is exploring concepts like a philosopher or an artist not just answering operations like a robot.

I am ready for your class <3 I want to sit in .. maybe I would have liked math better with that vision in my mind

Count me in! My brain simply could not understand Maths, but if I went back in time, I would've pushed myself a little more to be better (not only in Maths, but all the other subjects). When I graduated high school, my marks were mostly average and unfortunately you need distinctions to get into University here in South Africa (so the "you need it to get a job" was mostly true). The biggest problem was that I did bad in subjects that were related to my future job, like Engineering Graphics and Design (which also had the same concept as Maths). I then went to a private college where I was my own teacher half the time and had to do projects that I didn't even understand. After two years of studying, I graduated and took some time to focus on my driving and get my driver's licence and I failed numerous times, wasting another year of my life. Now, I am unemployed and have no idea where I'm going to get a job (as the ones available have requirements I don't meet), but in the meantime I write and read SimLit to lift my spirits (I've had some dark thoughts not too long ago).

I'm sorry @divanthesimmer Actually, I was terrible in Math as a student. I hated it. I never would have chosen it to teach, but I was assigned it because they needed someone in that position. So, I had to figure out how to teach something I didn't even understand. I decided to start at the very beginning. I got the book "Basic Math and Pre-Algebra for Dummies" which starts off with numbers... just plain old numbers (1, 2, 3...) I felt really stupid, but I actually learned a lot about Math that I'd either never learned or didn't notice. I learned at my own pace studying and practicing everyday until I got through the whole book. Then I bought "Algebra I & II for Dummies" to further my understanding (they have every subject). All that to say, this was not my natural ability, but one I taught myself. You've definitely put in a lot of hard work to learn for yourself, too. Since you're honing your writing skills, have you thought about looking in that direction? I mean if you can write and do graphics & design, that's a good skill set since graphic artists aren't necessarily good writers. Maybe online freelance work? Submitting to paid writing contests and magazines? It's not something to make a career out of right away, but could give you a start. I don't know. I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I'm glad SimLit is there for you. Writing has gotten me through some very hard times, too.