Math, the final frontier
Today I found out my daughter is behind in math. Normally I would love to help my children grow and learn but this is an area that has always given me problems, ever since I was a child my mind did not comprehend math.
It’s very frustrating to know that I can’t help her, so I am taking the initiative to learn math again, starting over from the age of 38. My mom bought my daughter a book called “Girls Get Curves” by Danica McKellar (yes, it’s Winnie from Wonder Years. I loved watching that show when I was a kid), and it focuses on helping middle school girls learn geometry.
Of course I need to buy all of her other books like “Math Doesn’t Suck”, “Kiss My Math”, and “Hot X: Algebra Exposed”, which will help me to understand math in a simpler way than what I was taught. I have to admit though, in my mind I believed that math was hard, so math became hard because of what I believed about it. Now I must believe the opposite, know that math is easy and that I can understand it.
I know all I need (and my daughter needs) is for that one person to add the missing piece and our minds will understand math, but the hard part is finding that one person who knows just the right way to explain it and expand our minds.
“Everything is easy for those who believe.”
Mimic Nature 
Jana,
It’s a small world. I understand the frustration that you and your daughter have toward math. I am a retired Mathematics teacher who has taught Algebra, Geometry and basic math on the secondary school level. It has been my experience that there is always more than one way to skin a cat.
I too remember Danica from Wonder Years. And was surprised of her expertise in the subject.
Good luck, I’m sure you’ll come upon that one person.
-Alan
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Alan,
It’s nice to hear that people understand me, especially a person who does understand math. I was reading more of Danica’s book and maybe I it’s the language I didn’t understand? Converse, inverse, and contrapositive, it’s like learning a new language! Although Danica gives you cute little ways to try and remember what the meaning is.
Thanks Alan, I’m sure I will find that one person too. I have actually bought myself some 6th and 7th grade math workbooks to help me get started.
I watched a video about someone’s near-death experience, and she said that God created everything with math…I thought that was interesting, and it made me think that knowing math could be knowing a piece of God 🙂 have a great day Alan!
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Jana,
Something just came to mind. Go to http://www.khanacademy.org, on the opening page there are separate sections for students, teachers and most important “parents.” The explanations are displayed on screen with audio guidance. I think you’ll be pleased. And it is free.
Good luck,
Alan
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Thanks for Alan, I’ll check that out! 🙂
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