My Shameful Math Secret

One of these things is not like the others...
The Papa                      L1                        L2                       L3  
Me


   









    I LOVE math!  Third grade math.  I would teach it all day if I could.  But when I get home... I live in a house full of math geeks.  Yes, real ones.  As in, people who understand the mathematical gobbledygook that makes the eyes of normal humans glaze over...  My husband has been a math teacher.  His favorite class to teach was Trigonometry.  My oldest son is in the process of becoming a High School math teacher.  My daughter is getting her Master's Degree in Mathematics.  My youngest son has other aspirations (thank goodness), but would be capable of teaching math someday as well. 

And then there's me.  I feel like Charlie Brown in this Peanuts comic strip:

Courtesy of Peanuts.com
Here's what a conversation looks like at my house:

Son#1:
f(x) = \sum_{n=0}^\infty a_n \left( x-c \right)^n = a_0 + a_1 (x-c)^1 + a_2 (x-c)^2 + a_3 (x-c)^3 + \cdots
Daughter:
"That's true, but I would add the function f given by f(x)=(1 + x)α"

Son#2:
"Blah blah blah convergence, blah blah blah hyperbolas"

 Husband:
f(a)+\frac {f'(a)}{1!} (x-a)+ \frac{f''(a)}{2!} (x-a)^2+\frac{f^{(3)}(a)}{3!}(x-a)^3+ \cdots.  
Me:
"I taught my third graders how to remember 7 x 8 = 56 today."

 So here's that shameful secret: I don't understand anything they are saying! One of these things is not like the others. Sigh. I guess we all have our gifts. I will just be the very best teacher of multiplication facts that I can be. Who knows? Maybe some of my students will grow up to be math geeks! And I can say I helped build the foundation. =)

 Happy Math Teaching, whatever kind!

Posted by at
Labels: ,

4 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 4, 2013 at 10:47 AM

    Love this! I'm ok with being like Charlie Brown. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Qasim KhanJune 16, 2021 at 11:12 PM

    The best folding exercise bike is the Exerpeutic Best Home Exercise Bike, which can hold up to 300-pound riders but also can fold to half its assembled size.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Whome1996January 18, 2024 at 12:43 PM

    Mathematics is the universal language that unveils the elegance of our world. Its precision and logic are the building blocks of innovation, guiding us through complex challenges with clarity. From unraveling the secrets of nature to powering technological breakthroughs, math is the heartbeat of progress. Embracing its beauty fosters not just problem-solving skills but also a profound appreciation for the interconnected tapestry of numbers and patterns that shapes our understanding. In every equation, there's a story waiting to be told, and in every solution, a triumph of human intellect. Math is the symphony that harmonizes our journey of discovery.

    ReplyDelete
  4. koe61831January 18, 2024 at 12:46 PM

    Hey everyone! I've been following this insightful discussion about overcoming math challenges, and it got me thinking about overcoming creative hurdles too. If you're into content creation and looking for a game-changer, check out this amazing upscaling tool at Depositphotos. It's been a game-changer for me, taking my visuals to the next level effortlessly. In the spirit of sharing resources, I thought this might be helpful for fellow creatives here. Feel free to explore and share your thoughts!

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)