Mathematics Autobiography

When I reminisce on my mathematics experiences from primary/elementary, I realize I actually don't remember all that much. What little I do remember from primary is sitting at tables with a group of classmates filling in brightly colored workbooks that used a lot of visuals/pictures to help us out. I can remember using manipulative materials such as blocks, counters, and card games to help us solve problems and learn new concepts. (I would get so excited to see my teacher pull materials from the shelves to hand around during a lesson!) I can also remember being asked by my teacher to help peers who needed a little extra time with assigned work when I finished mine early.  I liked being able to help my peers but, being shy, I didn't enjoy being put on the spot. Math was always interesting and enjoyable to me, fun even, in the primary grades. However, as we aged, and progressed through the elementary years, math became more boring. It became less interactive, as most work was done individually, "in our heads", on "boring" lined exercise books, and manipulative materials became a rare treat. I found that attitudes in the classroom about math quickly went downhill by late elementary/junior high.

It's hard to remember much about my primary/elementary years, but it seems as if my mathematics teachers enjoyed teaching it. It is hard to tell how they really felt about it because they were responsible for teaching everything - but if they didn't enjoy it, they hid it well. High school was different though, teachers were specialized in the area and it was very obvious that they loved it! Some of the math teachers I had in senior high would get so happy when teaching their favorite units/concepts. In high school, I found a new appreciation for math in my last couple years. I transferred from NL to AB in grade 11 and they put me in pure mathematics. It was so different from the math I had taken in NL and it was difficult for me to adjust to a completely different curriculum in the middle of high school but I loved the challenge.  

Math was always something that came easy for me. I knew I was "good" at it because I always excelled without having to put much effort into it. I know I was lucky in this respect, many of my friends couldn't say the same. That doesn't necessarily mean I loved it though. Math was always that subject that I neither loved nor hated, I never really thought much about it - it was just something we had to do. I enjoyed the feeling of success I would get from making my teachers and parents proud when I'd bring home my 90's & 100's, but it wasn't the subject itself that brought me joy, it was knowing I was good at something that not everyone could be good at.

As for assessment, it was always the same. Worksheets, open-book assignments (which were basically the same as worksheets), unit tests, and as we got older: finals. Tests and exams usually had some multiple choice and some short answer questions. It was always the same and generally straightforward. I'm sure there was probably on-going informal assessments in the classroom such as observation and checking of homework etc. but as a child I can only remember worrying about things I knew were being marked: the assignments and tests. 

Since university, I've only taken two mathematics courses: the recommended 1050 & 1051. For my focus area a few years ago I was debating between math and english. In the end I chose english, but I've always kind of regretted it.

Overall, I've had good experiences with mathematics. However, no particular memories stand out in my mind from primary/elementary. I do think that mathematics is an extremely important subject to teach children because it's all around us: we use it to count money, to buy things, to tell time & dates, for baking, for clothing sizes, for weather, and so on. Numbers are everywhere, I consider it a literacy all on its own.We use it everyday without even thinking about it - so as an adult, I can see why it is emphasized so much in grade school.