Gosh, I Love Math!

The following is from an e-mail I received from one of my math colleagues at school this week.

 

"Ben B. just turned to me while doing a Word Problem Workshop and stated:

'Ya know Ms. M…a math class is the only place someone can buy 80 watermelons and no one questions their motives. Gosh, I love math.' "

 

I just had to share that with all my mathy friends because THIS is the fuel that keeps our fires burning in teaching.  When I hear something like this, I forget about all the paperwork, the long hours of planning and grading, the meetings, the paperwork, the frustration of not having enough time....did I mention the paperwork? I especially love knowing I had a teeny part of that young man's enthusiasm for math as he was my student two years ago and now I have his sister in my class. Ben, you make me want to be a better teacher!

 

This week some of my students told me that my class always goes by quickly. I take that as a great compliment from a sixth grader. The days that drag by for me are the ones where I am not engaged, not interested, and am bored.  The day is endless when I sit and watch them take standardized tests....*yawn*. I am enjoying their attitude towards learning these days. I know that the group work and discussion, the discovery of concepts through the messy mucking about is ALL worth it!

 

Gosh, I love math!