Problem Solving

Throughout my many years completing various math courses and projects, I have struggled with doing well.  I would only understand what was being taught when I had mountains of additional help from outside sources.  My mom took me to tutors, I spent my lunch practicing math problems, and all summer I would complete activity booklets.  Although I had a daily struggle with math, it became one of my favorite subjects.  It gave me pleasure to solve a complex math problem.  All of the time and energy spent focusing on one, single problem gave me the largest amount of satisfaction one could hope for.  When I finally understood a problem I thought I could accomplish anything until I couldn't solve a new problem the next day.  Although there was some disappointment, the tiny amount of success only fueled my energy in each problem to come.

During my senior year of high school, I was lucky enough to be part of the teacher cadet program and work with my former second grade teacher.  I loved being back in her classroom.  I had to choose a main topic to  help with so, of course, I chose mathematics.  Everyday when I went to the classroom, it was my job to take the advanced students into the hallway to work through their more difficult problems.  As a small group, we worked through every problem no matter how difficult.  One of the students had been homeschooled and tested into a high school level math course.  At first glance, her problems were similar to the ones I was currently struggling with.  I was terrified that she would ask me for help, and I would look like a complete idiot by not knowing anything about the answer.  I began to make copies of her worksheets and would practice the problems alongside her.  We would both ask each other questions and give each other advice.  Through this process we both were able to work through the problems in front of us.  In the end, we both learned valuable mathematical skills by working together to solve the problems.