Re: when to push
Julie Stauffer
<<But he thinks it should come to him as an epiphany and when it doesn't, he
thinks he is too stupid to learn it>>
Speaking as a former math phobe, I'd say he is both right and wrong here. I
never "got" math. I could perform the calculations but I never understood
what I was doing. I simply memorized what went where and as soon as the
class was over, promptly forgot the equations. I thought I was stupid in
math, regardless of the fact that I had a Bachelor of Science degree (heavy
on the math).
Then when I was about 34, I truly did have an epiphany. I wasn't "trying"
to learn something. I was watching Bill Nye with my kids. He was talking
about physics, again something I thought was just over my head for some
reason, figured I just didn't think that way. Watching this video, the
light came on. I already KNOW this stuff. It is just putting labels on
things I already know. Suddenly, I understood math. The equations just
describe what I already know. I can now remember the fractions stuff
because I know what I'm doing with it. I understand why the denominators
have to match to add and subtract. I GOT IT!!!!
So, I think your son is right in that math may well come to him as an
epiphany and wrong in that he isn't stupid, just not ready.
Julie
thinks he is too stupid to learn it>>
Speaking as a former math phobe, I'd say he is both right and wrong here. I
never "got" math. I could perform the calculations but I never understood
what I was doing. I simply memorized what went where and as soon as the
class was over, promptly forgot the equations. I thought I was stupid in
math, regardless of the fact that I had a Bachelor of Science degree (heavy
on the math).
Then when I was about 34, I truly did have an epiphany. I wasn't "trying"
to learn something. I was watching Bill Nye with my kids. He was talking
about physics, again something I thought was just over my head for some
reason, figured I just didn't think that way. Watching this video, the
light came on. I already KNOW this stuff. It is just putting labels on
things I already know. Suddenly, I understood math. The equations just
describe what I already know. I can now remember the fractions stuff
because I know what I'm doing with it. I understand why the denominators
have to match to add and subtract. I GOT IT!!!!
So, I think your son is right in that math may well come to him as an
epiphany and wrong in that he isn't stupid, just not ready.
Julie